The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-04-26
PAY FOR POSTAL CLERKS.
The appropriation BIII Discussed in
the House.

Minnesota offered an amendment to the
pending bill at the section OF the Railway
Mail Service. so that as amended the bni
shall read "l.227 clerks OF class al sI400
each, instead Of .'7zS clerks Of class 5 B. =.
In support Of his amendment Mr.. Tawney
said it was to avoid Discrimination between
clerks doing the same work in the postal
service
Mr.. Loud opposed the amendment He
denied that classes Of clerks pointed out
by Mr.. Tawney we're performing the same
work There were not in the service more
than 74s CLERKS in charge of postal cars.
The segregation OF this class OF clerks was
because Of the long runs. the night runs.
and the responsibility and labor required
Of these clerks. Mr.. Loud said there were
not more thar LOO postal cars II the ser
vice and he cited a large number OF trains
carrying from two 10 four postal cars. He
said MIR TawDey's amendment would ope-
rate TO place helpers ia the postal cars or
the same plane OF salary as clerks in charge
OF twenty men
Mr. Loud TO illustrate methods en-
ployed. read postal card on which was
written that Mr. TaWreV desired every
postal clerk 70 sire his Congressman 70
oppose the provisions Of the pending bill
as the increase in salaries tended 10 the
benefit only CT the ofice force. The card
advised the postal employees 70 urge their
CongTessmen 10 work fer the passage C
House bili No. , Mr.. Loud said he houed
The gentleman from Minnesota would OF
force him TO go into the matter OF the cOa-
eerted attack which had been made on Con
gress 10 secure higher pay for postal en-
pioyes- he said that the Postmaster Gen
eral, when the facts had been brought 10
AIS attention. was utterly astounded at
the action, ard the attitude OF his suboE-
dinates. and had promised that the matter
should stop
Mr. Tawney again getting the floor main
tanned the justice OF his amendment Mr.
fitzgerald said he hoped the amendment
would prevail He thought the change
would result In but q small increase in
expenditure. he calculated Il At about
Si5.OC0 a year. He said thai the provIs-
ions OF the bill Disseminated against Ger
tain class Of clerks in the Railway Mail
Service. He said the day clerks got 81 SEQ
year, and night clerks 81 400. whereas
clerks who wen 20 work Al ] O'Clock in
the morning were classified as dzy clerks
He said the postal deficit vas because Of
the payment Of excessive rates 10 railway
companies for the transportation of mails
Mr.. TsWney's amendment vas agreed 10
by vote Of s. 70 90
When the section OF the payment OF ad-
ditioEsl compensation for fast service
was reached. Mr.. Moon Of Tennessee re-
minded the chairman that il had been de-
termined 10 set apart two hours for de-
bate on the proposition The bill provides
as follows
For Rect ssary and special facilities on
trunk lines from New York and Washing
ton 10 Atlanta and New Orleans SI9f- =
23S-75, Provided, that no part OF the ap-
propriation made by this paragraph shall
be expended unless the Postmaster General
shall deem such expenditure necessary in
order 10 promote the interest o. the postal
service
For continuing necessary and spscial
facilities on trunk lines from Kansas City.
Missouri 10 Newton. Kansas. Sa5, eco. or
SO much thereof as may be necessary; FRO
vided, that 10 part CT this appropriation
shall be expended unless the Postmaster
General shah deem such expenditure nee
essary in order TO promote the interest OF
the postal service
Mr. Little addressed the committee in
behalf of his proposition 10 strike from the
bill the provision for special mail facilities
For several years. he said, il had been
sought TO secure by certain railroad cou-
panies. special privileges In carrying the
mails. The system was fundamentally
wrong IL would soon be that the railroad
company with the greatest influence would
get the biggest appropriation ard the COM
pzny with the least influence would get the
smallest appropriation. with very little re-
gard for snv service which the people
might get lie thought IL would lead to
unnecessary complications with railroads
that were not subsidized for sO-caIled i'm
proved schedules" He said every railroad
company in its contract with the PostoHlee
Department. Obligated itself TO transport
the mails with all possible despatch.
Mr.. Davis. OF Florida, who sat near Mr..
Little asked two questions. and a cOlloquy
took place between the gentlemen named.
which could not be heard IN the gallery
above the disorder of the House.
Mr. Little spoke for thirty minutes. cGI-
ing which time he repeatedly denounced the
provisions IN the pending bin as rank
favoritism''
Mr. Underwood OF Alabama was the next
speaker He said Re spoke for the South.
He believed in the South The South had
been oppressed for a quarter OF a century.
II the South ever hoped TO take its place
in the industrial world its Representatives
must stand upon the hoCr Of Congress and
demand their rights He said he favored
the appropriate In the bill because he
thought il would advance the business in
terests of the South He thought the ap-
preparation would help Southern industry.
He said one OF the reasons why there was
such large per capita OF money in the
No-thern States was because the Northern
Representative in Congress looked out for
the immediate interests OF the people they
represented.
Mr.. Underwood was frequently inter
rupted BY Mr.. Gaines Mr.. Sims, Mr..
BromweH, and Mr. Little
Mr.. Loud yielded thirty minutes to Mr.
McPhersOn OF Iowa. who spoke in faFor
of the provisions under discussion lie
said the Postoffice Department was a non
partisan and business institution. He was
surprised that this appropriation, intended
mainly for the benefit of the South, should
be attacked bv Southern members Of Con-
gress. IF the South does not want these
facilities. it should certainly be no concern
of ours
Mr. Williams Of Mississippi said the at
tempts 70 turn this controversy into the
tune of ''HUrrsh. Hurrah. for Southern
Rights. Rurrah.' should fall He said that
in the first place the appropriation would
not go TO the people in the South. but to
stockholders who live partly in New York.
partly in Great Britain. and partly in Ger
many. But even if this subsidy operated to
give his constituents their mail an hcu-
earlier than they would otherwise get il.
he would s;ill vote against IL. because he
denied the right Of any particular section
to enjoy special privileges at the expense
of any other section
He thought the glory and greatness cs
the South depended upon its brains and
industry and manhood and womanhood.
and not upon the fact that they ge; the
Record" or members speeches an h-ur
or two ahead of the usual time. II w-s
because OF the reason OF excessive pay
meptS to railroad companies that there