The record-union., 1898-01-20

luton was directed. He thought the
resolution ought to go to the Commit
tee on Appropriations. The Commit
tee on Postoffices and Post Roads, he
added, is anxious to extend and make
more efficient the letter carrier system,
but was powerless.
Hoar thought the question was a
most important one, affecting as it does,
hundreds of thousands of people who
received mail.
This order of the Postmaster Cen
eral." declared Hoar, created conster-
nation among business men. The ord
er was based upon a deficiency in the
appropriation for free delivery Of about
S150,000. All that is needed to remedy
the difficulty encountered by the Post
office Department, and which confronts
the business men of the country, is
small additional appropriation
1T is absolutely intolerable," said
Hoar, that 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 prac-
tically of the mail delivery facilities,
and it is time that something be done
to avoid serious business embarrass-
ment.''
Allison urged that the Postmaster
General be sent a resolution inquiring
why the issuance of such an order as
had provoked this discussion was nee
essary, and what remedy would be nee
| eSsary. No suggestions had been made
| to the Committee on Appropriations
| that the Postmaster-G General had not
at his disposal sufficient funds to meet
| the needs of his department.
! AT this point Wolcott said that he de-
sired to call the Senate's attention to
| the real basis of the trouble with the
| financial affairs of the Postoffice De-
partment 1T is we'll understood, y
said Wolcott, that the second-class
mail of this country absorbs 80 per
cent. of the expenses of the Postoffice
| Department, and supplies only about
per cent. of the revenues. This is
the serious point of this discussion, and
If Congress should enact it to law, the
measures relating to second-class mat
ter which will be laid bef ae Congress
the recurrence of the present difficult
| ty will be obviated."
| Wolcott then called attention to the
opposition of the publishers of New
| England to the enactment of the bill
restricting second-class matter
| Allen of Nebraska spoke SarcaStical-
ly of the good times the people of New
| England were having under the Ding
| ley law, with their strikes and lock-
outs He thought that good many
| Of them would now have to go to the
Postoffict to get their mail if it was not
promptly delivered by carrier. The
| great point involved in the discussion
| Of Postoffice finances was the charge
| that there was annual leakage of from
eight to ten million dollars on account
of the underweighing of mail matter.
| ''It is most remarkable" said Allen
that charges of such gravity should be
made in the public prints, and yet the
party in power should remain with ref
| erence to them as silent as the grave
If we only had the nerve to take hold
of these frauds and eradicate them we
should have money enough to put a
corps of efficient letter-carriers in every
| city in the land"
| Chandler objected to the present con-
sideration of the Hoar resolution sug-
! gested by Allison, and it went over.
! Chandler presented and secured tue
passage of resolution directing the
4
inquire whether the fund provided foI
in rules 16 and II of the joint traffic as
| sociation is lawfully in existence; to
| examine the details of its expenditure
/ as to whether or not it had been ex-
pended for lawful purposes, and
whether any illegal or improper use OF
! the funds could be prohibited and pun
nished by law.
| Hansbrough called up a bill which
had been sent to the Senate by the
House, providing that receivers of pub
lie moneys should be responsible under
their bonds for all money received by
| them from the sale of Indian lands
The bill passed the Senate on Monday
but Hansbroughs desire was that the
bill should be enacted into law by the
passage of the House bill. The bill was
passed.
Tillman presented a resolution, fo,
! which he asked immediate considera-
| ton, extending the authority of the
Interstate Commerce Commission, sc
that it might inquire to what extent
| railroad companies issue passes
whether the railroads gave transports
tion for any other consideration thar
cash, and what arrangements they hac
| with newspapers regarding transporta-
/ ton.
Cullom Chairman of the committee
| objected to the consideration of ths
| resolution, as it would involve a Ions
| and tedious investigation by the com
| mittee, which was anxious to get some
| bills before Congress during the pres
| ent session. He said that he had nj
desire to evade the truth in any part ot
| the investigation, but he was satisfied
that the committee now had sufficient
| testimony before it to indicate the need
of stringent legislation. 1t had beer
shown, he said. that in the scalpiua
| business not only outsiders but the
agents of some railroads were en-
gagged.
Il do not want to investigate
throughout the year" said he, but de-
sire TO prepare some bill which vii
cure the evils we have found"
Vest recalled his notice that he would
move 20 take up the Teller resolution
to-day, but for the reason that severa
Senators interested in it were absent
he gave notice that he would move tc
take it up tomorrow.
At 2:2O o'clock. on motion of Davis
the Senate went into executive ses-
sion. and at . o'clock adjourned
QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.