The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-03
MAY BE ABSORBED
BIG P0STOFFIOES MAY OVERTAKE
THE LITTLE ONES.

Gornsn in the Senate Champions the Cause
| Against the Metropolitan ONCE, to
Which, in Certain Cases, a Pending
Amendment to the Postofice Bill
Would Attach Them-Mr. HawIey At
| tends to the Sentiment of the Case
Civil Service Machinery.
Washington, D. c., April THE
postoffice appropriation bill served 70
bring out some sharp discussion in the
senate today on the propriety Of abolish
! ing country poStoffices and absorbing
| them as branches of city offices. Mr..
| German opposed the plan as un-Demo-
cratic. He stated that the Baltimore
postoffice power was exerted tow ard in
| fuencing the selection of men for con-
| gress.
After a speech by Mr.. Elkins, advocat-
! ing subsidies and other means OF ex-
| tending American commerce on the seas,
! the postoffice bill went over.
| During the day Mr.. George closed his
| speech, covering three days, in opposi-
| ton to Mr.. Dupont's claim to a seat.
( The resolution for investigating the sale
of bonds went over on Mr.. Hills objec-
ton.
Mr.. Pettigrew reported the Indian ap-
| preparation bill and gave notice that ne
would ask to take IL up on Monday. The
! postoffice appropriation bill was then
! taken up.
Mr. Wolcott offered an amendment 10
regulate the salaries of postmasters OF
sub-stations in cities The senator
spoke in favor OF the policy of the post
office department in establishing metro
politan centers, with many minor offices
surrounding them, as in Chicago and
Boston. Mr.. Woicott said the policy
had led to abuses.
OPPOSED BY GORMAN.
Mr.. German opposed the amendment.
1t was step toward doing away with
the small fourth-class postoffices and
| making them branches of the city post
Offices. 1t was, said Mr.. German, part
of the prevailing tendency of the world
to absorb power and place it in few
hands. Those small offices were local
| Institutions; the postmaster was one
of the local people and the people did
not want their Offices absorbed by the
great city offices. Mr.. German declar-
ed that this consolidation was un-Dem-
ocratic and un-American.
away from the people" declared Nj.
German, vehemently. 1.-The entire ten
dency Of the day is to discredit the peo-
pie, to take from them the power OF
government and the power to name
their own servants. When the people
are to have guardians appointed over
them. then this government will have
become a failure"
Mr.. German went on to make pointed
reference to the politics involved in this
consolidation. The men who has shout
ed 1oudest for civil service reform were
using this plan as a powerful machine
to accomplish political ends.
From headquarters came the orders
to this man, with enlarged powers" pro-
ceeded Mr.. German, 'tto select the men
who should go to the congress of the
United States, and at least one of them
came"
MR.. Villas DISAGREES.
Mr.. Viles Oem. Wis., felt compelled
to disagree with the senator from Mary
land. He favored the amendment,
first because it would improve the postal
service and the postoffice system. He
felt that the civil service idea had been
much used for exploitation by persons
who used it to attract attention to them
selves, yet he believed that it was the
institutions-not Democratic in party
sense.
mo one would suspect" interjected
Mr.. Frye sarcastically, ''that the sena-
tor would make such use of the word
democrat" because everybody under
stands now that that word would not
commend the amendment to the AmerI-
can people,.
Mr.. Villas took the remark seriously
- l., i l.. !
by a partisan remark.
Although" he added, perhaps,
something might he said on that sub
ject. in view Of some recent develop
nlents, which now lead TO the hope thai
the American people are not yet quite
ready to be sold or bought"
The senator is taking me entirely too
seriously" responded Mr.. Frye.
Mr.. Villas went on to show that post
office consolidation was desira BILE, as the
little country offices were under no su-
pervision or control.
CIVIL SERVICE EXTREMES.
Mr.. Hawley Rep. Conn., spoke IN
favor of the old-fashioned rural post
office-an institution that was in the
affections and traditions of the people
The town poStoff1ce was the town club.
The town postmaster was the interme-
diary between the citizens and the fOu1-
tain head of the government at Wash
ington. and he should not be displaced
by a young clerk who could pass d civil
service examination. This was a move
toward making a machine out of the
government: il was carrying civil SER
vice 10 an absurd extreme.
The ame ndment was laid aside 10 al
low Mr. Elkins (Rep. W. Va 10 speak
in support Of the subsidy item. He
spoke OF the British activity in securing
control OF the ocean commerce.
The senator spoke OF the Canadian
Pacific railroads viola ton of the inter-
state commerce law and urged that the
company he disciplined by an abolition
Of the bonding privilege which il enjoy
ed.
means Of reviving our ocean COM
merce, Mr.. Elkins advocated the re-en-
actment Of the old law giving per cenr
rebate on duties on goods carried IN
American sh ips.
The postoffice bill was then laid aside
and az $50 the senate went into eIecu-
tive session and soon after adjourned
until Monday.
TO PLAN FOR FUTURE WORK
0fnax