St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-19
The Senate Passes the Postoffice APP
preparation Bill, With Over
s3O0O,000 Added.
The Bankruptcy Bill Next in Order, But
Consideration Postponed to
Next Week.
Mr.. White of Kentucky Makes DISCREET
able Exhibition OF Himself in
House Debate.
The Senate.

| from the same committee, adversely the
Joint resolution providing for the erection Of
bronze equestrian statute to Simon BOIL
var. Indefinitely postponed.
The following bills were introduced and
referred:
By Senator Hill which provided for the
deposit in the treasury Of receipts from the
money order system and payment OF It's ex-
penses from the treasury.
The senate then took up the postottice ap-
preparation bill.
At o'clock the senate concluded consid-
Grafton of the postoffice appropriation bill,
and passed it without deviation tlom the
amendments proposed by the senate commit
tee on appropriations, except to add $50, 0oO
| to the appropriation for river mail service.
Senator Plumb said, as the bill left the
house it had appropriated SAC, ,225, 900, and
the senate committee had added So, 499, ,50O,
making the appropriation at present S49,-
| 725, 400 As the bill now stood, after the
addition by the senate committee, Senator
Plumb said, it was rather inside than outside
the necessities of the situation, that the COM
mittee desired to give the public efficient
service, though the committee had not made
the appropriation as large in all cases as the
members thought was entirely desirable, and
not as large as the estimate made, by the
postoffice department, The public was en-
titled to good postal service, he added, as
they paid for it,
The consideration of bill was proceeded
with by sections. On reading the section re-
lating to railway transportation OF the mails,
a debate arose. The bill as it came from the
house required the postmaster general to
make a reduction of 5 per cent. in the COM
pensation heretofore paid all railroads for
carving the mails, and that the railroads that
received land grants should be required to
carry the mails at rate of so per cent less
than paid other railroads for like services.
Senator Plumb explained, that the COM
mittee on appropriations had not felt justi-
fed in retaining these provisions, so far as
the five per cent. reduction was. concerned.
The members of the committee, after some
examination, were not entirely satisfied the
amount now paid railroads was greater than
they should be- The government required
the companies to carry the mails and were
paving less for the service than the express
companies paid. Every person who had ex-
amined the subject had become satisfied the
present rates were inequitable, and did not
pay the several roads in proportion to the
services rendered by them severally. The
subject should therefore be dealt with by
some comprehensive measure, after careful
cxamn alton and discussion, and not dis
posed of in an appropriation bill.
Relative to the requirement that
land grants should carry mails for so per
cent. less than other roads. Senator Plumb
said the senate committee had thought the
provision one that should not be hastily
adopted Some of these roads had received
lands of greater value than others, and
larger grants The Pacific roads were under
the law, carrying the mails now for 20 per
cent. less than other roads. The subject Of
the . relation of the government to these
roads was before the courts, and doubtless,
before another congress should assemble, the
courts would render decision constituting
the acts bearing on that relation. The Thur
man bill being in process of enforcement,
| the committee on appropriations had not felt
like entering upon so broad subject and
dealing with it in PIECE meal
fashion, which would be necessary if it were
to be dealt with in the appropriation
bill. If anything were lacking with refer
ence to the obligation of the railroads to the
government, or with reference to the rates
they were charging, whether to the govern
ment or to individuals, that subject should
be treated as its importance deserved, and
not in an appropriation bill, byt by the prop
er committees of congress having the subject
of railroads in charge, in order that all the
elements in so very intricate problem might
be kept in view. For these reasons, the SEN
ate committee on appropriations had agreed
to strike from the bill the provisions referred
| to.
Senator Salisbury expressed regret that
the clauses in question had not been retain
ed. II believed the railroads were receiving
too high rate and said the amendment on
the subj ect submitted from the committee on
post offices and post roads would have effect
ed reduction of S6OO,0O He inquired
whether the railroads were not paid extra for
speed.
Senator Plumb said, "No," adding that
there had been gain of twenty-four hours
effected between New York and San Francis
co by increased speed without extra costs.
Senator Allison, replying to Salisbury,
said one of the reasons urged before the
senate committee for the adoption of the
principle which the senator from Delaware
favored was, it would increase instead of di-
minishing the compensation to GER
tain roads The claim of the great
through lines was, that the compensa-
ton now allowed them was insufficient,
and the amount referred to would increase
it. The loss would fall on the small roads
Allison also opposed horizontal reduction
of five per cent, because it would strike
down the roads that could least bear the re-
duction.
Senator Palmer said, that from the COM
mittee on postofices and post roads, he had
reported the amendment referred to. 1t had
been thought it would make reduction
of 81, 900, 900, but the committee had later
come to doubt the anticipation in that re-
spect, and they wanted further time to in
vestigate the subject. After further debate,
the amendment was agreed to, striking out
the house provision which would reduce the
compensation of railroads by 5 per cent. and
would reduce the compensation of the land
grant roads to so per cent of the amount
paid to other roads. The other amendments
proposed by the committee were agreed to,
the only departure being in the adoption of
the amendment proposed by Sc nator Plumb,
adding s25, 900 to the appropriation fo + river
mail services. This amendment was
authorized by the committee on ap-
preparations, after hearing some
remarks by Senator Morgan, representing
that the people along the line of the Alabama
river were deprived of all mail facilities. He
hnn. l,o o:I e., L..