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 rpral 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 year ago,
after a thorough examination. Referring
to Mr.. Moody's attack upon the appropria-
tion, MIR. Pierce said 1t did seem to him
that something might be considered in the
House orce in while without the super
vsing care of the Committee on Appropria-
tions. He had noticed. he 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
ment was made by Messrs. Bartholdt of
Missouri, and Noonan 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
vidrg them into ten classes. Pending the
discussion of this matter a message was
received from the Senate announcing its
nome 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 TO and
Messrs. Cooper of Wisconsin, Cannon of
Illinois. and Jones of Virginia, were ap-
pointed as House managers.
Halfway 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, benefiting but q per cent of the
clerks, and these at the expense OF the
other 70 per cent of their associates. Un-
der his substitute the increase of Fay
would be s1,200.000 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 au average
salary to the railway mail clerks OF 81. IT'S
a year Mr.. Loud had stated in his re-
marks. said Mr.. Tawney. that the railway
postal clerks were the best paid employees
in the service of the Government. He
read the bill reported by Mr.. Loud, the
salaries of number of Office clerks and
employees running up to $1,000 year. The
run from Chicago to Minneapolis occu-
pied the clerks twenty continuous hours;
after rest of seven hours they returned
to Chicago, remaining fifteen hours in tie
cars. For this trip, one way, the highest
paid postal derk received s10.S0. while
the railroad, company paid three engineers
who made the trip s3O.2S
Mr.. Cummings discussing the amendment
adopted Tuesday fixing the hours OF labor
of letter carriers said 1T was an evasion
of the eight hour law and he severely crit
icised the Postofice Department for it's re-
fusal in the past, to observe the law. He
gave notice. that in the House he would
demand a yea and nay vote on it.
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 day. But
us matter Of fact no clerk now. nor ever
did. work on an average more than eight
hours a day for thirty days at a time
Mr. Loud dwelt at some length on the
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 I
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 it out of the bill. Mr.. Tawney's |
substitute for the PostoiIice Committees /
was ruled out Of order and the |
then rose. At sos O'Clock the |
House adjourned until today.