The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-07
MAIL TRAIN SUBSIDIES
Special Postal Facilities Discussed
by the House.
Consideration of the PostOfiice APP
propriation Hiii-Nr. LOnd Opposes
Williams Of Mississippi Delivers
~ Speech on Democratic Principles.

The House. in Committee of the Whole,
spent the legislative day of yesterday in
considering the Postoffce Appropriation
most part to discussion of the matter of
additional pay to railroads for special
facilities" ss3
Mr. Loud. Chairman of the Committee
on PostofFices and Post Roads. addressed
the committee for three hours. He
went over the report OF the Postal
Commission. That commission reported
against the advisability of an extension or
the utility of the continuance of the pneu-
matte tube service. MIR. Loud endorsed
this report, arguing both against the nee
essity or even the nesirahility of that ser
vice. He said that when Congress at first
appropriated $4,000 for experimental
service no member of the House believed
tina the cost would probably be swelled
10 the sum OF $3.50. 600 a year. Mr..
Loud in speaking of the pneumatic
tube service as applied to New York City,
declared that lit was conceived in sin
and born in iniquity." The continuance
Of thai service would be, said Mr.. Loud
4 waste of public money. He asked that
il should be abandoned that Congress
might he given chance to look around
aud start afresh.
Mir Loud then turned his attention to
the matter of special railroad facilities,
disappearing of them. He cited as a fact
thai the subsidized mail train which
leaves New York for the South at 4
o'clock in the morning is essentially a
special newspaper train bringing very lit
tie mail and making no connections not
made by other trains southbound from
New York and wnicn trains receive no
subsidy
In referring to the payments made
TO railroads for carrying the mails
in the ordinary range of business. Mr..
Loud took issue with those persons who
clamor for cheaper postage without re-
classification of mail matter Replying to
he argument that because express com
panies carry newspapers for 1 cent a
pound the mails may also be carried at
that rate with a profit to the railroads,
the gentleman from California said that
both railroads and express companies do
good deal of business in which there is no
profit. Express companies made no money
out of the carriage of newspapers. 1t is
a reciprocal arrangement. They want the
good will of the press just as we do. It
used to be that the railroads carried
newspapers for nothing"
In discussing the question of the con-
solidation of second and fourth class mat
ter, Mr. Loud said this ought to be done,
but it can't The newspapers don't want
it. They (the newspapers) have got us.
You go to work and subsidize these
fast trains when they are practically
only newspaper trains! You put the news
papers ahead of the letters because the
newspapers have the influence"
Mr.. Loud devoted much of his time to
the question of railway mail pay. Two
conclusions had been forced upon him. he
said. that mail transportation was the
least remunerative of all the business of
railroads and that while this was true
the reasons therefor were not clear. and
that until there was further investigation
Congress could not properly or justly re-
duce the rate Of pay.
Mr. Burke of Texas spoke in opposition
to the subsidies carried in the BILL $i73.-
000 for eXpeditiBg the mail from New
York to Atlanta. and NV Orleans. and
s25.CC0 between Kansas City, No, and
Newton. Kan.
In the same line lir williams of Mis-
sissippi said he would give chrome to
any man who would find or point out a
tion and the ship subsidy which We are
all at least pretending TO oppose on broad,
fundamental democratic principles" Jap
plause He hoped the tire had not come
when mis- colleagues wCdld part from
those principles for a mess Of pottage be-
cause il was to be consumed by three or
four railroads running through their ter
ritory. especially when it is doubtful that
one of our constituents will participate
in the consumption of the soup
The appropriation was advocated by
Messrs. Swanson and Cowhard. The com
mittee then rose.
Saturday February % was set apart
for the delivery of eulogies upon the late
Representative Clarke Of New Hampshire.
At 81 o'clock the House adjourned un-
til today.