The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-03
RURAL POSTOFFICES
Kind Words in the Senate for the
Old Fashioned Institutions.
A COUNTRY MEETING PLACE
The Proposition to Absorb Them
as Branches to City OFFICES
ErIngs Out Sharp Discussion
German Discerns an object.

Washington. April 2-The postoffice
appropriation bills served to bring out
some sharp discussion in the senate to-
day on the propriety of abolishlng
country postofiices and absorbing them
as branches of city offices. Morgan cp-
posed the plan as undemocratic. He
stated that the Baltimore postoffice
power was exerted towards influencing
the selection of men for congress.
After a speech by Elkins. advocating
subsidies and other means of extending
American commerce on the seas, the
postoffice bill went over. During the
day George closed his speech. covering
three days. in opposition to Dupont's
claim to a seat.
The resolution for investigating the
bond sale again went over on Hills OBJ
lection.
Pettigrew reported the Indian ap-
preparation bill and gave notice that he
would ask to take IL up on Monday
The postoffice appropriation bill was
then taken up. Wolcott offered an
amendment to regulate the salaries OF
postmasters Of sub-stations In cities.
The senator spoke in favor of the pol
Icy OF the postoffice department in es-
tablishing metropolitan centers. with
many minor offices surrounding them
as in Chicago and Boston. Wolcott
said the policy had led to abuses.
German opposed the amendment. 1t
was step toward doing away with
the small fourth class postoffices and
making them branches of the city
postoffices. II was, said German. part
of the prevailing tendency of the world
to absorb power and place IL in the
hands of a few men. Those small post
Offices were local institutions; the post
master was one of the local people and
the people did not want their Offices
absorbed by the great city offices.
German declared that this consolida-
ton was undemocratic and unAmeri-
can. Il am loath to take the postof-
fees away from the people," declared
German vehemently THE entire tend
ency OF the day is to discredit the
people. to take from them the powers
OF government and the power to make
their own servants. When the people
are to have guardians appointed over
them, then this government will be-
come a failure"
German went on to make pointed
reference to the politics involved in
this consolidation. The men who had
shouted loudest for civil service reform
were using this plan as a powerful ma
chine to accomplish political ends.
From headquarters came the orders
to this man, with enlarged powers"
proceeded German, ito select the men
who should go TO the congress of the
United States. and at least one OF them
came"
Villas felt compelled to disagree with
the senator from Maryland. He favor
ed the amendment; first, because IL
would improve the postal service to the
postoffice system. He felt that the
civil service idea had been much used
for exploitation by persons who used II
to attract attention to themselves, yet
he believed IL was the true principle to
maintain democratic institutions-not
democratic in the party sense.
Hawley spoke in favor of the old
fashioned rural postoffice-an institu-
ton that was in the affections and
traditions of the people. The town
postoffice was the town club. The town
postmaster was the intermediary be.
tween the citizen and the fountain
head of government at Washington,
and he should not be displaced by n
young clerk who could pass a civil
service examination. This was a move
toward making a machine out Of the
government; II was carrying civil SER
vice to an absurd extreme
The amendment was laid aside 10 al
low Elkins to 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
tions of the interstate commerce law
and urged that the company be disci-
pllned by an abolition OF the bonding
privilege which II enjoyed. AS a means
of reviving our ocean commerce, Elkins
advocated the reenactment OF the old
law giving 10 per cent. rebate on duties
on goods carried in American ships
The postoffice bill was then laid aside
and. at 5:35 O'Clock. the senate went into
executive session and soon after ad-
Journed until Monday.