The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-20
Mr.. HOAR MAKES A ROAR
Mr.. Wolcott Makes a Kick at
Second Glass Mail Matter.
Mr.. ALLEN MAKES FUN
Mr.. Tillman Makes a Fuss About Rail
road Passes-Mr. Cullom Max es a
Wry Face - Other Senators
Make Comments.

washington, Jan. ia spirited de- /
bate was precipitated in the senate to-
day by the introduction of a resolution
by Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts, provid-
ing for an inquiry by the committee on
postoffices and post roads concerning
the recent order of the postmaster gem
eral reducing the force of letter carriers
in several cities of the country. Mr.
Hoar declared that the order had had
the effect of a dynamite bomb in Great
ing CONSERVATION among business men
throughout the country, while appar-
emily all that was needed by the post
office department was an appropriation
of $150,000 fully to maintain the effi-
cheney. of the carriers service.
The debate took a wide range, MIR.
Wolcott, chairman of the committee on
postoffces and post roads. insisting
that many New England people, repre-
sented by the senator from Massachu-
sets. We're responsible for the deiicien-
cy in the funds of the postotfice depart
ment because they insisted that the
government should carry second class
mail at an enormous loss, and Mr.. AL
len of Nebraska, charging that the gov
ernment was annually, defrauded out of
millions of dollars through the under
weight of mail matter The resolution
| in modified form Is still pending.
Mr.. Vest gave notice that he would
i y
| Grafton the Teller resolution, reported
! by the finance committee. providing
| that bonds of the United States may be
paid in standard silver dollars. Mr.
| Vests notice was to indicate an inten-
| ton on the part of some of the senators
to displace temporarily the Hawaiian
annexation treaty. as IL IL evident, as
| Mr.. White of California said. that the
| consideration of the resolution would
| precpitate some slight discussion
git .Rf ha 4AaNN ig1t in hra
senate. Vest of Missouri gave notice
| that he would. at the conclusion of the
| morning business. move to take up the
Teller resolution reported by the finance
committee yesterday.
/ Mr.. Hoar reported resolution relative
to the recent orderof the postmaster gem
eral reducing letter carriers in some
/ large cities on account of deficiency in
the free delivery appropriation. Mr..
Uoar thought the question was a most
| important one. affecting. as IL does,
| hundreds of thousands of people who
receive mail.
This order of the postmaster gen
eral,' continued Mr.. Hoar created
CONSERVATION among business men. The
| order was based upon deficiency in the
| appropriation for free delivery Of about
| $f50.000 All that was needed to remedy
| the deficiency encountered by the post
! office department and which confronts
/ the business men of the country. is
| small additional appropriation
'It is absolutely ntolerable." said MIR.
| Hoar. this this great branch of the
| public service should stop or be Grip
pied. Many of the smaller cities of the
| country are to be deprived practically
| of the mail delivery facilities. and it is
time that something be done 20 avoid
serious business embarrassments
Mr. Allison urged that the postmas-
ter general be sent a resolution inquir-
/ ing why the issuance of such an order
as had provoked this discussion was
necessary. and what remedy would be
necessary. No suggestion had been
made to the committee on appropria-
tions that the postmaster general has
not at his disposal sufficient funds To
meet the needs of his department
At this point Mr.. Wolcott said he de-
| sired 10 call the senate's attention TO
| the real basis of the trouble with the
| financial affairs of the postofice depart
| ment. 1t is we'll understood" said Mr..
| Wolcott that the second class mail of
| this country absorbs about 65 per cent.
of the expenses of the postofiice depart
ment. and supplies only about per
| cent of the revenues. This is the seri-
| Gus point of this discussion. and If con-
| gress should enact into law the meas
| ures relating to second class matter
which will be laid before congress, the
| recurrence Of the present difficulty VIII
| be obyiated'
Mr. Wolcott then called attention to
the opposition of the publishers of New
| England to the enactment of the bill
restricting second class matter.
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska spoke sarcas-
| ticaly of the good times the people of
| New England were having under the
Dingley law with their strikes and lock-
| outs He thought that "A good many of
| them would now have time to go TO the
! postoffices to get their mail If IL was
/ not promptly delivered by a carrier. He
/ involved N lp
/ discussion of posteffiee finances was the
charge that there was an annual leak
/ age of from eight 10 ten million dollars
! on account of the underweighinS Of
/ mail matter.
| 1T is most remarka BILE" said Mr.. Al
/ len. that charges OF such gravity
/ should be made in the public prints and
/ yet that the party In power should re-
main with reference to them, as silent
as the grave II we only had the nerve
! To take hold of these frauds and eradi
! cate them. we should have money
/ enough To put a corps of efficient letter
] carriers in evry city in the land.
| Mr. Chandler objected 70 the present
consideration of the Hoar resolution
/ suggested by Mr.. Allison, and II went
/ over.
] Mr.. Chandler presented and secured
/ the passage of a resolution directing
+ the committee on interstate commerce
+ to inquire whether the fund provided
for IN rules u ana Il or the lolnt ttaruG
F association is lawfully in existence. To
examine tire details of its expenditure
as % whether or not il had been eN-
pended for lawful purposes and whether
f or not IL had been expended for lawful
+ purposes and whether any lille gal nr im-
proper use uf the funds could be pro-
f hibitsd and punished by Law.
Nh HaushTough called up a bill
which had been sent u the senate bS
the house providing that receivers Of
public money should be responsible uu-
der their bonds for all money received
/ los them from the sale Of Indian lands.
f The bill passed the senate on Monday.
but Mr.. H4usbruugh's desire was that
the bill should be enacted into a law
10y the passage Of the house bill. The
bill Was passed
MIR TillmAu presented resolution
for which ne asked immediate couSid-
] GRAFTON. eNlenlins The authority nf me