The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-26

Some of that, money went to South Caro-
lima. less to Georgia, and more to Ohio.
giving the residents of those and other
States free rural delivery.
If you don't let US said Mr.. Cum
mings, locking at Mr.. Talbert Of South
Carolina. take SIPS. 600 Of that money and
use it for our own benefit We are the
skinned and you are the skinner
Mr.. Pierce Of Missouri also advocated
the appropriation. saying he had been con-
verted to the service about a year ago,
after a thorough examination Referring
to Mr.. MoOdy's attack upon the appropria-
tion. Mr. Pierce said it did seem to him
that something might be considered in the
House once in a while without the super
vising care Of the Committee on Appropria-
tions. He had noticed ne said. that in
the opinion Of members Of that committee
whatever came from it was all right. and
that whatever came from other committees
was very likely to be wrong.
Further argument favoring the amend
meut was made by Messrs. Bartholdt OF
Missouri. and NOouan OF Illinois, and
against it by Messrs. Cannon of Illinois,
Loud of California, and Fleming Of Geor-
gia.
Mr.. Loud, Chairman of the Committee
on Pcstoffices and -Postroads. said that if
the service was not to be extended, it might
better be stopped now Mr.. Little Of Ar
kansas, withdrew his point Of order, and
Mr. Moon of Tennessee. moved to strike
out the paragraph. This was agreed to
81 to so
The next matter to invite discussion was
the paragraph making appropriations for
the salaries of officials and employees of the
railway mail service. As a substitute for
the paragraph Mr.. Tawney of Minnesota
offered the bill to classify the clerks di-
vidiEg them into ten classes. Pending the
discussion of this matter a message was
received from the Senate announcing its
concurrence in the amendments made
by the House to the Foraker joint reso-
luton regarding the service Of Army Off
GERS in civil offices in Porto Rico and ask
ing a conference. This was agreed 10 and
Messrs. Cooper Of Wisconsin, Cannon Of
Illinois. and Jones Of Virginia were ap-
pointed as House managers.
RniIwny Mail Clerks Pay.
Supporting his substitute, Mr. Tawney
said that the provision reported in the
bill carried total increase of pay Of only
$4,000 benefting but p per cent of the
clerks, and these at the expense Of the
other 70 per cent Of their associates. IN
der his substitute the increase of Fay
would be S1,2OOOOO and would benefit 81
per cent OF the clerks. His substitute,
said Mr.. Tawney. had been recommended
by the Postoffice Department and was sup
ported by every employe in the railway
mail service
The substitute would provide an average
salary to the railway mail clerks OF 81 .175
a year. Mr.. Loud had stated in his re-
marks, said Mr.. Tawney, that the railway
postal clerks we're the best paid employees
in the service of the Government. He
read the bill reported by Mr.. Loud, the
salaries OF a number of office clerks and
employees running up to $500 a year. The
run from Chicago to Minneapolis Cccu-
pied the clerks twenty continuous hours;
after a rest of seven hours they returned
to Chicago, remaining fifteen hours in tie
cars. For this trip one way, the highest
paid postal aerk received $l0.SO while
the railroad company paid three engineers
who made the trip S302S.
Mr.. Cummings discussing the amendment
adopted Tuesday fixing the hours OF labor
Of letter carriers said it was an evasion
of the eight hour law and he severely crit
icised the POstofice Department for its re-
fusal in the past to observe the law He
gave notice. that in the House he would
demand yea and nay vote on II.
Mr.. Loud. responding to the statement
made by Mr.. Tawney regarding the hours
of labor by railway mail clerks said that
the statements left the impression that the
clerks worked seventeen hours a day But
us a matter of fact no clerk now. nor ever
did, work on an average more than eight
hours day for thirty days at a time
Dir Loud dwelt at some length on the
amendment adopted Tuesday and attacked
yesterday by Mr.. Cummings, which he as
serted then and repeated now, was ap-
proved by the letter carriers. This was de-
MED by Mr. Cummings and Mr.. Fitzgerald
of Massachusetts,. and finally Mr.. Loud
said that he would agree to return to the
item and give the gentlemen opposed to it
an opportunity TO present their objections
and keep il out OF the bill MIR. Tawney's
substitute for the Postonice Committees
was ruled out Of order and the
committee then rose At sos O'Clock the
ITOusa adjourned until to-day