New-York tribune., 1886-08-26
NATIONAL CAPITAL TOPICS.
JUDGE HOLMAN RISES TO EXPLAIN.

A DENIAL WHICH DoEsS'r rpENY-ExTRAvAGANT
APPROPRIATIONS IN FAVOR OF HIS FRIENDS.
WASHINGTON, Aug. % (SpecidD. - To q
TRIBUNE correspondent tonight Congressman Holman
Of Indiana, said. "An article in The TRIBUNE OF
August Is In regard to the postoce OF the House OF
Representatives does Injustice to MI Dalton postmaster
OF the House, and to the House Committee on Appropr
aons Tho increased number OF members Of the HOUSE
under the last apportonment necessarily signtv IN
expense of that oce bnt the inference nS
Will be from the article IL that there was AS'
session an increased or unjustnabe expehai'uio
authorized for carrying the mails to members Oh 'n'
House. brief statement will show that this 10 mis-
taxa BY reference to the appropriation laws
II will be seen that in 1873 tho COST
for carrying the mails for members OF tho House ana
one saddle for OF messenger was So'f|o in
1876, when tho Democrats obtained control OF tue
House, the coat of carrying the mails for members were
reduced to $4,000 At the next session 1t was Increased
10 s5 500 but in 1873 II reduced to $4,000 and has
remained at tnat since. Both sessions OF the
XLyfth Congress roprated $1,000 for this service
lust as was done last session. and yet you will notice
tnat meantime there had been large increase OF
members. The named has not been considered ex-
cessve. Tho Senate with seventysir members has an
appropriation for mail service OF $500. The House
with 325 members and eight delegates has
$1,000. In justice to the subcommittee which
prepared the legislative bill to which
you refer and OF which chairman and Mr.. Can
non. OF Illinois, and Major Buterworth OF Ohio,
members, trust that The TRIBUNE will publish this
ttstemeut. Permit to add that to the editorial In
THR TRIBUNE OF this date In regard to tho Democratic
Congressional Convention In the IVth Indiana District
the Editor has been msled. There IA no foundation
whatever for the statements made. except that mum
ber Of Federal onicehoders present But excuse
for referring to a after simply personal 10 myself
It will be observed that Judge Holman does not deny
any statement OF fact made b. THE TRIBUNE IN RELATION
to the House post Office For example. he docs not deny
thst the horses and wagons used ia the tansortaton
OF the mails are owned by Postmaster Dalton who
"hires" them from himself at the rate
OF $1,000 year, thus making clean
profit OF $500 year, after allowing
o per cent Interest the original Investment me
profit for single equal nearly three tkes tne
saying that there very heavy increase In the
cost OF Tho House post-ocs at the last session Hc
oms TO state. however, that he has prepared the A
propratiOn bill containing the ems forthe House post
friend Mr. Dalton has been postmastsr Agsiu, Judge
Holman Ia anxious that justice shall be done 10 the SUD-
committee OF which he IL chairman ana Mr. cannon,
OF Illinois ana Mr. Butterworth. OF Ohio. members"
Why should Jul ise Holman be so careful TO mention
only two members OF the sub-committeef Can
1t no because the remaining two were Demo
Gratis, while Msssrs Cannon and Butterworth,
VIII com pose tho minority Of the SUB cominttec are
Bepublicsnsl Everybody familiar with the work
OF the Appropriations Committee knows that Juope
OF the legislative bill which provides for the Housepos
Office lie make better defence than TO say that
he the great economist has made no more npcral
provision tn did the wacniu eItrsvagant hepuo1-
before him Tho House pOstofhcc serves NJ most
600 persons during part OF each year and II costs
S26.220 year or S43 70 for each Congressmah' Az
tnat rate postal facilities for the 5000 900 people In
ths United StAtes would cost tho enormous sum or
S2622 000 900 year and the postal expenditures Tor
the city of New-York alone would he nearly $50OOOoOO
q year. Mr.. Holman a great d" Reformer."