The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1900-05-18
POST OFFICE
Appropriation Bill up Before
thu Sona'P.

WASHINGTON, MAY 1.-THE postof-
fee Appropriation bill was considered IN
the senate today. The committee amend.
ment Of the extension of the pneumatic
tube service created some debate.
a committee amendment struck out a
part OF the paragraph relating TO the
railway mail service ana provided for
1632 clerks at POO each; 3,6O5 clerks at
$1,000 each, and 1,SS7 clerks at 5000 each.
The final section Of the bill was senate
committee amendment providing for the
continuance Of the committee to investi-
gate the question whether or not exces-
sive prices are paid to the railroad COM
panies for the transportation of mails.
Mr.. Pettgrew questioned the advisable
ity Of continuing the commission, as it
had not yet made a report upon any SUBJ
ject.
Mr.. Wolcott made an explanation Of
the difficulties encountered by the com-
mission in obtaining the Information de-
sired He said more than 1000 printed
pages of testimony had been taken by tho
commission in all parts Of the country
effort had been made to get at fair ba-
sis of compensation for the railroads.
The amendment was passed over tenn
porarily.
Mr.. Butler offered an amendment re-
ducing the amount appropriated by the
bill for railway transportation Of the
mails from $33,S7O 600 to $3O.S7OOOO and dl-
recting the postmaster general to reduce
the compensation to be paid railroads
from and after July l, 1900 for the trans
portation of mails by at least ten per
cent per annum from the present rate.
Mr. Butlr said h proposed again to SUBJ
NIT facts which he had presented to the
senate three or four times before as TO
the excessive cost of transporting tho
malls. He believed the postal commits
sion which this bill sought to continue
was a scheme to delay reduction of the
cost Of transporting mail.
In a brief reply to Mr. Butler and Mr..
Pettigrew, Mr.. Wolcott characterized
some of their statements as wild vagaries
which wotld be regarded as 'preposter-
Gus if they had not fallen from the lips
Of so conservative a statesman as the
senaor from North Carolina
Mr.. Clay said that simply to name the
senate members of the postal commits
sion, not to mention the house members,
was a sufficient refutation Of any charges
against the commission.
The amendment of Mr. Butler was re-
jected by II to II. The committee amend
ment appropriating $750,OOO for the trans
portation of mail by pneumatic tubes on
the ground that it was new legislation
but the point was overruled by the chair
| CMr. Frye.
Mr.. Wolcott spoke in oppos ton to tha
/ amendment. The service, he declared.
had made a saving Of neither expense
nor of appreciable time In New York
the wagon service actually had been in
creased since the pneumatic tubes had
/ been put in.
The conference report on the agricul-
| tural appropriation bill was areed to.
! The senate then, after a brief eXecu-
! tie sessian, at 4:4O p m adjourned.
CONTRIBUTIONS.
! WASHINGTON, MAY 1.-THE senate
/ today confirmed the following nomIna-
! tions
| j. c. McNaly of Pa, consul general at
/ Guatemala City.
Lieut. Col. j. c. iGlmore to be assistant
adjutant general with rank of colonel.
Mai. II. O. S. Heistand to be assistant
adjutant general with rank of Lieutenant
! colonel.