The Washington times., 1902-03-04
Mr.. Loud Advocates Adoption
Of Contract System.
RURAL CARRIERS A POWER
Chairman of the Committee on Postof-
fees and Postroads Attacks Assistant
postmaster Johnson for vacillating Po-
sition on Question.

The House devoted the greater portion
OF the session yesterday to the considera-
lion OF the bill which proposes to place
the rural free delivery carriers under the
contract system instead OF paying them
| stipulated salaries as at present.
This provision was originally contained
in the postofice appropriation bill Be-
fore that measure was reported it was
stricken out and reported as a separate
bill, the conclusion being that under the
rules change could not be included in an
| appropriation bill.
The measure stipulates that after June
| 30 1902. the additional service installed
! shall be performed under competitive bid
ding by contract. that rot more than one
| route shall be held by one person. and
that contracts shall not be sublet.
| An Extrayagant Bureau.
| Mr.. Loud. the chairman of the Commit
tee on Postoffices and Postroads. in an
| exhaustive speech advocated the adoption
Of the contract system. He said that the
rural free delivery service was the most
| extravagant bureau which had ever been
Undertaken by this or any other Cover
| ment
II the complete scheme of rural free de-
| livery were carried out. he said, it would
cost in a few years between forty and
| fifty millions of dollars a year
He referred to the charge made against
| Uncle Joe" Cannon and himself for their
efforts to head OFF the unions of postal
employees, whose goal was the Treasury
Cannon and are damned for eternity"
he said, 'if you believe what they say
against u.s.
He said that no Federal enploye should
be allowed to threaten member OF Con-
gress II a man was not allowed to do
in Congress what he thought right for
fear OF defeat by combination of Gov
ernment employees. then it was time for
that member to get out Of Congress and
stay home.
The same thing. he said, that prompted
them to vote against the bill kept them
from having their own salary increased
to $4,000.
There is not a member here" he coz
tfnued. "who would refuse to accept an
increase in salary. You are afraid to go
in for such legislation. Five thousand Is
not enough Like the carrier. you want
all you can get Five thousand dollars
is a lot of money. but there are better
men waiting for our places who would
serve for less.
His Best Paid Job.
why he continued, this is the best
JOB ever had. never made so much
money before in my life. live better now
that ever did before" [Laughter.1
Mr. Loud said that the committee had
found a wide discrepancy in the routes.
Some of them, he said, were worth $500
a year, while others We're not worth more
than $500; some were eighteen miles in
length and others thirty-eight: some were
over good roads. and others over rough
and hilly roads: some included 400 per-
sons and some l 800.
Mr.. Loud was frequently interrupted
with question oy advocates of the present
salary system. He thought the service
could be made more efficient and salts
factory by the contract system than Dy
allowing the carriers uniform salary OF
$500 a year, 10 matter what the condi-
tions of their respective routes WERE
Comparative Costs.
Mr.. Loud said that the supervising di-
vision of the rural delivery had cost $780,
900 in single year. while the office OF
the Second Assistant Postmaster General,
which controls an appropriation of nearly
$50, ,000, eco, $1,000 postoinces. star Icutes.
and the railway mail service, only costs
about s175.00o.
He attacked First Assistant Postmaster
Johnson's 'vacillating' position on the
question. He stated that he had spent
whole day with Mr.. Johnson in going over
r-~. .lalf hxrn
tract. and that Mr.. Johnson had at that
time raised various objections to it, but
finally admitted thar he WAS convinced
that il was the proper method. Within
less than forty-eight hours, Mr. Ltud
said, Mr. Johnson appeared before the
committee AMI went back on his state
ment and admission.
Mr.. loud predicted IL the salary sys-
tenn were continued that within three
wears the rural carriers woull force their
salaries up to $1,000. lie also predicted
that they would become so strong that
no man could be elected Ii Congress with
OFT their support. and their demand for
increased salaries would have to be
needed.
What's the use OF denying it," he said.
I'VE are afraid of them One rural car
rier. he said, exerted twenty times the
influence that city carrier could.
DefenoS present system.
Mr.. Swanson (Dem.. Va) replied to Mr..
Loud. defending the rural free delivery
system and the employment of carriers
upon fixed salaries. He said it might cost
a great deal of money. but before many
years il would pay for itself
II one carrier served AGO persons at
$500 a year the cost was but $3.50 per
capita With the small postoffices and
the star routes which ii would abolish
the amount would be reduced to 70 cents
per capita.
1t was only a question of making the
service efficient when 1t would pay for
itself. the same as increased city delivery
had done Mr. Swanson declared that the
proposed change was without the advice
or consent of the Postoffice Department.
No other service. he said, had proven
so popular. He said it might be advisable
10 give the department an opportunity to
try the contract system, but he did not
believe in making it compulsory; he did
not believe in placing the department in
strait jacket, aud il the contract
system failed it would result in the sus-
pension of the rural free delivery system
altogether
First fix the salary, he said. and then
get the best man to fill the job.
During his argument Mr.. Swanson be-
came engaged in a warm colloquy with
NJ Williams fDem I'LL over the QueS-