, 1901-01-31
j. + CRAWFORD, Esq.
Saratoga, Wyoming.

D.T ShA" FUND.-. IIHIs.
Saratoga, Wyoming.
My Dear Crawford
| notice the interview of Hon. /. c.
Miller relative to the mail route from
Saratoga to Copperton, via Rudefeha,
and your editorial thereon.
Apropos of the subject l would call
YOU attention to the discussion had in
the House on last Saturday, 90 begin
ming on page 1916, Congressional Record.
My remarks on the subject begin at the
bottom of the first column on page l3iS.
You will notice hat the Postotice De
partment has been endeavoring, by al
order, to give us better service on our
Star cute but Congress has constantly
refused to give the Postmaster General
ever discretionary power in the matter
which he has treated of in the general
order.
This is one of the cases where the
Department took the "bull by the
horns' in an effort to get better service
and Mr.. Loud, Chairman of the Com
n.lttee ON Postofiices and Post Roads
declares that this order is contrary to
law and the issuance Of it is a very high
handed proceeding on the part of the
Postal Authorities.
| hope you will read carefully all that
was said on the subject in the House
down to page 1857. l shall, if possible,
make a few more remarks the next time
the postofice bill is taken up, which
may be tomorrow.
Tho Postofiice Department is earnest
ly e~ndeavoring to put an end 10 the
sub-letting abuses. At the same time
tine syndicate bidders are constantly
calling attention to the fact that the
limiting Of the bidding to those living
IN the locality will greatly increase the
cost of service and they also suggest that
such limiting will make frauds possible.
Now it behoves u people, If they wish
to be free of the abuses Of syndicate
bidders and sub-letting, to assist the
Department by making what Ii De
Eartment considers reasonable bids for
carrying mails. The Department eX-
poets. under the new method, that they
will have TO pay more than they have
been paying for carrying Star routes but
you can readily understand that If the
price for carrying under the new system
is doubled or thrilled, that there Will
be a great cutlery in Congress, backed
up by the syndicate bidders and the re
suit will probably be legislation which
will be mandatory and compel the Dee
partment to return TO the old system.
As AN Illustration Of the possible in
crease under the new system, let us
take tue line from Saratoga TO Copper
ton, Under the old system of unlimited
competition this line, with three times
a week service. wuuld have been let for
somewhere between 500 and $500, an.
nually and then the original contractors
would have, no doubt, been able to find
somebody who would carry it at even
less thHu that.
The Department has not informed
me Just what the loves bid which they
received, was, but ] understand from
Mr.. Miller's statement. that 1t was 5000.
When told the Pustotlice authorities Of
the condition of the route over which
the mail was carried they said that they
would be willing to accept a bid some
what above the cost under the old sys-
ten for similar routes. but did not feel
justified as officials Of the Government
in paying several times more than they
would hayc to pay under the old meth
cd. urged them to accept the lowest
bid winch was made, not knowing Of
e urse how much il was, Now that
Nj Miller has stated that il was 1900
can understand why the Department
would not accept it because At vas 30
Muaa MJ.IE than they would have to