The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-09
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.

Washington, April 1.-The postohce
appropriation bill served to bring out
some sharp discussion in the senate today
on the propriety of abolishing country
postofices and absorbing them as
branches of city Offices.
q Mr.. German opposed the plan as I'M
democratic He stated that at the Balti-
more postoffice power was eXerted TO-
warding influencing the selection of men
for congress. .
After a speech by Mr.. Elkins advocat-
ing American commerce on the seas the
postoffice bill went over.
During the day Mr.. George closed his
speech, covering three days, in opposition
to- Mr.. Dupont's claim to II seat. The
resolution for investigating the bond sale
again went over on Mr.. Hills objection.
An agreement was reached as soon as
the senate met today that an adjourn
ment ut the close of the. days session be
until next Monday. TIN house bill was
passed granting the Atchison and Ne
braska and the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy railways a right-Of-way through
The Sac and Fox and Iowa Indian res
pryations in Kansas and Nebraska.
Mr.. Pettigrew reported the Indian APP
preparation bill and gave notice that he
would ask to take it up on Monday.
The postoffice appropriation bill was
laken up.
Mr.. Wolcott offered an amendment to
regulate the salaries of pOstmasters of
sub-statons in cities. The senator spoke
in favor of the policy of the postotfice de-
partment in establishing metropolitan
centers with many minor offices surround
ing them, as in Chicago and Boston.
Mr.. German opposed the amendment.
1t was step towards doing away with
the small, fourth-class offices and making
them branches of the city postotfices. 1t
was, said Mr.. Gormon, part of the pre-
vailing tendency of the world to absorb
power and place in the hands of few
men.
Those small postohices were local in
situations: the postmaster was one of the
local people and of local selection and
the people did not want their Office alb
sorbed by the great city offices.
Mr.. German declared that this CONSOLE
dation was undemocratic and unameri
can.
Il am 10th to take the postoffices away
from the people," declared Mr.. German,
vehemently. 1.-The tendency of the day
is to discredit the people, 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 tncHl, tnen lnlS govern
ment will become failure
Mr.. German went on to make pointed
reference to the politics involved in this
consolidation. The men who had shout
ed loudest for civil service reform We're
using this plan as II powerful machine
to accomplish political ends.
Mr.. Villas Dem.) of Wisconsin felt
compelled to disagree with the senator
from Maryland He favored the amend
ment first, because it would improve the
postal service. He felt that the civil SER
vice idea had been much used for exploit
alton by persons who used it to attract
attention to themselves, yet he believed
it was the true principle to maintain dem
ocratic institutions-not Democratic in
the party sense.
NO one would suspect" interjected
Mr.. Frye, sarcastically, that the sena-
tor would make use of the word demo
cratic because everybody understands
now that that word would not commend
the amendment to American people,"
Mr.. Villas took the remark seriously
and said he must decline to be diverted
by a partisan remark.
Although he added, perhaps some
thing might be said on the subject in
view of some of the recent developments
which now lead to the hope that the
American people are not yet quite ready
to be sold or bought
Mr., Villas went on to show that post
office consolidation was desirable, as the
little country offices were nowhere under
supervision or control.
Mr.. Hawley (Rep) of Connecticut spoke