The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-06
DELIVERIES OF MIL
In Cities Limited to Four a
Day By the Senate.
NO RURAL FREE DELIVERY
House Passes Labor Arbitra-
ton and Alaska Bills.
NO RURAL FREE DELIVERY


entire session today the senate had under
consideration the postoffice appropriation
bill. The measure carries s9s %. 30O being
very much the heaviest of all the appro-
priatfon bills. The most important action
taken upon the measures was the adop-
ton of an amendment offered by Mr..
TillE1an Is. c., reducing the number Of
deliveries of mail in all cities of the
country to a number not exceeding four
each day. The amendment was sharply
antag onized as a blow to business in ter
ests in the large cities. but the feeling of
the senate was such that. despite the Wig
orous opposition, it prevailed by a de-
cisive ma jority. A lively debate was pre-
cipitated by an amendment Of the COM
mittee striking out the appropriation OF
$500, 900 for rural freed delivery. The prop
osition was discussed for nearly two
hours. Mr.. Chandler of New Hampshire
ard Mr.. Butler of North Carolina. lead
ing the fight in favor of rural delivery.
BY the close vote Of % to % however.
tfte committee was sustained and the
bill now carries no appropriation for such
delivery. An important amendment TO
the bill was one which will prevent star
route contra ctors from sub-letting their
contracts. In order to get their money
they must be able to swear that they
performed the serv4ce themselves. Just
before adjournment the senate passed an
important war rlasTe authorizing the
president and gersaral officers Of the army
TO supply the Cuban insurgents with arms
and munitions Of war and empowering
officers of the army serving in Cuba to
supply needy in haIJttants of the island
with medicines and subsistence.
Soon after the senate convened Mr..
Money CMiss} gave notice that on Hhurs-
day, the 26th instant, he would present
resolutions in memory Of Mr.. Walthall.
POsTOFFLCE BILL TAKEN UP.
Consideration of the postoffice appro-
pria.tion bill was begun at the instance of
Mr. Quay PENN in charge of the meas
ure. The amount carried by the bill as
It passed the house Of representatives was
500. 112. 800. As reported to the senate it
carried S112 900 more.
The corpmittee amendment providing
that no additional contracts should be en-
tered into for pneumatic tube service IN
less authorized by law was adopted.
Mr.. Stewart CNev.) offered an amend
ment II the star routes section Of the bill
providing that TO part Of the sum appro-
priated for such service should be paid
TO any sub-contractor and that the post
master general must require affidavits
from contractors that they themselves did
the work The amend ment was antagon-
feed by.Mr Money of Mississippi.
Mr.. Teller CColo) said II the government
would pay directly to the mail carriers
the sums given the contractors who sub
let their contracts, It would receive good
service at reasonable rates.
Mr.. CockreII declared the adoption of
the amendment would result in a loss to
the government OF s5.0OO.0O
The amendment was agreed to.
RURAL FREE DELIVERY.
The amendment sof the committee strflS-
ing from the bill the appropriation Of |
5000, goo for rural free delivery created con-
siderable discussion. Mr.. Quay explained |
that the opinion of the committee the re-
suits of the experiment thus far scarcely
warranted congress in going forward with
the experiment
Mr.. ChandlerthouCht that the matter
ought not tobe stricken out entirely Ru-
raj free delivery was a boon to people in
the rural districts throughout the coun-
try
Mr.. Pettigrew inquired whether the ex-
tension Of free delivery meant the eboli-
ton of the country postofices.
Mr.. Quay replied that that would GER
tainly be the effect OF II.
Mr.. Pettigrew declared that the farming
people Of the country were not demand
ing rural free delivery, and he regarded
It as a hUmbug.
While Mr.. Chandler was discussing the
question Mr.. TIL. Ian inquired of him
whether S2o0.oO con a year would be sufTl-
cient to secure the delivery of every let
ter and paper directed to any inhabitant
of the country
Mr.. Chandler replied that II could doubt
less be done for less
Mr. Hale again energetically attacked
the rural delivery scheme. a scheme OF
enthusiasts he called it, and declared the
estimate of Mr.. Tillman of 500. Goa. 600 was
not eXtravaEant II thte scheme was TO be
extended universally.
NJ. Stewart and Mr.. Teller opposed the
rural free delivery plan, the latter main
tanning that ii meant simply the expen-
6iture OF en- enormous sum Of money upon