River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1902-03-06
RURAL FREE Delivery Up.
House in Committee of Whole Con-
siders Bill to Classify the
Service.
MR.. LOUD (CAL.) OPENS THE DEBATE.
DecIr IS Question Involved Was of
More Importance Than Any Which
Would Come Before the Present
Congress-Senate Considers Ship
ping BiII-SenatOr Frye Speaks.

Washington, March 4.-Under the
order made last week the house Mon
day went into committee of the
whole and entered upon the consid-
Grafton of the bill to classify the
rural free delivery service and sub
stitute the contract for the salary
system for rural carriers.
1t was arranged that general de-
bate should be equally divided be-
tween the friends and opponents of
the measure and that Mr.. Loud (Cal.)
should control the time in favor of
and Mr.. Swanson (Va.) against the
bill. The former, in opening the
debate, declared that in his opinion
the question involved was of more
Importance than any which would
come before the present congress.
Upon the solution would depend
whether the rural free delivery serv-
ice would cost ultimately $60,000,o00
or 100000 900 per annum. The rural
free delivery service up to this time,
he said, has been a political one and
had given many members of congress
their first taste of the sweets of pub
lie patronage. He traced the history
and rapid growth of the service and
it's cost, declaring that it was the
most extravagant in the public serv-
ice. At the inception the carriers re-
ceived $500 per annum. They now
received 5000. IF the salary system
was continued they would eventual
ly receive $500 or 5000. At the pres
ent time $85O,00O was being spent for
the supervisory force.
The bill was carefully drawn, Mr..
Loud said, to provide against the pos
sibility of recurrence of the Star
route scandals. Only one contract
could be given to one man, who must
live in the district where the route
was located and who must perform
the service himself.
Speaks for the Shipping Bill.
Washington, March Ain the sem
ate Monday Senator Frye delivered
speech on the shipping bill. He re-
viewed the condition of American
trade and pointed out the small
amount which was carried in Amer
lean ships. He said the country had
prospered under protection and every
industry had been protected except
American shipping. Should a war
occur between the great ocean-carry-
ing nations of the world, like Eng
land and Germany, he said the farm
ers, the mechanics and the produc-
ers of America through lack of IA
cilities for transportation would lose
more than either of the contending
nations.
''There is only one thing" declared
Senator Frye, "that is responsible
for this condition of affairs, and that
is American wages"
At the opening of the session the
senate disposed of various minor
bills and bills for erection of public
buildings.
To Close Hearings This Week.
Washington, March 4.-The senate
committee on inter-oceanic canals
met Monday and decided to close all
hearings this week. Senator Hanna
has one or two witnesses who prob
ably will be heard Wednesday. The
subcommittee appointed to investi-
gate the legal questions involved in
the Panama canal will report dur
ing the week.
Memorial from Colorado Legislature.
Washington, March 4.-Represent-
ative Shafroth, of Colorado, Monday
presented memorial from the Col
orado legislature Appealing to our
national administration to tender
the good offices of our government
in any dignifed and consistent man
ner that will be conducive to peace
between the South African republics
and Great Britain, to the end that
the British government may be in
duced to change it's present policy
to tender such terms of peace as will
be alike honorable to the Beers and
in accordance with their aspirations
for liberty"
Admits Existence of Friction.
Washington, March 4.-Gov. Taft
was examined by members Of the in
sular committee of the house Mon
day on various phases of the Philip
pine islands. In answer to Repre-
sentative Hits inquiry whether
there was jealousy between the Unit
ed States military and civil authori-
ties, Gov. Taft said human nature
was the same in the Philippines as
in the United States, and with a dual
form of government military and
civil-it was inevitable that some
friction should be created at some
time. Gov. Taft stated, however,
that each side was sincerely striv-
ing to work out the problems pre-
scented. The governor estimated that
the United States military force
could be reduced to $4,000 men i'll one
year from this time and he thought
$4,000 men would suffice now.
Gov. Taft again expressed himself
favorable to rs per cent. reduction
in duties, and said that while the
proposed 25 per cent. reduction
might do something it hardly would
afford the relief desired. He said it
was a mistake to believe there would