The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-27
DURING DISCUSSION OF PNEUMATIC
TUBE MAIL. SERVICE.
HOUSE ABOLISHES THE SERVICE
On Evidence of Its Adoption Having
been Secured by Transactions Taint-
ed with Fraud and Bribery OF Former
Member of Congress and Assistant
Postmaster General - Successor to
Mr.. Roberts. of Utah, sworn In-The
Hawaiian Government Bill I'm Senate.
SENATE.

lom presented the conference report on
the Hawaiian bill He explained that
the principal changes were the elimi-
mating of the provisions requiring the
payment of taxes before registration to
vote and Imprisonment for debt or for
non payment of taxes.
"As l understand it," said Mr.. Bacon,
"all residents of the United States and
Hawaii are entitled TO the right of
franchise without restriction as to the
payment Of taxes
That is right" said Mr.. Cullom. He
added that offices were to be filled by
citizens of Hawaii.
Senator Tillman thought the same
provision ought to have been inserted
in the Porto Rican bill, SO that carpet
baggers' should not be inflicted upon
those people"
Senator Foraker pointed out that by
the provisions of the Porto Rican bill
the president, if he saw fit, could ap-
point all the officers of Porto Rico
from citizens Of the island. The con-
ference report was then agreed to
without division.
The Scott resolutions were then taken
up. Senator McComas, who is MEM
Der of the committee on privileges and
elections, reviewed at some length the
case as the committee had found il
upon investigation.
Senator PettuS, of Alabama, who pre-
sented the minority report, asked that
the case go over until tomorrow and IL
was SO ordered.
A resolution was offered by Senator
Tillman and adopted calling upon the
Atn,~ f.Nas for
ton as to the number, location, char
acter and aggregate cost of each pub
lie building already erected or now in
course of construction, with the cost
Of the site in each case.
Consideration was then begun of the
agricultural appropriation bill
Senator Tillman offered an amend
ment appropriating $1,000 to enable the
secretary of agriculture to investigate
and report upon the cost Of growing
hemp, to demonstrate whethr it be
practicable 20 Introduce its culture into
southern ,ates. He explained that the
cotton pla:ters of the south were near
ly at the 1.ercy of the j',te trust which
had a monopoly on supplying the COW
ering of cotton bales and he hoped by
this amendment that a substitute for
jute might be found. The amendment
was agreed to.
Senator Martin, of Virginia, secured
the adoption of his amendment appro-
priating $4,000 for the establishment
on the Arlington estate of an expert
mental farm.
The bill was then passed.
Consideration of the Alaskan civil
code bill was resumed, the pending
question being the amendment relat-
ing to the Cape Nome mining claims.
At o'clock the senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
William H. King, who served in the
Fifty-fifth congress from the state OF
Utah, was sworn in as a representa-
tive from that state to succeed Brig
ham H. Roberts, who was denied q
seat.
Without preliminary business the
house resumed consideration of the
postoffice appropriation bill. The item
appropriating $725 900 for pneumatic
tube service, an increase of $500, ,00t
over the appropriation for the current
year was the subject of over two hours
debate under the arrangement previ'
ouSly made.
Mr.. Little, of Arkansas, opposed the
pnumatic tube service, which, he he. 4
was unnecessary and the charges fol
the service in New York, he said, were
outrageously exorbitant. The gov
ernment was paying $4,000 a mile
rental for six inch iron pipe beside
| the cost of operating the machines.
Mr.. Moody also opposed the exten
sion of the tube service. If it was en-
tered upon, he said, it would add il
| the near future millions to the already
| swollen expenditures of the postoffic,
| department. Using this item as a tex
| Mr.. Moody made an urgent plea fol
retrenchment in public expenditures
| Every branch Of the public service
| he said, was asking for it's share o.
| the enormous revenues which wer'
| being collected.
Proceeding, Mr.. Moody assailed th'
! whole history of the pneumatic tub
service. 1T is so maIodorous from be
ginning to end" said he, that
should die the death Of a dog"
Smoke the rascals out" cried Mr.
| Little, and we on this side of tn
house will stay with you"
Mr.. Moody said 1t was not a pleasan
| thing for him to exploit the scanda
| which had been uncovered by the pos
tai commission of which he was /;
member, but he considered it his dut,
to do so. He declared that forme
Second Assistant Postmaster Genera
Nelson, under whom the first expert
ments In the pneumatic tube servic,
were made, when he retired accepted
from the company $1,000 in cash and
$4,000 in stock for his services here
during the succeeding year Wha
that service could be, Mr.. Moody said
he could not imagine. These facts, ht
said, had been brought out by the
commission John Z. Milhollond, OF
New York, he said, was the president
Of the Tube Company.
Mr.. Moody's next statement startled
the house and created a sensation
The tube service, he said, had been
constructed by contractors who took
their pay in stock and bonds. The
only asset Of the company was its con-
tract with the government.
IT regret to say" continued, Mr..
Moody deliberately. that one of the