Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-03
FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE
M. German Opposes the Consolidation Of
Small Post Offices
MI. Ellkins WARMLY Advocates . Sub
sidy for Carrying the Mails From
Frisco to New Zealand.

Immediately after Senator George had
concluded his three-day speech on the Du
Pont case in the Senate yesterday after
noon. Mr.. PETER took the floor. and ex-
planned that he did not wish to antagonize
the post Office appropriation bill with his
motion to proceed with the consideration
of his resolution looking to the investiga-
ton Of the bond issues. so he would not
press that proposition at that time. but he
would do SO as soon as the postal budget
was completed. This aroused Mr.. HILL
who objected to unanimous consent being
given. inasmuch as the Uncompahgre In
dian resolution was pending as the unfln-
ished business.
The Consolidation of Post Offices.
The Senate then proceeded to consider
the post Office bill anew. and hot debate
was Immediately precipitated by the par
agraph which permits the Postmaster Cen
eral to consolidate minor post offices within
a certain radius of the large cities under
the control Of the main offices in those
cities. Senator German led the opposition
to this proposition, which was defended by
Senators Wolcott and Villas. Mr.. German
denounced the innovation as dangerous,
and declared that it tended to concentrate
the power of the postal service in a few
hands. He appealed for the preservation
Of the country post office, and in this he
was seconded by Senator Hawley, who
characterized the country Office as the peo-
pies club, the meeting place of the village.
Mr.. Villas urged the adoption Of the amend
ment, which, he thought, tended to the en-
couragement of civil service reform and to
the improvement of the service. Senator
Pasco introduced an amendment providing
that the concentration of post offices should
not extend to the establishment of branches
beyond the limits of the cities.
Shipping Subsidies.
The debate on this item was suspended
to permit Mr.. Elkins to take the floor in
support of the amendment providing for
special mail facilities between San Fran
cisco and New Zealand. He showed that
the two American lines Of steamers cross
ing the Pacific receive but 81 1884 a trip in
the aggregate, as against $50, 167 trip paid
to British and Canadian lines. He asked
how 1t was possible for the American lines
to survive this sort of competition. and he
called attention to the fact that plans have
just been perfected for the establishment
OF new line Of steamers between Halifax
and Queenstown, to receive over a million
dollars year in subsidies from the Eng
lish and Canadian governments. In addt-
ton, 1t has been stated that English capital
mas brought about an arrangement to Sc
cure a railroad across Mexico, connecting
the gulf with the Pacific, matching the
Canadian Pacific railroad on the north.
Mr.. Elkins declared that the agents of the
Canadian Pacific road are daily lowering
about the Capitol, working against any aid
being given to American lines Of steamers.
He called attention to the proceedings of
this corporation, cutting rates and violat-
Ing the interstate commerce law, and he
suggested that this government should
stop every car entering this territory, and
break every consular seal at our frontiers
between Chicago and the 500. In short,
he explained the United States should at
once withdraw the bonding privilege grant
ed to the Canadian road. and he was sure
it would be productive of more wholesome
results as Monroe doctrine than a dispute
In foreign country 5000 miles away" He
advised>the restoration of the old discrimi-
mating duties the imposition of a tax Of
ten per cent on all goods imported in other
than American bottoms. Under the opera
ton of such law, he said, passed by the
First Congress-, this country was the equal
to England in the shipping and carrying
trade of the world, and it's re-enactment
new would not only put money into the
treasury, but would give the shipping new
life.
The United States, he declared, has today
the best business stand in the world. On
one side are S0O,OO0,O00 people, and on the
other are 100000, 600 customers, and yet we
carry only eleven per cent of our foreign
trade, and the percentage is growing less
each year.
In conclusion, Mr. Elkins promised to
take up the matter of discriminating duties
at later date. and he urged the adoption
of the amendment giving subsidies for
special service between San Francisco and
New Zealand.