The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-03-06
SEES POSTAL ABUSE.
CONGRESSMAN LOUD SEEKS tn PITT
RURAL MAIL DELIVERY ON
CONTRACT BASIS
PAYROLL MUCH TOO LARGE
When Democrats Gain Ascendencv.
He Declares, They Will Find
Much Of Interest to Nation in
Free Delivery Bureau.
FROM THE GLOBE BUREAU.
Washington, ID. c.


WASHINGTON, d. c., March 5-Cbai--
man Loud, of the house commit -ee ON
postottices and postroads, is attacI,fne.
the rural free delivery element. and he
promises something like a scandal If
the facts are ever brought to light He
says there Is something rotten in Den
mark," and he intends to do d little rrob-
ing. IN general his Indictment charges
that the rural free delivery department.
Is run on the most extravagant lines.
more money being expended than can bs
properly accounted for no prove this
he calls attention to a few totals.
FOR example, it costs for the SUPERVISE
~ establishment which has charge OF
eHpendlng the $l0OO,C00 used in securing
rural free delivery $S50,OGO a year to run.
Inc total cost Of the supervisory exDen-
ses IN the department Of the second as
slStant postmaster general who has
cndrg2 or the star routes, railway mail
clerks, and who eXpends $50. 600 900 ar-7I-
ally, IS only $lS5,000. Such a difference he
tween the departments of the first and
second assistant postmaster general es-es
Mr.. Loud can be explained only OH t6a
theory OF reckless extravaganza or some
thing worse.
The single bureau of the rural free AL
livery department at Washington not in
Guiding the salary Of its chief ana not
including the first assistant postmaster
general and his force, costs to run S27J.-
600 year. This is nearly S1OO, 900 more a
year for mere supervisory and clerical
expenditure than the Office Of the first
assistant postmaster general, and yet the
latter has the spending Of nearly ten
times the amount of money.
Finds Payroll Abuses.
When Mr.. Loud takes the floor to make
the light to have the rural free delivery
service put under the contract system
he will tell a few things about payroll
abuses. He believes that there are a lot
or people on the rolls of this office who
do little or no work, and are carried at
fancy salaries through their pulls" With
the Hrst Democratic administration the
place where a scandal will be immediate
ly discovered. says Mr.. Loud is in the
department of the first assistant postrn IS
ter general; and he adds if President
Roosevelt ever gets time to give his at
tentlon to this Office. there will be reve-
lations.
The growth Of the rural free delivery
department is responsible for much that
Is the subject Of complaint Until Re
Gently this bureau was not subject TO
the provisions of the civil service. and il
was one Of the places open to a enat0r
or congressman with a constituent to ba
taken care Of. The entire force IA built
up on the basis Of political fayoritf-r1
grown from practically nothing to
great organization. employing thousands
OF carriers and expanding nearly 5000 900
a year.
There has been little or no restraining
influence to hold it in check. 1t has
been from the beginning one Of the most
popular features Of the government ser.-
ice; the farmers who were served liked
1t; the carrier who got the lob was
pleased; the congressman who thus took
care OF his constituents and pleased a lot
of voters was not sorry to have this
added political capital; and he did not
forget that the man travelling through
his district every day and meeting sew
eral hundred of his constituents might
do him some service.
Loud Has independent BtI.
The local newspapers liked it. because
it carried their papers to the farmers
door and increased their circulation. The
makers of the rural delivery boxes and
the clique Of politicians Interested with
them liked it, because IT gave them q
nice business furnishing the boxes to the
farmers as rapidly as the routes were
extended, at a handsome profit 50 ev-
erybody has favored rural free delivery
right from the jump" and the whole
system has hourished like the tradition
al green bay tree. Mr. Loud SAYS tt is
as wicked as the individuals who are
likened to that phenomenon Of nature
Mr.. LIQUIDS scheme for putting the rural
free delivery service on contract basis
will come before the house Of represen-
tatives in an independent L.u next Mon
day 1t was eliminated from the postal
appropriation bill on a point Of order. as
new legislation. The strength which the
project had in committee. receiving the
vote Of every man except Mr.. Swanson
of Virginia, doubtless inuuced the com
mittee on rules to allow the prOpClaI
to have a fair hearing in the house. .,ne
debate over it Will be notable. The qucs-
ton it involves is one constantly \ is
ing, whether the government or private
enterprises should do certain things
If the rural free delivery service IS Dut
on contract basis, 1T VII be virtually
done by private enterprise, for THE COM
ditions Of competition which prevail I'D
the outside world WIN regulate it's cost
The same controversy exists as tO die
building Of naval vessels, whether it
the government. The labor unions arc
always petitioning for government work,
and for obvious reasons. They appreciate
the more liberal wages which the gov
eminent pays.
The house today continued the debate
on the bill to classify the rural delivery
service. but without action adjourned
early. out Of respect to the memory of
Representative Polk. of PENNSYLVANIA.
whose death occurred suddenly III Phtia-
delphia last night.