The Washington times., 1894-04-04
ASK FOR NEARLY 100000
It Is a Subsidy for the Southern Fast
Nail, So Called.
NORTH CAROLINA POLITICS IN IT
Trains No Faster Than on the subsidised
Roads-Vanderbilts a. Well - Richmond
and Danville Interested -Postmasters Gen.
eral Have Opposed the Appropriation.

The proposition carried In the postoflce
| appropriation bill to award nearly S2OO. 900,
or S196, ,614.22, to be exact, to certain trunk
lines from Springfield. Mass, via New York
and Washington, to Atlanta and New Orleans, -
'for necessary and special facilities" seems
to meet with vigorous opposition. The speech
of Representative Kyle, of Mississippi, first
drew attention to this item in the present ses-
sion. The presence Of the railroad lobby has
served still further to attract the attention Of
Senators and Members to this proposed allow
ance. Back of the item is long continued
story.
The Richmond and DanvilIe railroad has
this year borne the brunt of the opposition to
this railway subsidy. Other important rail-
roads, however, are nearly as much inter-
ested. The Vanderbilts, for instance, in the
allowance for the New York. New Haven and
Hartford from Springfield to New York, and
the Pennsylvania from New York to Wash
fngton. The allowance Of money to each,
while not quite SO much as that to the Rich
mond and Danville, is nevertheless important,
and in this year, as in others, tine representa-
tives of the Vanderbits and of the Pennsyl-
vania are aiding the Richmond and Danyille
the interests OF the Atlantic Coast Line, So
called, which enjoyed the subsidy itself in
former years, but has now been replaced in
the chain of railroads transporting the south
ern fast mail, so-called. by the Richmond
and Danyille.
The opponents o. the item point out that
this Is the only railroad subsidy that has been
allowed in this country in recent years, and
that the subsidy is therefore discrimination
against all other railroads; that, as a matter
of fact, the mail service provided for under
it is not SO fast, but, on the contrary, slow,
and that. rs q matter fact, two other North
and South through mail lines. which are not
subsidized. make quicker time; and that in
general terms the allowance is a subsidy pure
and simple, which never should have been
granted to the railroads in the country, and
which has never served the purpose for which
it was intended. and in support of all these
arguments Postmasters General Dickinson
and Wanamaker, one a Democrat and one a
Republican, are quoted from in detail. Mr.
Kyle. indeed, quoted from these authorities
in his recent speech.
The opponents of this allowance point out,
moreover, that a petty web is woven around
it in order that it shall be not merely put
through but protected and paid out, for the
item in the bill provides that no part OF the
appropriation shall be spent unless the Post
master General deems it necessary in order
example, Senator Ransom of North Carolina.
who is avowsdly the candidate of the Rich
mond and Danyille people in that state for
re- election, and who is antagonized by the
Atlantic Coast Line people, is warmly for the
subsidy, that Congressman Henderson of
Salisbury, n. c., an important Richmond and
Danville town. who is chairman of the House
Postoffice Committee, is also strongly for the
appropriation; and that Hon. Kerr Craige,
Third Assistant Postmaster General. who is
evidently wrongly supposed by some to
have to do officially with Department recon-
mendations touching the transportation Of
mails and with the execution of acts of Con-
gress relating to them. is also citizen OF
Salisbury. appointed to his present place
largely through the influence OF Senator Ran
som and Mr.. Henderson. That it is further
pointed out that Mr.. Henderson as well Us
Mr.. Craige is an ex-attorney of Richmond
and Danville. and that Mr.. Henderson counts
upon the support OF this powerful corpora
ton in his fight for Senator vance's seat. The
supporters OF the appropriation naturally
argue that the Atlantic Coast Line, so-called,
are merely fighting this item in the bill be-
cause they are not to be able to utilize the
money this year as formerly.
= 1t cannot be predicted whether the item
will 20 through. Certainly it will be very
warmly antagonized. not merely by Senators
and Members who oppose all subsidies on
principle. but by many other railroads as
well as the Atlantic Coast Line. not to men,
tion the friends of these other railroads in the
two branches Congress. And it is not neces-
sariy assumed that Postmaster General Bis
sell will spend the money, supposing that it
is appropriated. The item in the bill makes
it discretionary with the Postmaster General
whether he shall spend the money or not. In
the last administration the money was granted
in spite OF the opposition of Mr.. Wanamaker,
but he never allowed the money to be spent.
1t is thought by the Richmond and Danville
people. of course, that Mr.. Bissell, if he has
the money at his disposal, will argue that it
might as well be spent as not. and the more
incautious OF the advocates of the item admit
that the influence of such strong and useful
Democrats as Senator Ransom will avail to
influence him to do it il their intercession
should be necessary.