The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-27

The House yesterday. having considered
the Postoffice Appropriation bill for four
days. finally disposed of it, it being passed
with a number of amendments. The cnly
important one was that striking out the
appropriation Of $125 O00 for the pneumatic
tube service. Two hours were devoted
TO a discussion Of the appropriations for
necessary and special fast mail facilities"
from New York and Washington TO Atlanta
and New Orleans, and from Kansas City
TO Newton. Kan, with the result that the
items were retained.
Without previous business the Appropri-
alton bill was taken up in Committee OF the
Whole. Mr.. Tawney OF Minnesota. who on
Wednesday failed to secure general ad-
vance OF the salaries of railway postal
clerks, by substituting for the provision
in the Appropriation bill the provisions of
the general bill TO reclassify the railway
postal clerks. moved to increase the sala-
ries of i79 clerks Of Class from 81 800 to
s1,i0o. the salary allowed by the bill 10
as clerks of that class.
Mr.. Loud of California, in charge of the
bill, opposed the amendment on the ground
that the men did not all perform the same
ed for circulation among the clerks in the
railway mail service advising them TO
stand firm for the reclassihcation proposed
on Wednesday. They were being sup
ported. the card stated. by Representative
TRwney and Captain White. General Su-
perintendent of the railway mail service.
These two, said Mr.. Loud. were in league
TO secure radical increase in the salaries
of postal employees. Captain White, Mr..
Loud explained, wanted the men to re-
ceive even larger salaries than Mr.. Taw-
ney would suggest. II that amendment
were adopted. Mr.. Loud said, the commit
tee would have opportunities to increase
the total of the bill by $4,000, 600 Mr..
Tawney asked if the Postmaster General
had not recommended the passage of the
reciassifcation bill.
oh" responded Mr. Loud. lin a per-
functory way, without knowing what the
measure was. But l know that when |
went to the Postmaster General and told
him what his assistants were doing he was
paralyzed at the facts"
Mr.. Tawney replied that the gentleman
had not given the nzme of the author of the
card. He did not know him. Mr.. Tawney
said he had written a letter to a personal
friend in the railway mail service telling
him what they ought to do.
The amendment was advocated by Mr.
10 by vote of SO to 80.
Mr.. Little of Arkansas moved to strike
out the appropriation of S171 ,2SS for expe-
diting the mails from New York and Wash
ington TO Atlanta and New Orleans. 1t was
lost-4l TO 90. The same fate awaited Mr.
Little's motion to strike out the appropria-
tion Of s25, ZOO to expedite the mails from
Kansas City to Newton. Kan.-32 to So.
The paragraphs having been disposed of,
denounce Mr.. Bromwell of Ohio for stating
that Mr.. Dockery, for sixteen years a
Representative from Missouri, took a deep
interest in the passage of the Kansas City
Newton subsidy because he was part owner
OF q newspaper in Kansas City.
Mr.. Cowherd said the statement was
absolutely unfounded; Mr.. Dockery never
owned an interest in a Kansas City paper
The statement, in his opinion, was made to
influence a pending political contest, and
was unworthy OF a gentleman represent
ing constituency on the floor of the
House.
Mr.. Bromwell warmly replied that he did
not know that Mr.. DoclIery was a candi-
date for any office. and did not know what
office he wanted. But Mr.. Dockery had
come TO him when the subsidy was first
before the House and begged him not to
do anything to defeat the item; and the
L. o
Dockery's record on appropriation bills
And when he enquired the reason of Mr..
Dockery's interest in the matter and MEM
bers OF the House told him il was because
OF his tMr. Dockery's) interest in a news
paper, Mr.. Bromwell said he supposed he
had a right to believe them
Mr.. Bartholdt of Missouri-Did Mr.,
Dockery ask you to support the subsidy?
Mr.. Bromwell-Ie did.
Ne par hnrI
tleman is likely to be the Democratic can
didate for Governor of my State.
Later Mr.. Bromwell said that upon re-
hection in the coolness following the heat
of debate. he desired TO say that he had no !
intention Of making any charge that could
be taken as a reflection upon Mr. Dockery
and he realized that it was not necessary
for him to make an allusion to that gem
tleman. He therefore asked that all his
remarks about Mr.. Dockery be stricken
from the record. This was agreed to- Also
request by Mr.. Cowhsrd 10 strike out his |
remarks. The incident closed with trf-
butte to the character and record of Mr.
Dockery by Mr. Hepburn of Iowa He had |
known Mr.. Dockery during his service in |
Congress. he said, and knew, as everyone
did. that in his career here his actions
were all above reproach. No one ever left
Congress. said Mr.. Hepburn. followed bv |
more general regret than Mr.. Dockery.
An amendment offered by Mr.. Mudd was
agreed TO authorizing the Postmaster Cen
eral to expenI $4,000 for conducting the
postal service in Porto Rico in the months
OF May and June 1900.
Mr.. Cummings of New York had read an
appeal from the Merchants Association OF
New York, asking that the House recon
slider its action in striking out the item
appropriating for the pneumatic tube ser
vice.
The bill was then reported to the House. |
the amendments agreed to, and the bill |
passed
Mr.. Hopkins of Illinois, Chairman OF the |
Committee on Census, called up the bill |
to authorize the Director of the Census |
TO do the preliminary printing in the bu- |
reau. 1t also increased the salary of the |
Director to $500. and OF the supervisors |
OF census by giving them pei cent OF |
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