The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-02-01
THE POSTAL SERVICE
DISCUSSED IN THE U. s. SENATE.
Democratic InsmelsnOy-oivil Service Re.
form at n DIseOunt-Mr. Ksnna Gives
Notice that he will Champion the
Free Trade Message Thursday.

WARRINGTON, D. O., Jan. 3l.-In the
Senate to-day among the bills reported
from committees and placed on the calen'
dar were the following: To provide fol
warehousing fruit brandy, and for the
construction Of q bridge across the St
Oroix river.
Mr.. Riddleberger offered a resolution
that the treaty between this Government
and that OF Great Britain now before the
Senate in executive session, be considered
in open session, and asked for Its imms-
diate consideration. Mr.. Edmunds OBJ
Iiscted, and 1t was laid over under the rule.
The resolution offered yesterday By Mr..
Plumb instructing the Postoffice Commit
tee TO make thorough inquiry into the
cause OF inefficient mail service, especially
In the West and South, was taken up for
confederation.
Mr.. Manderson said that he felt sense
of personal gratitude TO the Senator from
Kansas, who introduced the resolution,
and he hoped that the investigation would
be thorough. Those who lived in the ad-
vanclng States OF the West had suffered
very greatly from inefficient postal ar.
ranHements for the last couple Of years.
Mr.. Salisbury said he did not know
Anything about the postal arrangements
in the Western States, or whether the
complaints from there were well founded
or not. BE had no objection to the pro-
posed investigation, but he thought 1t un.
taiT,to the executive officers 10 haveplaced
on the records Of the Senate newspaper
scraps and private letters rejecting on
them. He was pleased yesterday 10 hear
the Senator from Kansas charge the Post
office Department with being too eco.
nomical, because he recolleCted the grave
charges OF "Star Route" frauds, and other
defalcatiouB preferred against the depart
ment under former administration. He
was pleased that no charge Of that kind
had been made against the present post
office administration.
Mr.. Morgan expressed his satisfaction
that the resolution had been offered, be-
cause he thought that the Postoffice Com
mittee needed the administration OF q
stimulant.
Mr.. Beck said that the matter was not
90 simple as Senators seemed to think.
It involved classification and other things.
Railroads were being built with such
rapidity, displscing Star Route lines, and
60 much time had 10 elapse before con-
tracts could be made, that great embar-
rassment was caused. He admitted that
Congress had not done Its duty in furnish
ing the postoffice department with the
necessary appropriations.
Mr.. Chace, member OF the Postofice
Committee, suggested that the discussion
aaaua al tNa 1ikkla The Isnn.lN,,
complained of, he thought, arose from two
sources. One land probably the grsstest)
cause was the fact that the Department
had attempted to change the clerical force
too rapidly. In the short space OF two and
half years 90 per cent Of the whole force
Of the Postofice Department Of the
country had been changed. He ad-
mitted that there had been less
changes among the railway postal
clerks than in any other branch Of the
service; but 1t was also true that In no
other branch had there been go little diff.
Guilty. He commented on the very defec-
tive postal service In Philadelphia, and aaid
that the clerical forcs OF that post office
had been entirely changed-the new men
being selected, not with reference to their
qualifications, but with reference TO their
political services; and he referred to the
recent presence In Harrisburg Of postoffice
officials ss "heelers and strikers" to con.
troll the state committee IN the interest Of
the administration.
Mr.. Reagan favored the resolution. II
there were any inefticiency in the postal
service, which was inexcusable, that fact
should be developed, and II not, the &C.
ton OF the Postoflice should be vindicated.
The resolution went over till tomorrow
without sction, and the Blair bill was laid
aaide informally to permit motions to be
made to take bills from the calendar and
pass them.
The following bills were so taken up and
passed:
To grant the right OF way through the
public lands for irrigation purposes.
To relinquish the interest Of the United
states in certain lands in Kansas.
Joint resolution proposing. an amend.
ment To the Constitution. II provides
that the term OF Office Of the President
and OF the Fifheth Congress shall con-
tinue until the S0th day Of April, 1889, at
noon; that the Senators whose existing
term would otherwise expire on the 4th
OF March, 1889, and thereafter, shall
continue in Office until April 80,
succeeding such expiration; that the 30E6
OF April at nool snail thereafter be sub.
s,ituted for the 4sh OF March as the com.
mencement aud terminal Of the official
term OF the President, Vice President,
Senators and Representatives In Congress;
and that the 18th article Of the amend
menta TO the Constitution shallbe amend.
cd by striking out the words "Fourth day
Of March," and substituting the words
"Thirtieth day Of April at noon."
Mr.. KennA gave notice that he would
next Thursday submit some observations
on the Presidents message and Mr.. Sher.
man'S reply thereto.
The Senate then took up the Blair Edu-
cAtiopal bill, aud was addressed by Mr..
Evart1 In Its favor. The people OF this
country, he said, had made up their
minds that there should be no ignorance
where 1t was in the power Of the State
| land within proper limits OF the United
Statesl 10 prevent 1t.
II education was not 10 dieeipate the
dark clouds oi ignorance that existed in the
South, the clouds would grow darker and
lower. II ignorance could not be lifted
from the low level where It now rested, 1t
would not stay there, but would 90 lower
and lower, and would become brutal,
savage and hostile.
Mr.. Pugh took the floor and said he
would withhold his remarks on the bill
till tomorrow.
Alter an executive session the Senate
adjourned.