The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-18
POSTAL BILL IS Up
/ Senate Fights Over the Pneu-
| matte Tube System.
KICK ON RAIL WAY TOLLS
WoIcott Jumps on the Fast
Mail With Both Feet.

ate today. Inc committee amenomen
for the extension of the pneumatic tubs
service created some debate and was un
der discussion when the measure was lait
aside for the day. Mr. Wolcott. chairman
of the committee on postoftices and pos
roads. vigorously attacked the commit
tees proposition to appropriate $3.50, O0t
for pneumatic tube service, declaring the
extension Of the service was unnecessary
and the appropriation waste of money
Mr. Mason CID quite as vigorously sup
ported the proposition. An amendment
of Mr. Butter IN. c. to reduce by Il
per cent the amount to be paid the rail-
roads for the transportation of mail was
! rejected, II to Al.
The senate agreed to further conference
on the District of Columbia appropria-
ton bill a conference was agreed to on
the naval appropriation bill and Mr.. Hale
| (Maine), Mr. Perkins (Cal) and Mr.. TILL
man Is. c. were named as conferees.
a bill was presented granting a pension
to General Robert G. Drenforth of $50 a
month.
Mr. Jones (Ark.) offered and had adopt
| ed resolution calling on the secretary of
war to inform the senate how many
| Filipinos have been killed and wounded
since the beginning of hostiHties; and also
how many have been captured and are
now in our possession.
| A bill was passed to provide for the re-
funding of certain moneys Illegally assess
ed and collected in the district of Utah.
Mr.. Plat Comm chairman Of theicom-
mittee on relations with Cuba, said he
would seek an early opportunity to reply
to the speech of Mr. Bacon (Ga.) deliver
e yesterday, not in opposition to the
resolution nut to correct some statements
made by Mr. Bacon
Mr. Wolcott (Col) called up the post
Office appropriation bill and it's reading
for amendment was begun.
a committee amendment was agreed to
providing that in case the postmaster
general shall rent cancelling machines
and motors, he shall pay therefor as an
annual rental a sum not exceeding Is per
cent of the cost thereof.
When the committee amendment ap-
propriating $750 900 for mail transporta-
ton by pneumatic tube was reached, Mr.
Wolcott asked rllat it be passed over. as
it was certain to create much discussion.
He said he differed from the committee
on the proposition Mr.. Wolcott said he
also opposed the southern fast mail sub
sidy and the subsidy for the carrying Of
mail between Kansas City and Newton,
Kansas. No postmaster general, he said,
had ever recommended the subsidies
A committee amendment struck out a
part Of the paragraph relating to the
railway mail service and provided for 1852
clerks at $l.200 each; 3,6c5 clerks at s.. 900
each, and 1887 clerks at $3.50 each. The
final section of the bill was a senate
committee amendment providing for the
continuance of the commission to inves-
tigate the question whether or not ex-
cessive prices are paid to the railroad
companies for the transportation of mails
Mr.. Pettigrew questioned the advisa-
bility Of continuing the committee, as it
had not yet made d report upon any sub
ject
Mr.. Wolcott, chairman of the commits
sion. made a nexplane ton of the difficult
ties encountered by the commission in
obtaining the information desired. He
said more than 1900 printed pages Of tes-
timony had beer taken by the omission
in all parts of the country and much of
it was very valuable. An effort had been
made to get at a fair basis of compensa-
ton for the railroads. 1t had been said
by some that 1-cent letter postage could
be reached. but he did not think 50 per
cent of the mail matter of the country
could be carried al a small perScent OF
the cost, and 1-cent letter postage adopt
ed at the same time. He thought by the
end of the present year the commission
would be prepared TO report. OF the $l5-
coo appropriated for the commission 5000
was stiil in hand consequently there had
been no waste of the public money In
the unfinished state of the Commission
er's work, he thought no man could sub
nit a fair report or a logical plan for
the compensation of the railroads. No
man wanted to pay them more than they
deserved and none less than they earned.
Mr. Pettigrew opposed the continuance
OF the commission, because. he said. II
stood in thu way Of reducing compensa-
ton Of the railroads by at least SIS. Oo0 900
a year. The amendment was passed over
temporarily
Mr.. Butler CN. c. offered an amend
ment reducing the amount appropriated
by the bill for the railroad transportation
Of mails from $50 to $50 ia. 900: and
directing the postmaster general TO reduce
the compensation 10 be PAID railroads
from and after July l, 1900, for the trans
portaton Of mails. by at least 10 pei. cent |
per annum from the present rate. Mr.
Butler said he proposed again to submit
facts which he had presented TO the SEN
ate three or four times before as to the
excessive cost OF transporting the mails. |
He believed the postal commission. which
this bin sought 10 continue. was a schema
10 delay reduction OF the cost of trans |
PORTING mail
In brief reply 10 Mr.. Butler and Mr..
Petugrew, Mr.. wolcott characterized |
some Of their statements as wild vagar- /
les, which would be regarded ''as pre-
posterous if they had not fallen from the |
Ups OF 50 conservative a statesman as |
the senator from North Carolina"
Mr., Clay tGsa0 said that simply 70 name |
the senate members Of the postal com |
mission. Senator's woloott. Allison.
Chandler and Martin. not to mention the /
house members Messrs. Loud. Moody |
Catehings and Fieming-w;.s a sufIet.y,, |
REPUTATION OF any charges AGAINST fha |
commission
The amendment OF Mr.. Butler was re-
5ected by II TO a. The committee amsBd-
rnent extending the life OF the postal |
commission was then agreed 10 without
division.
Mr. Butler made 4 point OF order against
the committee appropriaring s7saeo Tor
the transportation OF man by pneumat,s /
tubes, en- the ground that It was ne-r
legislation. but the point was overrulea /