Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-04-05

and eliminated the restrictions placed
on first and second-class postmasters
in the matter of telephone service.
The post office appropriation bill wa:
laid before the senate. today at the
conclusion Of the routine morning bust,
ness. Gibson took the floor 10 speak on
his bill to repeal the desert land ac'
and the Communication provision of the
homestead act.
Gibson denied that 4 railroad lobby
VAS back of the proposition for the re
peal of general land laws and rcfuteF
the statement that the motive OF thu
men favoring the repeal was to in
crease the value Of private holdings
He read from Hansbrough's speech .
tn ffct that lobby was back of tt
deal and criticised Hansbrough for no
naming at least ono Of the railroads q
Persons he alleged to be back of tn
movement for the repeal of land laws.
HansbrouSh asked Gibson if he doe
not know that George II Maxwell wa,
receiving prinroly salary from severa
land grant railroads ana that his prin
cipal business had been to advocate
the repeal of the land laws and dc
pountc all those who do not agree Will
Kim.
Gibson answered that the nations
irrigation association was interested i!
the repeal of the laws. He said H.
was willing to admit that Mr.. MaxWai
WIS the 'main push"
IIanshrough protested against thu
term Land crabbers' hoinE applied I
the opponents to the bill and referra'
10 letters Which had been addressed t
himself to show that Il vigorous cffnr
was being made for the repeal of TIN
land laws
Gibson spoke of ]. J. Hill and hi,
railroad building and the fact that his
had not been q scrip railroad.
He paid a tribute to Mr.. Hill AMI hi
work in developing western countries
Consideration of the post Office an
nrorriation bill was then resumed. Al
amendment was offered by Lodge t.
the para graph providing for tn l'as'
Of the Now York Central site in New
York City for n post office building
The amendment limits the lease to Il
years with the privilege Of an increase
for Is years more. at an annutl renta
of not more than two and half pc
cent of the appraised value of the
space actually occupied by the post
office building or the total cost Of tn
building. not exceeding 100000
The amendment offered by Lodge wa
adopted.
The Senate amendment providing 70;
the purchase of the Pennsylvania prop
erty for d post Office at 100000 was
agreed to.
When the Senate amendments trans
ferring the free city delivery sevico
from the fourth to the first assistant
postmaster general were reached
Spooner demanded the reasons for anu
the effect of the change.
An amendment was adopted to pro-
tect the postmaster general in the au
thority he now possessed.
The telephone amendment was thei
called up. The House had provided
that no part of the appropriation for
incidental items in first and second
class post offices should be used for
telephone service in any second-class
post office where the postmaster was
required by order of the postmaster
general to use no other service than
that Of the Bell Telephone Co. This
provision was struck out by the Senate
committee. Clapp moved that the ap-
preparation be restored to the bill and
amended 50 that an exception shall DC
made where ar opportunity is offered
all companies to bid for the service.
The amendment was agreed to.
The transfer of the free delivery SER
vice was again brought up. Spooner
said he was not sure that he time had
arrived for the transfer OF the free de-
livery service back to the first assist
ant postmaster general and said it
looked like a slap at the man who had
been responsible for the transfer.
Teller wanted to know whether
Spooner meant that it was a slap at