The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-09
1t was passed without objection and with


out further argument.
Loud also called up the bill authorizing
the Postmaster-General to make regula-
ters or packages my be Unidentified in a
sum of not exceeding $40 in any one case
for loss of letters or packages in the mail
tn be paid out of the postal revenues.
Postmasters-Ge Bissell and Wilson
approved the bill.
Quiug (R.l of New York opposed the
bill, suggesting an increased fee to meet
the cost of insurance to recoup the Gov
eminent.
Bingham (R.) of Pennsylvania, sup
porting the bill, replied to Hopkins (R.)
OF Illinois, stating that the experience OF
every country which had adopted the in
demnity for losses had been that the reve-
nues from increased business was vastly
greater than the cost of insurance. The
bill was passed-76 to Ii.
Loud also called up the House bill
directing Postmasters at places where
there Is no free mail delivery. upon the
petition of twenty persons receiving mail
at one office, to appoint carriers, who shall
be paid for their services by the patrons
who utilize them.
Sperry (R.) of Connecticut advocated
the passage of the bill and Bingham OPP
posed it, because of increased liability to
mail depreciation through the employ
ment of such force.
The passage of the bill was advocated
by Williams (Dem.) of Missouri, Smith
(Rep.) of Illinois, Johnson (Rep.) of Cali
fornia and Picker (Rep.) of South Dakota,
and opposed bv Loud. The latter gentle
man said that this amounted to nothing,
conferred no privilege or right that did
not now exist. Any man or body of men
could select a messenger to call and de-
liver their mail and pay him for it if they
wanted to do so. 1t was, besides, a dan
gerous measure.
The bill was passed-101 to ID.
The House then resolved itself into com
mittee of the whole and proceeded to con-
slider the general pension appropriation
bill. The provisions of the bill were briefly
explained by w. A. Stone (Rep of Penn
sylvania. 1t carried a total appropriation
of SAL ,283, $50, less by $65, 900 than the ap.
preparation for the current year and the
estimates of the Commissioner. No new
legislation was proposed in the bill.
Grow (R.) of Pennsylvania, the veneer
able Representative and ex-Speaker of the
House, took the occasion literally &C
corded under the rules to make a tariff
speech. He took his text from the Presi-
dents message relating to the Wilson
tariff bill: 1.-THE only entire fiscal year
during which this law has been in force
ended on the Both day of June 1896. In
that year our imports increased over those
of the previous year more than Sc. SOC, 900,
while the domestic products we exported
and which found markets abroad was
nearly $40, 900, 600 more than during the
preceding year. Whatever may be its
shortcomings as a complete measure OF
tariff reform, it must be conceded that it
has opened the way to freer and greater
exchange of comm ODDITIES between the
United States and other count tries and
thus furnished a wider market for our
products and manufactures"
In the two years and five months ended
December l, Mr.. Grow said. the deficiency
in the revenue of the Government
amounted to s110, 600, 900 and yet the Presi-
dent made no recomm endation to Con-
gress regarding the increase of revenue.
He did say, however, that no deficit that
had occurred or that was likely to occur
need excite or disturb.
"ln most placid, comfortable frame OF
mlnd," said Grow, .'the President evil
IDENTITY thinks the creditors of the Nation
will not be anxious SO long as the engrav-
ers and printing presses of the country
do not break down."
Grow said he would not consider the
tariff in any partisan sense, out as a
simple business m after affecting the reve-
nues of the treasury. If the present law
was not good for anything, the first duty
of Congress was to provide revenues for
the Government. He compared the work
| ings of the Mckinley and Wilson laws,
and sarcastically referred to the Presidents
assertion that the latter 'had opened the
way 10 a freer and greater exchange OF
commodities" Protection. he commended,
meant employment for American labor
and revenue for the treasury.
The pension bill being read for amend
ment, those offered by Connolly (R.) oil
! Illinois and Curtis (R.) OF Kansas, pro-
viding respectively that the rating fixed
| by the local board of examining surgeons
shall be conclusive as to the amount oil
the pension and apportioning the amount
for clerk hire in proportion to the number
of pensioners paid at each agency, were
ruled out on points of order.
Bingham (R.) of Penns ylvania, recalling
President Cleveland's statement in his
message to Congress four years ago, thai
Thousands of neighborhoods have theil
well known pension frauds, and that
recent developments by the investigation:
of the bureau had shown appalling con-
spiracies to commit frand," reviewed the
work of the bureau in exposing fraud since
that message was published. To invests
gate these alleged frauds, said Bingham,
more money had been appropriated than
| the bureau had asked. The result was
that in the three full fiscal years included
within the present administration there