The record-union., 1896-04-07

Rep.) of Colorado Commends the
Administration of the PostOffice
Department., While Senator Cor
man Dem.) of Maryland Roundly
Criticfses 1t.
WASHINGTON, April 6.-The propo-
sition in the postoffice appropriation
bill affecting the consolidation of small
rostoffices near the large towns and
cities led to a long debate in the Senate
to-day, in which there was an exhibit
ton of much political and personal feel
ing. While the present administration
of the Postoffice Department received
concentrations from a Republican Sen
ator (Wolcott of Colorado), it received
severe criticism from a Democratic Sem
ator (Gorman of Maryland), and Presi-
dent Cleveland came in for large
measure of abuse from Populist Sen
ator (Allen of Nebraska).
According to Wolcctt, the affairs of
the Postoffice Department are being
ably and intelligently conducted"
German ironically congratulated the
Postoffice Department that it had Re
publican Senator for defender, and he
suggested with biting sarcasm that
many acts of the Administration could
best be defended by some Republicans
He condemned Postmaster General
Wilson for going abou. the country in
stead of attending to the duties of his
office, and quoted the homely proverb
that when a man is found proclaiming
nis own virtue and honesty there is a
rascal near at hand
Allen was even less reserved in the ex-
preston of his views The greatest
niugwump in the country, he said was
installed in the White House, although
ne thought it was difficult to tell
whether Mr.. Cleveland was more of a
mugWump than he was of an imperial
Democrat He added that Mr.. CIeve-
land was a disgrace to the great office
he occupied, and that ne ought not to be
and doubtless would not be returned to
that position again.
The session closed without a vote hay-
irg been reached, but it was agreed that
vote should be taken at ) o'clock to-
| morrow on the bills and all pending
amendments. A message announcing
the action of the House on the Cuban
resolutions was received, but no fur
| ther action on the part of the Senate
was necessary.
Among the bills reported and placed
Oh the calendar to-day was one on the
Committee on Territories by Davis
(Rep) OF Minnesota, making one wears
residence prerequisite for divorce in
| the Territories.
| bill was introduced by FRYE (Pep1
nd
OF SlOO a month to the widow of the late
General Thomas L. Casey (retired).
Allison Rep) q Iowa moved to pro-
ceed TO the consideration of the post
once appropriation bill, declining to
yield to the request of Call {Dem) of
Florida that his joint resolution in refer
ence to Cuba might be taken up. Call
thereupon announced that he would to-
morrow move to take it up, as the Sem
ator from Indiana (Turpie) desired to
speak upon it,
me Postofi1ce appropriation bill was
then taken up, the question being on
Woicotts amendment as to the com
pensation of clerks in stations and sub-
| stations.
Wolcott spoke at length in explanation
OF MS resolution, in which civil service
IS indirectly involved. The theory of
the amendment was to provide better
mail service at less cost, and that the
ory, he was proud to say, was the one
by which the Postoffice Department was
being conducted. The object of the
movement was to remove the service
| from politics. He admitted that the
appreciation of civil service reform was
an acquired taste, but once acquired it
was never lost.
German, in the course Of some re-
marks on the subject, said that if this
was political question he congratu-
lated the Postoffice Department that it
has for it's defender on this occasion
distinguished Senator on the other side
of the chamber. There has been
suspicion" he said, among great
number of Democrats that many acts
of this Administration could best be de-
Tended by some Republicans and l am
delighted that the Senator from Colo
rado has come out as the champion of
a department which is departing from
the usage, and. as think, from the law"
In the course of some further remarks
German criticised severely the Postmas-
| ter-General for neglecting the duties of
his office in order to go abroad deliver
tariff, on silver and on gold, and he
quoted the homely saying that where a
| man is found proclaiming his virtue and
his honesty there is a rascal near at
hand. He trusted that Congress would
not give its sanction to the beginning of
system of consolidation of the great
powers of the Postmaster-General.
Hill (Dem) of New York also sug-
gested some notifications and said he
was with the Senator from Colorado on
| the general proposition Of including the
small Postoffices within the limits of
city or in it's immediate outskirts. But
| if the scheme was one to overturn the
| system which had existed for years, it
should be done in some other way than
| by an amendment to an appropriation
| bill He thought the system should be
restricted to Postoffices within five miles
of large cities.
| Pasco Dem) Of Florida suggested an
amendment that nothing in the bill
| should authorize the establishment of
any branch station beyond the limits
of the city or town in which the prin-
| cipal office is located.
| Nelson Rep.) Of Minnesota opposed
| the consolidation scheme, which he lik-
ened to the system of the great depart
ment stores-"the devilfish of modern
society,"
| Allen (Pop.) Of Nebraska took part
| in the debate, and in the course Of his