National Republican., 1888-05-24

their sympathy for him IN his sorrow by at
tending the obsequies of Mrs. Sawyer, which
are to occur at . o'clock. To enable such
senators to do so | move that the Senate do
now adjourn"
The motion was agreed to and the Senate
adjourned.
THE HOUSE.
After the passage Of couple Of Senate
bills the House went into the committee Of
the whole (Mr. Turner, of Georgia, In the
chair on the postoiilce appropriation bill.
Mr.. BlouMt, of Georgia, explained that
the bill carried an appropriation OF $50, ,035,-
$40 against an appropriation of S55,69i $50
for the current fiscal year. lie deemed 1t
necessary to give the causes for this in
crease. The appropriation for compensa-
tion Of postmasters for 1888 was S11,700.
The sixth auditor stated that the expense
for this item in 1887 amounted to S11 ,929, ,4sl,
or S229,4s1 more than the appropriation for
1888. At the same time 1t appeared that
while in 1856 the gross revenues increased
at the rate Of 3.26 per cent, in 1887 the in
crease was 14.06 per cent.
The same large increase of receipts was
expected to take place in 1888. In the ap-
preparation bill for 1888 there was no appro-
pration for rent, light, and fuel for third
class offices. In the proposed bill there was
inserted for this purpose the sum of $780,
tO7. Heretofore the postmaster of q third
class Office was compelled to pay for these
things from his salary. In the appropria-
tions for clerks in postonlces there was
substantial increase Of $550,000, which was
make at the request Of the Postmaster Gen
eral, and which was required to meet the
increasing needs Of the business
In reply to a question from Mr.. Lanham,
of Texas, Mr.. Blount stated that while the
committee on postoffces and postroads was
siFp tffTfssa ft increasing the compensation Of
was hot issued untn 10 o'cl 1t was estopped by
ftnr that hntt NM u
g;IPut of the house on to the pofSIHIpr pra.on i.s,
would bring M .oTe long measure to in.
crease the compensation of postmasters Of
that class. The increase of S777,500 in the
appropriation for the free delivery service
Mr.. Blount explained to be due not so much
to proposed increase of the service as to
the provisions Of the act of Jan. 8, 1887,
providing for the classification, promotion,
and salaries of letter carriers.
Mr.. Cox, of New York, inquired whether
there was any prospect of the committee on
postoffces and postroads reporting meas
ure to classify railroad mail clerks and
postal clerks, SO as to give them proper
Mr.. Blount replied that that matter was
being considered by q subcommittee, and he
did not feel authorized to make any state
ment as to the prospect of its being acted
upon. There were organizations among the
postal clerks, among postofllce cler' s, and
among railroad clerks for the purpose of
securing an increase of salaries. They did
the habit Of formulating their bills and
placing them In the hands OF some promi-
nent member, and in this way they expected
to drive Congress to conclusions contrary
TO the proper methods OF legislation. So
far as he was concerned, he represented, not
the offlceholders alone, but the great mass
OF people who paid the taxes, and he would
Withstand any unreasonable increase of
salaries.
Mr.. Bingham, of Pennsylvania, indorsed
the bill in its entirety, and thought 1t should
receive the approval of the House, In re-
gard to the compensation of postoflice
clerks he stated that to-day the average
o., compensation of the postoflice clerks would
Vt exceed $500 per annum. The pending
b would give them larger compensation,
and this he was heartily In favor Of and he
trusted that the committee would without
u delay report bill giving to these subordi-
H. mates proper classification.
Debate on the measure was participated
Gin by Messrs. Lind, of Minnesota Grout. of
s. Vermont; Montgomery, OF Kentucky, and
Perkins, of Kansas, the latter gentleman
arguing that the present administration had
Disseminated against the western country
in the matter of mail service, which he de-
clared was bad and inefficient. The ad
ministration had been tagging and indif
ferent, and had not kept pace with the
wants and necessities of the west. Com
petent men had been stricken down In order
that political workers might be provided
for.
Mr.. Lodge, of Massachusetts, referred to
rate Of railroad transportation for freight
and passengers has been materially re-
duced, and commented on the further
fact that during the same period the
rate for the transportation OF the mails
has been reduced to much less ex-
tent He knew that. It was said that
the government was giving extraordinary
facilities; that its cars were put upon fast
trains, and that the postal clerks were car
ried, but even after making all allowances
he believed that the government was paying
TO railroads from $5,O00,000 to $8,0OO,OOO
more than it ought to pay.
lie called special attention to the inability
of the government to secure fast mail fac-
tiles between New York and Boston, and
thought that some legislation should be en-.
acted to remedy the evil.
Mr.. Adams, of Illinois, advocated an in
crease in the appropriation for the free de-
livery system, and further liberaty in the
extension of that system
Mr.. Peters, of Kansas, was glad that the
bill contained an appropriation for rent,
light, and fuel for third class postoillccs
and he advocated the proposition to pay
stated sum to fourth class postmastcrs.
Mr.. Kerr, Of Iowa, objected to that item
of the bill providing for rent, light, and
fuel for third class offices, and referred to
the convention Of the postmasters OF that
class as being characteristic of Democratic
otilceholders.
Mr.. Dockery, of Missouri, remarked that
that convention would not have been held
but for the fact that the country stood in
the shadow of surplus in the treasury,
Neither party need expect an economic gov
ernment If the surplus was TO continue in
the treasury. He opposed the proposition
to pay fourth class postmasters stated sala-
ries in excess Of the fees received by them
ms being unjust and inequitable, aud sug-
gested that the committee on postofces and
postroads might well be intrtlsted with the
duty Of formulating measure which would
remedy the grievances of postmasters of the
fourth class on just and equitable basis
In response to a sarcastic remark dropped
by Mr.. Belden of New York, to the effect
that the troubles with the Postonlce Depart
ment lay in the civil service reform policy
of the present administration, Mr. DOckery
proclaimed himself in favor of the doctrine
that the party in power should be RESPONSE
bic to the people.
Mr.. Bingham suggested that the utterance
OF the gentleman was in perfect accord with
the Presidents policy for every first, sec
Ond, and third class postmaster-w the
exception of less than 200-had been changed
by the present administration, and out Of
the $4,000 fourth class postmasters over
5000 had been changed
Mir. DOCkery said that the gentlemen