The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-20

laws that is in the United States or any
Territory of this country. We certainly car
/ 20 that far and yet nothing has been
done in this connection. Nothing IS heard
| CT trusts. and the bill which l introduced
has not been reported nor has the Trust
| bill which was introduced and railroaded
through this House last session, been taken
| up ald considered in the Senate
| Icing debate occurred when the com
! mittee reached the provisions of the bill
regarding the letting Of star route con-
! tracts. Many members advocated the en-
! actment into law OF regulation promul-
! gated last year by Second Assistant Post
master General Shallenherger intended to
cure some Of the evils resulting from ON
nibus letting of contracts. Mr.. Maddox
wanted an amendment inserted directing
the Postmaster General to regulate the
quality and appearance Of mail-carrying
vehicles, so that an American citizen, in
company with a foreigner, meeting one.
need not be ashamed of it as the United
States mail"
Mr.. Norton of Ohio inveghed against
the methods of mail contractors with
great emphasis, saying: "Mr Chairman.
about two years ago. think it was, | in
troduced bill upon this subject and had
ii referred to the Committee on Postoffices
and Post Roads. and out of that. | think.
grew the order of the Postmaster Gen
eral.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, l am in favor of
incorporating some measure within the
law chat Will remedy this evil whatever it
may be. The trouble lies in this: Your
contractor from the State of Iowa. Mr.
Call, comes here and makes a bid for star
routes, covering thousands OF them. Your
contractor, Mr.. Smith, from the city of
Washington, and his partner, come in and
make contracts for thousand more. I'M
mediately they send their agents through
the country subletting. and ! make this
charge here and at the time of the intro
duction of my bill had the evidence in
my possession to show that they employ
fraud and deceit and perjury in the sub
letting of these contracts.
They will propose contract which re-
quires man to travel six and eight
thousand miles for the sum of $50, and
on the border of the contract will be writ
ten. This is to be held for six months.
and then if YOU do not like it you can
thro-- ii up But when you come to in
vestigate the contract you find it binding
upon the contractor for four long years,
and his bond is held. The Government
says, Why. we cannot interfere. Our
contract is with one of these gentlemen
Then we find the Government virtually
particeps criminis, but unable to inter-
fere. They cannot cancel the contract Of
Mr.. Call and Mr.. Smith. None of these
things can b. done Why? Because they
took contract originally in which there
was no fraud but under that contract and
under the protection OF the Government
they proceed to commit frauds all over
the United States.
The time has come. and is here now,
when, il you want to stop that sort of
business you should incorporate some
thing into your law that will make it
mandatory and compulsory upon the de-
partment to enter into this question in
such form and shape as will put an end
to these nefarious practices that are going
on. No greater swindle has ever been
known than has been perpetrated under
the star route system, and 1t is continued
TO this hour and the department knows II,
and / think the gentleman who is IN
charge of this bill knows as well as
anybody else that the remedy lies within
the power of this House. You can do it,
and the idea that you cannot do IL Is pre-
posterous, nonsensieal and foolish
Mr.. Bethany offered an amendment lin
ting the Postmaster General In awarding
star route contracts TO bidders living on
The routes and who would agree to give
the carrying of the mail their personal
Instances of hardship and |,
failure on the part of sub-contractors
we're given by Messrs. Sims and Clark. |
These, with Mr.. Mondell, agreed that IL |
he Bellamy amendment prevailed it would /,
result in increased cost to the Govern |
nent Messrs. Burke of Texas, Cowherd |
md Loud opposed the amendment, the |
ormer two on the ground that its adop- |
ion would ieopardize the passage of the |
bill; the latter for the additional rea- |
ION that Ii would be unayaillng to secure |
he relief desired. Mr.. Loud said the |
present Law was sufficient. and 1t was
because the Postoffice Department failed |
o enforce 1t that the administration of !
he star-route system was an offence 10 |
he people. 1t was no part OF the Gov
functions. he said, to protect |
ools and weakmind=d men from the eff
ects of their own foolishness and weak
less.
During the discussion the charge was I
made that if the pending amendment were
dopted mall contractors would prevent
consideration of the bill in the Senate. !!
dr. Green of Pennsylvania, supporting
he amendment, broadly insinuated that
he big mail contractors had made their
influence felt with the Committee on
'ostoffices and Post Roads.
The amendment was rejected ~ TO 50,
nd the committee then arose.
Unanimous Consent Refused.
The Army Reorganization bill, as passed
" the Senate, was received by the House
II Representatives yesterday. Mr.. Hull,