Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-17
CALLS UP THE LEASE BILL
Senator Dietrich Simply Desires to Have it
Referred at Present.
TWO IOWA CoNGREssNEN HAVE A TILT
>e Department Announces the
y ms of Postmasters Under Re-
adjustment Act Have No
Merit in Law.
CFrom a staff Correspondent

ttrOm stan correspondent
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-(special Tele-
gram )-senator Dietrich called up his bill
relative to the leasing Of public lands in
the state Of Nebraska before the public
lands committee Of the senate today. He
stated to the committee that he desired no
action upon the bill at this time, but
would only ask that II be sent to the sec
retary Of the interior for a report as to
its merits. He stated to the committee
that he hoped to be fortified with consid-
cradle important matter when the measure
should come up before the committee for
consideration. He stated he hoped that
the legislature Of Nebraska would assist
by its affirmative action in placing the bill
upon the statute books of the United
States. Beyond that he did not desire it
to go at the present time.
Iowa Congressman Clash.
Representatives Walter l. Smith Of
Council Bluffs and Thomas Hedge Of Bur-
lington became involved in lively tilt to-
day over a war claim growing out Of equip
ment in the matter of clothing for the IA
nous Third Iowa infantry regiment dur
ing the early days OF the civil war. Judge
Smith stated that he was representing the
bill in the absence Of his colleague, Judge
Rumple of the Second district, who is lying
critically i'll in a Chicago hospital with
cancer OF the throat He briefly outlined
the measure and said the contract was
made with the firm of B. f. Moody Co.
by Cyrus c. Bussey colonel of the regi-
ment and on order of General John c.
Fremont, major general Of the United
States army, as agent of the United States
in pursuance of a letter addressed to
Samuel ]. Kirkwood, then governor of the
Hawkeye state
Congressman Hedge in antagonizing the
measure said that the claim was not rem
iniscent Of service, but of the greed and
rapacity that took shelter under the dark
ness of those days. He told story as to
how the firm secured the contract for
equipping troops and how this old claim
had been stalking its way through congress
for many years.
Judge Smith, in response to Mr.. Hedges s
vicious attack upon the bill, contendcd
that the claim of Moody & Co. was a just
one and he stated that the charge that
there was any chicanery growing out Of the
equipment OF troops by the governor of the
state of Iowa, Samuel ]. Kirkwood. was
absurd on the face of 1t.
Notwithstanding the earnest effort of
Judge Smith to secure favorable considera-
tion for Judge Rumple's measure, the COM
mittee decided to report the bill to the
house with an unfavorable recommends
tion, which means the death of the meas
ure.
Claim Agents stir Up POstmasters.
Through claim agents in Washington,
postmasters in Nebraska are calling upon
their members of congress to secure back
salary for them by reason of readjustment
Of salaries. So persistent have these post
masters become that Senator Dietrich de-
cided to ascertain from the Postothce de-
partment whether these postmasters have a
right of additional compensation as alleged
In reply to Senator Dietrich's inquiry As
slstant Postmaster General Wynne states
in a letter received today that there are
erroneous impressions prevalent regarding
the readjustment of postmasters salaries
Mr.. Wynne says that the misstatements are
largely due TO claim agents who are in
forming postmasters that there is due
them back, unpaid salary, and who Offer
for a fee to furnish facts and data rela-
tive thereto.
Mr.. Wynne states that all accounts oi
postmasters who served between July
1864, and June 80, 1874, and who respec-
lively applied for readjustment of theil
salaries under the act Of March 3, 1888
were examined in accordance with the pro
visions of the act as interpreted 10y the
attorney general. That all amounts founC
due them under above act were paid il
full to January /, 1890. That congress b!
its act of August 4, 1886, declared that tht
method of readjustment employed was tn
method intended by the act of March 9
1888, and that the readjustment and con
sequent payment by the department shoult
be a final settlement of all claims unde
the act of March 8, 1888.
The assistant postmaster general furthe
said in his letter to Senator Dietrich tina
/ the claims now being presented to the de
partment from postmasters in Iowa, Ne
( braska and South Dakota have no officia
standing whatever, nor can they be recog
( nized by the department.
Names Some POstmasters.
! Senator Millard today, upon request O
! Representative-elect J. ]. Mccarthy, nom
mated Hon. j. F. Nesbitt for postmaste
| at Tekamah, vice P. L. Rork.
The senator also named w. F. Wake
as postmaster at Hemingford. Box Butt
county, vice Alvin n. Miller. resigned. Thi
nomination was upon the recomp endatio
! of Representative elect Kinkaid.
! Senator Millard has received notice fror
| the postofhce department that in reply t
( his request the free delivery will be estab
| lished in Narfolk on June l.
! Miss Gertrude Dietrich, daughter OF tn
| senator. and her college friend, Miss Lesli
| Farwell Of Lake Forest, are in Washing
| ton for the purpose Of attending numbe
| OF social functions. They were guests at
/ dinner given by Senator and Mrs. Fair
banks and will receive with Mrs. Genera
/ Sternberg tomorrow. They were also 4
! the receiving line at Mrs. Fairbanks recep
I tion yesterday.
/ Joe Il. Lane Of Davenport, Congressma
/ Rumple's predecessor in congress, is 1
Washington on matters connected with IN
Departments.
l.. S. Locsteuler OF IroquOis, S. D., wit
his wife and sister, passed through Wash
{ ington today en- route TO Porto Rico, wher
they will spend the winter.
Pressing IOwa's Claim.
Major NJ. s. Byers, adjutant general {
Iowa, is in Washington in relation to
claim which he has pending in the Wa
/ department for 500 600 growing out of m