Evening star., 1896-04-06

dene unintentional injustice to the Post
raster General. This was a business con-
solidation for the benefit of the public
service.
MIR. German Has Something to Say.
Mr.. German rose to state that Mr.. VOL
colts information came second-handed, and
he wished to say that the Senator had been
misinformed. AS to the politics involved.
MIR. German said he would speak of that
in due time This was at his own home, he
knew all about it, and he did not take his
Information Second-handed.
Certainly I cannot keep track OF the
auarrels of the Senator from Maryland
with the members of his own party" inter-
jected Mr.. Wolcott.
Il have no such quarrels," responded Mr..
German.
Mr.. Wolcott went on to say that any diff
ferences that might exist between the
Postmaster General and one or two Sena-
tors ought to give way before the needs of
the public service. While he did not think
the proposed change would prevail, yet he
believed this would educate the country to
the need of freeing the postal service from
the spoils SYSTEM
Mr.. German answered that Mr.. Wolcott
sought to place this subject on a low plane.
He sought 10 intimate that this was
mere personal and political question.
Post Office Department Congratulated
IF it's a political question" exclaimed
EIr. German with intense sarcasm, then I
congratulate the Post Office Department
that distinguished Senator on the other
side of the chamber can be its defender on
this occasion. There has been a suspicion
among the democrats that many acts of
this administration could consistently be
defendsd by some republican.
1t was significant fact, proceeded Mr..
German. that when the Postmaster General
proposed departure from democratic
principles by taking the country post office
away from, the people this Postmaster Cen
eral had republican Senator for his
champion. Mr.. German rejected the idea
that the post offices were a huge spoils
system. He had served under democratic
administrations and under republican ad-
mlDIstratiorS, and the mere appointment of
postmasters was never anything to him.
He knew from recent events that any
reconlElenda tions by him would be rejected.
: As I" Civil Service Reformers.
My. Gorman said that his observation Of
civil service reformers was that they were
the first 70 get their friends into office, and
then to keep them there. He defended
pOstmasters against the charge of political
subserviency. and urged that it was every
mans right, and his duty, to take an in
tersst in politics.
Referring to the Postmaster General,
MIR. German said it would be well for that
official to listen TO the people and serve
tnef1 rtthef tnan TO De QenVef1nS lectures
ON tariff and gold and silver When an
official accepted a public office he became
"a public servant. 1t would be well. said
Mr- German. to return to the old rule that
claiming hi, virtue there is a rascal near
at hard.
The Senator said he hoped to see a POST
master General. no matter what his politics
might be, who would really reform that
department. not by removing it from the
people. but by cutting down the high COM
pensation for carrying the mail and the
high salaries above the $1,O0O mark.
Mr.. HilPs Position.
Mr. Hill suggested some notifications in
the proposed amendment, and said he was
with the Senator from Colorado (Mr. VOL
cotD on the general principle of including
the small post offices within the limits of
a city or in it's immediate outskirts But il
the scheme was one to overturn the sys-
tenn which had existed for years. 1t should
be done in some other way than by amend
ment to an appropriation bill.
II, for instance, all Long Island was to
be attached to Brooklyn he wanted to know
it. He objected to legislation in the dark.
Before any department of the govern
Long Island district he would like to con-
sult with the people Of that section. He
thought the change should be restricted to
pest offices within five miles of the large
cities.
Like Department Store.
Mr.. Nelson CMinn) opposed the consoli-
daton. 1t was, he said on the principle
Of the g~eat department stores-"the devil
fish of modern society" These depart
mental stores were the curse of the COM
Inercial world. and he would not like to
see the same system carried into the Post
Office Department.
Mr. Lodge (MasS.) declared that the best
methods OF business would inevitably pre-
vail. and could not be stopped by politics
or legislation. The people did not care so
Much for patronage they did for good
ryice.
rnSsaEe of the Cuban Resolutions
Announced.
The action of the House on the confer
ence report on the Cuban resolutions hav-
ing been reported to the Senate, Mr. Sher-
man made report on action on the report
of confeTees- MIR. Allison suggested that
the report Of the conference was unEeces-
sary, in view of the action Of the House
showing that body had receded.