The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-24
THE HOUSE VOTES
THE MAIL SUBSIDY
Eighty-Eight> for and
Eighty Against Bill.
VOTE OF TAR HEELS
kluttz and Gudger Only Cast Their
Ballots for the Measure and the
Democrats With Few Excep-
tions Register Disap-
pr0yaI of Bill.
Especial to The News and observer.)

Especial to The News and Observer)
Washington, d. c., March 23.-The
Southern hallway Subsidy was voted by
the House today by the narrow mafg'n OF
eighty to eighty-eighty. The Republicans,
with few notable exceptions, voted for
it.. The Democrats with few exceptions,
voted against it.
OF the North Carolina delegation only
Kluttz and Gudger voted for it, while
Thomas. Page, Webb. William Kitchln
and Claude Kitehin opposed The mtas
ure. The other three. Pou. Patterson and
Webb, were not present when the vote
was taken. which was done without de-
bate, on an amendment by Mr.. Moon. of
Tennessee 20 strike out the section max
ing the s142,72S.75 appropriation 10 the
Southern for carrying mail between
Washington and New Orleans. in add-
tion to the regular pay allowed for such
service.
After this vote refusing to strike out
the subsidy, Mr.. Webb introduced the fol-
lowing amendment designed to furnish
information in future as to why this
money is paid to the railroad when the;
Postoffice Department plainly declares It
is not needed.
"And if the Postmaster-General shall
expend said amount or any part thereof
he shall state the reason for said ex-
penditure in his next annual report"
This amendment went out on q point
of order. and hence no vote was taken
on X.
On the proposition to strike out the
$4,000 subsidy for carrying mail from
Kansas City to Newton. Kan, the vote
was much the same. Mr. Kluttz also voted
for this. though Mr.. Gudger did not.
Though the House kcct in these subsi-
dies which the Postoffice Department has
repeatedly declared in official reports that
it does not want and that do not add
anything to the efficiency of the service.
it today adopted an amendment to an
other section of the bill that will have
the effect. if retained by the Senate. OF
displacing many ancient railway mail cars
now in use in the South and elsewhere.
The amendment prohibits the use on main
lines or through trains of cars that have
been in use for more than fifteen years
This. it is stated, will result in the re-
tirement of no less than 16S cars tout of
q total of 1.049 now in use), that are
considered unit for service and danger
Gus to the lives of the clerks assigned 20
them. or these les ears at least ten of
them have been IN use over thirty years
some as long as thirtythre years and
not less than seventy-five of them nave
been in use over twenty-five years. AS
rental for each of these antiGuated cars
the government last year paid S4,73050,
very nearly the cost of the cars con-
structiOn.
In the DISCUSSION, attention was called
10 the fact that in almost every wreck
the postal clerks are either hurt or killed,
because the ears in which they work are
too frequently old, and less strong in
construction than those composing the
rest of the train.
On this amendment the Democrats voted
almost soldly for adoption and a major
ity of the Republicans against it. but
enough Republicans joined the Democrats
20 insure its adoption. OF the North
Carolina delegation. Claude Kitchin, Webb,
Gudger and Thomas voted for it and
Kluttz and Page against it. The others
were not present
On an amendment by Mr. Williams, of
Mississippi, providing that the annual
sental paid for cars shall not exceed fifty
per cent of the cost of manufacturing
the car. Claude Kitchin. viii Kitchin,
Thomas and Page voted aye Mr. Kluttz
did not vote. The other members were
not present. This amendment failed
Though there was no debate directly
on the Southern Railway Subsidy, Mr..
Baker (DemD, of New York, earlier in
The day took occasion to address few re-
marks in that direction. He charged that
the Republicans were in every way and
on every possible occasion favoring '.the
big service corporations" especially those
having favors to confer.
You are especially lavish with the pub
}ic money in your dealings with great
railroad corporations he told the Re-
puolieans, ''but when it comes to men
who have no passes to give the cry of
economy goes up. You don't propose
any economy in contracts with the spe-
cial privilege corporations. but with the
man who has nothing but the toll of his
head and hands you are stingy to parsi-
monv.'
1t is not expected that any formidable
opposition will be made in the Senate to
the Southern Subsidy. as that body was. j
being counted on to replace it in the
bill if the House knocked it out.
The Importance of Senator overmans
resolution to ascertain by what author
ity the Commissioner of Pensions will put
names on the pension roll and increase
the rate is now recognized by everybody.
According to calculations made by the |