The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-18
TUBE SERVICE OPPOSED
Debate on That Item of the Pos
tai Appropriation Bill.
All the Committee Amendments Ex-
cent the Provision for Pneumatic
transportation of Mails Agreed
To-Mr, WoIcott Argues Against Its
Adoption No Decision Reached.

of the endments except that carrying
s725, goo for the Pneumatic tuba service.
While this is a committee amendment, Mr..
Wolcott, the chairman of the committee,
made telling speech against its adoption,
and branded it as a steal on the part of a
combine. The item extending the life of
the Postal Commission until January /,
1900 was adopted, while an amendment to
reduce the sum paid to railways for carry
ing the mails was rejected by a vote Of
Al to IL.
The bill as it passed the House carried
3,293, 400.75. The bill as before the Sem
ate carries STA, $3.50, an increase Of
$760,13S being made by the committee.
The figures show that the amount of post
Office appropriation for 1900 is $1G5, 627,-
1876; amount OF estimated postal reve-
nues for 1901, s1O7, ia, 253.s2; the bill as
reported exceeds the estimates 1920
73S75; the bill as reported exceeds esti-
mated postal revenues, s6,2S0, 2S4.S3; the
bill as reported exceeds the act for 1900
IS. 400.
The Pneumatic Tube Service.
Senate committee is the reinsertion OF the
item carrying s725,o00 for the pneumatic
tube service, which was killed In the
House. This item caused great amount
of discussion. The Serste committee also
added SIS 900 for clerk hire in pos;ofhces
and struck out the House provision carry
ing $50, S62 for printing the revised edlaon
of the postal laws.
Under the head of office of the Postmas-
ter General the bill app,opriates $2ts,0t0;
First Assistant Postmaster General, So2,-
AZ, 500; Second Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral, $50 lie, 93S.75; Third Assistant Post
master General, s1,130.1 100; Fourth Assist
ant Postmaster General, S516,o
The bill increases the number of post
office clerks from 1861 to 15,s70, ard for
salaries for the increased force appropri-
ates S14, III, 400.
In the paragraph as to clerks In the
railway mail service the distinction be-
tween clerks at $1,000 year and clerks at
1,050 was eliminated, and they were ell
placed In class at 81, 200 each.
:. The last paragraph in the bill was one
reported by the Postoffice Committee as an
amendment. 1t continued the commission
to investigate the question whether or not
excessive prices are paid to the raiiroa1
companies for the transportation of the
mails and as compensation for postal car
: service.
Mr.. Pettigrew questioned the continuance
Of the commission, which had been in ex-
istence for nearly two years now, and had
not yet made any report.
!, Mr. wolcott, Chairman OF the Postoffice
Committee, made an explanation OF the
difficulties which the committee had en-
countered in obtaining the necessary infor-
nation. The Commission had taken over
- ssv,a~v
and had endeavored to sift IL SO as to get
from it that which was valuable. The
commission had welcomed every expert
person who had given study tothe sub. ect
and who could enlighten the commission
as to what would be a fair basis 10 pay to
the railroads for mail transportation. There
had been some idea, he said, that 1-cent
letter postage could be reached, but where
at present IS per cent of the weight Of
mail (second class natter went through
the mails for per cent OF the cost, there
could be no hope of getting 1-oent letter
postage.
The commission had done the best 1t
: could. But its members lived in different
and distant parts Of the country and Tin
times Of political campaigns) it had teen
very diff alt for them to get together. He
believed mat the commission had procee d.
ed perhaps not rapidly, but in due course
OF business, and if the amendment were
adopted he hoped that the commission
would be able to make report at the cose
of the year. He defed any man TO say
from review of the testimony whether
the rates to railroads should be based on
space or on weight by comparison with ex-
press earnings, or freight earnings or pas
senger earnings. Nobody wanted to pay
the railroads more than they ought to re-
ceive, and no good citizen wanted 10 pay
them less
The committee amendment went over
temporarily without action.
Inland transportation.
Mr.. Butler offered an amendment re-
ducing the appropriation for inland trans
portation by railroad routes from $685.
$4,000 to $50. 600 and directing the
Postmaster General to readjust the COM
pensation to be paid from and after the
first day of July, 1900, for the transporta-
tion Of mails on railway routes by reduc-
ing the compensation to all railroad COM
panies for the transportation Of mails at
least 10 per cent per annum below the
rate now paid.
The amendment was advocated in long
speeches denunciatory Of the railroad
companies by Mr.. Butler and Mr.. Petit
grew. They were replied TO by Mr.. VOL
colt, who characterized some of the
statements as wild vagaries which would
be preposterous if they had not fallen
from the lips of SO conservative a states
man as the Senator from North Carolina"
The amendment was defeated-yeas IL,
nays Has follows:
Yeas-Bcrry, Butler, Chandler, Gallinger, Heit-
field, Jones OF Arkansas Pettigrew, Rawlins.
Teller. Turlcy, Wellington-ll
Nays-Ailison, Baker, Bard, Burrows. Gallery. |
Garter; Clay; cullom; DePew, Elkins. Fairbanks,
Kyle, Lodge, Mcbride, McCnrnas. McCurnbe,'
Martin Mason. Money, Penrose Perkins pe,tus
Plat of Connecticut. Plat Of New York, Pritch.
ard, Ross, Scwell. shoup, Simon. spooner, Stew. |
art, Sullivan, Thursion, wolcott-il.
The amendment to continue the Postal
Commission was agreed to without d.
vision. The amendment appropriating
$725, 900 for the pneumatic tube service
was then taken up.
Mr.. Butler made the point of order that
the amendment. was new legislation in
tended to extend the service to Chicago.
St. Louis, New Orleans, and other cities,
and that il was a repeal Of existing law.
The point of order was overruled, and
Mr.. Wolcott argued against the amend |
meut.
He said that the pneumatic mall serv |
ice had been in use for years In some OF |
the cities Of Europe, but additional postage |
was required TO be paid on letters for |
which 1t was used. The patents were con-
solidated and made an almost practical |
There was now pneumatic mail |
service, to limited extent. in Boston, !
Brooklyn, New York. and Philadelphia. an
DOM