Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-07
ALGER TO BE AUTHORIZED TO EN-
PLOY ALL HE NEEDS.
TRANSPORTATION OF MAILS
SENATOR PETTlGREW. TRYING TO
HAVE THE RATE CUT.
Makes Very Grave CharRcs-Declares
That the Man in Charge of the
Matter liz Dominated by
Creatures of the
Railroads.

Washington, May 6-One war measure
was passed by the senate to-day. 1t was
bill to increase to fifteen the number of
to authorize the secretary of war to en-
ploy as many contract surgeons as he may
deem necessary. Consideration of bill
authorizing the postmaster general to es-
tablish postoffices in military posts and
camps was sought, but it went over until
Monday. Almost the entire session was
consumed by discussion of an amend
ment to the postoffice appropriation bill
offered by Mr.. Pettigrew of South Dakota,
providing for reduction of 90 per cent in
the compensation of railroads for the
transportation of mails. The amendment
was still pending when the senate adjourn
ed until Monday
In requesting a conference upon a pen
sion bill Mr.. Gallinger. of New Hampshire.
chairman of the pension committees, said
that the house had tacitly adopted a rule
that. In cases where the widow of 4 gen.
eral officer hod no pensionab.e status in the
pension department, no pension exceeding
$50 month would be granted but in such
cases where pension was already being
H>~>-''N aiiS pCDsiCii might Uc llCIcdSSu
to $50 month. Mr.. Gallinger made the
statement, he said in order that the senate
might realize the futility of pressing for
pensions of SIS or 800 a month
The consideration of the postoffice appro-
priation bill was resumed the pending
question being upon the amendment offered
Yesterday by, Mr.. Pettigrew, of South Da-
kota, providing for a reduction of 20 per
cent in the amount paid to railroads for
the transportation of the mails.
concerning the amendment Mr., Quay
pointed out that section ) of the pending
Dill provided for the appointment of COM
mission consisting of three members of the
senate and three Of the house of repre-
sentatlves to make a thorough investiga-
ton of the entire subject touched by the
amendment offered. He addei that the
committee on postoffices and postroads al
ready had made partial investigation of
the matter, and had had before it for ex-
animation officers of the principal rail-
roads of the country. This investigation
mad shown that the amount paid for the
transportation of mail was much less in
proportion that that paid for the trans
portation Of freight or express matter. Mr..
Quay then read some of the statements
made on the subject to the committee, in
order. as he said. sarcastically, Ito pre-
Fare for the political diatribes which are
to follow my remarks
After the reading of the statements by
the clerk. Mr.. Quay said the adoption of
Mr.. Pettigrews amendment would result
in reducing the compensation of the rail-
roads sG.COO.c coo. without any evidence as to
the results or righteousness of the action.
He maintained that the investigation au-
thorized by the pending bill ought to be
made before any action was taken,
Mr.. Pettigrew supported his amendment.
He said that the statements presented by
Mr.. Quay were purely ex parte in their
nature. The railroad officials presented
their own statements of fact and drew
their own conclusions from them. He did
not regard this as evidence. He charged
that ex-Second Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Nelson was only creature Of the
railroads and that he had worked in in
terest of the railroads. The present second
assistant postmaster general, Mr.. Shallen-
berger, Mr.. Pettigrew declared, had been
captured by the clerks beneath him-clerks
who were put into the department when
railroad officials were at the head of it.
This. he said, was the reason why Mr..
Shallenberger, in his report, had stated that
the rates for carrying mail during the past
fifteen years had declined 49 per cent The
only way to ascertain whether the govern
ment was now paying less for mail than it
had fifteen years ago was to figure what
was paid then, what is paid now. and the
weights Of the mail for the two periods.
This he had figured out, and he was pre-
pared to say that the postoffice officials
statements were utterly inaccurate and
valueless.
Mr. Pettigrew maintained, in the course
of an analysis of mail and express statis-
tics. that the government paid ten times
as much for transportation OF the mails as
the express companies paid for the trans
portation of their matter. He illustrated
what he termed the ''fallacy, folly and
faisehood'' of the statements OF Mr.. Shall
lenberger before the committee by present.
ing express and mail transportation figures.
Mr.. Shallenberger was an honest man, he
believed. but he had been imposed upon
by subordnantes in the department who
had obtained their places through railroad
influence in the last two administrations.
No better officials could be obtained until
every one of those fellows was turned out
and new crop put on"
Mr.. Faulkner. of West Virginia, pre-
sented strong argument against the Pet
tigrew amendment. He declared that it
would destroy many of the railroads in his
own state. fully one-third of those in the
country. He presented an elaborate analy-
sis of the evidence adduced upon the sub
ject by the postoffices and postroads COM
mittee, of which he is a member. to show
that both the statements of railroad Off
cials and officials of the Dostoffice depart
ment practically agreed that the price now
paid for mail transportation was entirely
reasonable. He was. however, in favor of
the creation of a commission, as provided
for in the bill. to thoroughly investigate
the whole subject and submit its report
and recommendations to congress.
Mr.. Quay moved that. when the senate
adjourn to-day it be to meet on Monday
next. The motion was agreed to. Unani-
nous consent was then given that the
before adjournment on Monday.
Mr.. Hawley, of Connecticut. chairman
Of the military affairs committee. present.
ed a house bill to increase the number of
surgeons in the United States army by
fifteen and. in emergencies, giving the sec
retary of war authority to appoint as many
contract surgeons as may be necessary.
the salary of each not to exceed $50 a
month. The bill was passed.
Mr.. Cannon of Utah, secured the adop-
ton Of a resolution directing the commit
teration of food articles by manufacturers
The senate at $50 p. m. went into execu-
tive session. and at $40 D. m adjourned
until Monday.
GAGE on WAR EXPENSES.