Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-02-16
POST0FFICE BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
Appropriation Measure Is Adopted
Practically As It Was Sub
mitted.
DIPLOMATIC BILL TAKEN UP
The Latter Measure Carries s1,Sos,80s-
Military Academy and War Claims
Bills Are Sent to tho
Conference.

Washington, Feb. 9.-The postonce
appropriation bill, debate on which has
consumed almost an entire week In
the house, was passed yesterday. The
debate lowered about three topics,
railway mail pay, pneumatic tube SER
vice and special fast mail facilities, but
1t bore no fruit. The amendment to
reduce the rate Of railway mail pay
was ruled u on a point of order, the
amendment to continue the pneumatic
tube service in New York, Boston and
Philadelphia was abandoned with the
purpose of making the fight In the SEN
ate, and the motions to strike out the
appropriations for special mail facili-
ties were defeated.
The session was opened with a
speech by Mr.. Moon of Tennessee
against the special facilities PROPOSE
ton. He said If the people of his dis
trict should deliberately and knowing
ly instruct him to vote for this sub
sidy he would throw down his COM
mission and walk out of the house.
Mr.. Fleming of Georgia, a member
of the joint postal commission, favored
certain notifications and reductions In
the rates Of railway mail pay. This
closed general debate.
The chair ruled the Joy amendment
to appropriate $26a.0 600 for pneumatic
tube service u of order, on the
ground that the current law contained
a provision against the extension of
the service beyond New York, Phila-
delphia and Boston.
Mr.. Scudder of New York withdrew
his amendment to appropriate 1925, 00C
for the continuation OF the service In
New York. Boston and Philadelphia.
He explained, subsequently, hat he
had taken this action to avoid a pos
sible adverse vote in the house, which
might complicate the situation when
the amendment was offered in the sem
ate.
Mr.. Mann then insisted upon his
point of order against the amendment
Of II. G.. Smith Of Michigan, to reduce
railway mail pay and the point OF or
der was sustained.
The Bill Passed.
The first vote was taken upon the
motion Of Mr.. Burke of Texas to strike
out the appropriation of $193, 900 for
special mail facilities between New
York and New Orleans. 1t was defeat
ed, 70 to 123, and then the motion to
strike out the appropriation of $25, 900 fol-
special facilities between Kansas City
and Newton, Kan, was beaten without
division. The opponents of the appro-
priations for special facilities carried
the fight into the house, where there
could be q record vote, but were beaten
by votes of 60 to so and 33 to 70, and
the bill was passed.
The speaker laid before the house Ger.
titled copies of the electoral V ote in the
several states, excepting those of Colo
RADIO and Tennessee. The vote will be
counted at a joint session of the house
and senate February Is. The speaker
appointed Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio and
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee to act as
tellers On behalf of the house upon that
occasion.
The senate bill to allow travel pay to
certain officers and men who re-enlist-
ed In the Philippines pom their dis
charge from the volunteer service was
passed.
The military academy bill and the
bill for the adjudication of the Spanish
war claims were sent to conference.
Conference reports upon the bills pro.
viding for the abolition of grade cross.
ings in the District of Columbia, and
construction of stations by the Penn
sylyania and Baltimore and Ohio rail.
ways were adopted.
The house then took up the diplo.
matte and consular appropriation bill
Mr.. Hit, chairman of the committee
on foreign affairs explained that the
bill carries 81, sos, sos, being $SS, $50 less
than the estimates and $37, $40 more
than the current law.
Without action on 1t the house, al
5.25 p. m, adjourned.