The herald., 1896-04-08
POSTAL SERVICE CARED FOR
IncIudlug the Appropriations for Special
Speed Facilities
Members Of the House Make Objection to
the Metric System
An Unofficial Outgivlng That President
Cleveland Feels Bound by All the Facts
and Precedents to Decline to Recognize
the Cubans as BeIIigerents
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE post
Office appropriation bill. which has en-
:grossed the attention of the senate
for almost a week, was passed by that
body Just previous to adjournment to-
day. The entire day with the eXcep-
ton of a few minutes at the beginning
of the session was devoted to debate
and voting upon the amendments pro-
posed to the bill, the Wolcott amend
ment for the consolidation of smaller
offices with larger ones receiving the
greater share of attention. The discus
sion on this proposition again took the
foNn of debate on the merits OF civil
service reform. and was participated IN
by Messrs. Villas, Wolcott, Allen, hill,
Hoar, German, Stewart and others.
There were some rather spicy dialogues
between Messrs. Villas and Allen and
between Messrs. Wolcott and Hill. Mr..
Wolcott criticized Secretary Smith for
his participation in the Georgia cam
paign and was replied to by Mr.. Hill.
The amendment was defeated by de-
cisive vote, receiving only seven votes
in it's support.
MIR. Teller presented petitions from
branches of the American Federation of
Labor in various states, asking for the
restoration of the free coinage of silver,
and expressing an opinion that such
Butler pop, NJ c. introduced joint
resolution providing for an amend
ment to the constitution to limit the
veto power of the president so as to
make it competent for the two houses
to pass bills over the veto by majority
vote.
Call gave notice that he would call
up his Cuban resolution for discussion
tomorrow during the morning hour.
The postoflice appropriation bill was
taken up, the pending question being
the compensation of clerks at postal
stations and substations, involving the
matter of consolidation of postoffices.
Villas contended the amendment did
not enlarge the powers of the postmas-
ter general, and postmasters always
had the power to establish substations.
Mr.. Villas hoped that the authority of
the postmaster general to establish sub
offices would not be curtailed.
Asked by Mr.. Allen If any good had
been accomplished by civil service re-
form, Mr.. Villas replied that it had oper
ated in 1885, 1889 and 1898 to relieve the
public officers from part of the clamor
at least of office seekers. IL had given
relief to senators and representatives
and to the holders of executive offices.
He considered the system an excellent
one and said that only the initiatory
benefits had been received.
Mr.. Allen characterized Mr.. Villas re-
Fourth of July effort. He (Allen) want
ed him to point out the cold facts and
give particulars in which the country
had been benefited.
Mr.. Hoar Rep., Mass.) declared there
were three men who ought to nave
credit for great accomplishment and
reform in the civil service, viz: Dorman
Il. Eaton, Senator Hawley of Connecti-
cut and Theodore Roosevelt. who had
been bold, courageous and intelligent.
IIe did not think President Cleveland,
who ha1 done good many things dur
ing his administration, desired tF be
written very high on the SCROLL Civil
service, the senator thought, had come
to stay and it would be the policy of the
country in the futL:,
Mr.. Wolcott made strong speech in
favor of the civil service law, but said
he agreed with Mr.. German in denounc-
ing the habit of certain cabinet officers
in making speeches all over the country.
One of them was now transforming
Georgia in favor of gold monometalliSm.
IIe should have called attention to the
matter earlier had it not been for the
fact that it was better that he was away
than here so far as attention to public
business was concerned. He said the
secretarys arguments We're making
friends for bimetallism by the dozens.
MI. German said that since he had be-
come senator there had not been dozen
pOStOiaStefS III NdfyidHu appointed on
his recommendation and he resented the
intmation that his opposition to the
amendment was because it would take
away patronage.
Mr. Stewart argued against the civil
service law and said it was the iirst step
toward the Capitalization of power in
the hands of one man.
The debate on the amendment having
been closed, Mr.. Allison moved to lay it
on the table and the motion prevailed;
yeas 49, nays {. The defeat was signi-
iicant as showing an objection to the
consolida tion of postoflices.
Considerable discussion resulted OH
the Pascoe amendment, prohibiting the
esta blshment or maintenance of sub
or branch offices beyond the limits of a
city in which the principal office is To-
Gated
Nj. Allison thought that in view of
the debate in the senate the postmaster
general could be trusted not to make
further consultations and he even might
1etracc some of the steps he had taken.
Mr. Pascoe modified his amendment
so as to prohibit the establishment or
maintenance of sub-stations or branch
postoffices beyond the corporate limits
or boundaries of city in which the
principal Office is located and in this
shape it was carried-36 to 25.
The committee amendment appro-
priating $4,000 additional for mails
from San Francisco to New Zealand
and New South Wales via Honolulu
was adopted-32 to 81
Mr. Villas moved to strike out the ap-
preparation of s196,641 made by the
lines from Boston via New York and
Washington to Atlanta and New Or
leans. Defeated--l3 to 30.
Anothcr amendment by Mr.. Villas. re-