The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-06
IN HOTEL CORRIDORS.


During the reign of John Wanamaker,
Holy John, In the postoffice department,
we used to hear a gredt deal about one
cent postage remarked gentleman at
the Fifth Avenue, land in 1888 tnere
was a plank in the Republican platform
which demanded the reduction Of letter
postage TO one cent an ounce w ana
maker, who was about the worst head
the postoffice department ever had, was
individually responsible for the cry Tor
cheaper postage, but when he got on TO
his job a little, and had figures ana
facts presented to him by some OF the
employees of his department, he was sat
isfied with reduction of the charges
for registering a letter. The Democrats
as Wen as Republicans advocated the
reduction on the stump, but after the
election was over and the matter was
discussed with calm business judgment
II was decided that no one cared, except
few firms who did most of their busl-
ness by correspondence. and the best
thing that could be done was to improve
the service, by extending free deliveries,
putting on excessive mail trains and the
like 1t was very foolish proposition
and is today for the postotfice depart
ment has never been selfsustaining. Ev-
cry year special appropriations are re-
quired to make up a deficiency which is
figured in the requirements for the next
year The matter is of no interest ex-
cept that it shows how movement rises
and sinks out of sight"
There is one thing in connection with
the postotf1ce department that will come
out some day., he continued, and when
it does there will be a greater scandal
than has been caused by the postal
frauds in Cuba. The Star Routers,' Dor
sey and his friends. held the palm for
pOStOffice scandals until the rise to fame
OF Rathbone, Nicely & Co, but the day
Will come when the people will have a
greater complaint to make over the
amount OF money paid annually to the
railroads for the transportation of mail.
One-third of the entire expense of the
department is mail transportation and
no one who has any knowledge of the
service believes that the amounts paid
are fa1r or Just in a majority of cases.
The railroads are paid by weight and
amount of car space used. The weighing
occurs every year, or is supposed to, and
is generally done in May, which month
Is supposed to be an average, the mail
not being as heavy then as in Decem-
Der nor as light as in July. 1t has been
charged time and again that the mails
have been increased during the weigh
ing month by franked matter caused to
be sent by the railroad officials, and iE
some cases a reweighing has occurred,
usually though, the complaint is pigeon
holed in Washington and that is the
last Of it. Think Of $35, 900, 900 paid an
nually to the railroads for hauling mail.
The express companies who use more
space and more cars, pay less for a bet
ter service. In my opinion one of the
strongest arguments in favor of govern
ment ownership of railroads is the enor-
NOUS amount expended Tor the tranSpOr-
tatlOn OF mails The contracts for trans
portation of mails are made by the sec
ond assistant postmaster general and, al
though it may not have any bearing on
the matter it will be noticed that the
men appointed to that office generally
give up much better positions to take It,
The office pays only $4,000 per year and
entities man to no social standing such
as cabinet position does. Why should
men like Perry Heath and J.Lawrie Bell
give up much better positions to take
it?''
81 have a kick coming on the dress
question said a f1eshy gentleman who
was tanning himself in a vain endeavor
to keep cool while he occupied a chair
a woman be allowed to walk abroad in
a shirt waist uncovered by a coat and
a man be thought improperly if not in
decently dressed who does the same
thing? A fat man seems to have no
rights that society is bound to respect.
A man whose temperature is naturally
up about the hundred mark is obliged
to wrap himself up in coat before he
can show himself on the street unless he
wants to be classed as a jay, a jointist
or indecent. 1 think that the most I'M
slightly and pittable object on earth is
a fat man perspiring in conventional
garb. When I get home 1 never wear
a coat, but when l am away am COM
PEELED to do it. 1 think that the Wo-
man. and they are always charitable
and kind, should hold a meeting and
pass resolutions which would allow men,
fat men at least, the privilege of going
about in their ShirtSleeVeS without fear
of the social bane. The women enjoy
not deny it to the men. A coat is all
right for a bloodless, smoke-dried dude,
but it is torture for a full-blooded man."