The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-24
PNEUMATIC TUBES OPPOSED.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST EXTENDING
THE SERVICE.

House Considering the Postoffcc
Appropriation Bill which Carries
S113, 500 - Opposition to the
High Rate Paid Railroads for
Transporting the Mails - Smiley
Says lie Will Vote for Anything to
Better the Service.
Washington, April 2S.-The House to-
day entered upon the consideration Of the
postoflice arp oprIation bin ana the gen.
eral debate which closed with the adjourn
ment this afternoon, was devoted largely
TO discussion of pertinent matters with a
little admixture of politics
The minority of the conmi tee dissented
from the provisions In The bill relating to
the extension of the pneumatic tube ser
vices, special fast mail facilities and the
cost Of railroad transportation, and these
were the main subjects of contention. The
speakers were Messrs. Loud of California
Merton of South Carolina. Bell of Colora-
do, BromweH of Ohio Gaines of Tennes-
see, and Sibley of Pennsylvania
The postofice appropriation bill car
ries $1l9, 1914, 500 Chairman Loud of the
visions
"Will not the increase of half million
for pneumatic tubes service involve mil
lions in the near future?" asked Mr..
Moody of Massachusetts.
THAT is about it," replied Mr.. Loud. Il
warned the House this would be the
case"
Mr. Loud said THAI abroad the tube
service was only used for the transmits
sion of kilograms and special delivery
letters He declared his opinion to be
that the tube system could not be success
fully and economically administered. II
nope 10 Cod" said he. that Congress
will have the strength and wisdom 20 pre-
vent the government from embarl1ing in
any more enterprises than it is now in"
Conditions in the south.
Mr. Norton, who followed Mr.. Loud
took advantage of the latitude allowed in
general debate to deliver an hours speech
on the subject of the conditions in the
South. He replied TO some of the stric-
lures on the educational system in the
South showing that since the reconstruc-
ton the South had proportionately spent
more for education than some of the
states of the North. He described the
wonderful strides of the South in mate
ture for the South.
Mr.. Bell of Colorado attacked the ex-
orbitant compensation paid railroads for
carrying the mails, which average cents
per pound. The express rate from Bos-
ton to Chicago he said, was less than
cent per pound. Why should the gov
eminent pay more? Since 1873 railroad
rates had decreased IS per cent. and pas
senger rates 171s per cent, but the rate
for carrying the mails had remained I'M
changed reduction of Is per cent in
railroad transportation, he said would
wipe out the postal deficit and create
surplus.
Opposed New Devices.
Mr. Bromwen opposed the extension of
rural free delivery service. the pneumat tic
tube service, and the special railroad mail
facilities but said he would be surprised
if q combination of the several interests
did NOT prevail.
Mr.. Gaines OF Tennessee, discussed
questions relating to the solution of the
trust problem. and Mr.. Sibley of Penn
sylvania concluded the debate for the
day. We were engaged to-day, he said
in the commercial conquest of the world,
and anything which expedited communica-
ton, whether il was rural free delivery.
fast mail subsidies or pneumatic tube ser
vice. would command his support.
AT o'clock the House adjourned.