The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-24
Rural Free Delivery I'm Kansas
Being Discussed.
Effort May Be Made to Restric
the Appropriation.
WORK OF EASTERN MEN
The West Gets Most of thu
Benefits.
Government Is Well Committed
to the Policy, However.

Washington, Nov. pa thing that
may be of interest to Kansas, with its
hundreds of miles of rural free de-
livery routes, is the fact that an eff
fort may be made by eastern in
fuences in congress the coming ses-
sion to restrict appropriations for the
rural service. 1t is hardly probable
that congress, the government being
already committed thoroughly to the
rural mail policy, will be sparing with
appropriations, but if it is not so, it
will not be the fault of the east.
For many years, the east and all its
influences have stood against increased
pension appropriations. Changes in
pension laws embodying greater ap-
propriations; increases in the regular
yearly budget, despite the fact that
the veterans OF the wars who are on
the pension roll are steadily passing
away; the increasing tendency to pass
hundreds of special bills in congress
for the relief of Veterans-all these
have served to arouse the east. There
is never a pension appropriation bill
up for consideration that it does not
receive practically the same antag-
OniSm from the east and from New
England that it does from the south,
though of course far less VituperatiVe.
And now eastern Influences link to-
gether the government policy in re-
livery. They will seek to deter great
er expenditure in the latter as well as
in the former.
The reasons is apparent. In the
matter of pensions, it is we'll known
that the bulk of veterans live in the
west, where their influence has al
ways been more felt than in the east
Besides, commercial interests and cold
FLOODED business propositions predOm-
mate in the east more than in the
west There is little room for the
sentimental phase of the question, be-
sides the 'business-like" tendency.
And so in rural free delivery, the same
thing applies This great institution
has been of not so much benefit to the
east and to New England with it's
hills, as to the west, with its smooth
country, and its excellent roads, so
Wen adapted to the rural mail service.
1t need not alarm Kansas and western
states having now the benefits of the
rural service, however, for while the
east may object to further expenditures
and may array all its influence against
it, congress will undoubtedly continue
to better and facilitate the service al
ready begun. Increased appropriations
over the last session will be made, for
the postoffice department already con-
templates in its yearly budget asking
for a substantial increase. This will
mean the further extension of the ser
vice in Kansas, where it has not been
possible to push the work so rapidly
as was desired on account of limita-
lions in funds for that purpose.
The government is too we'll commit
ted to the policy of serving the country
population with daily mail to preclude
any restriction at this time.
In this connection, it might be of in
terest to know that there is not, ac-
cording to the records of the postoffice
department, another state where condi-
tions are so favorable to perfect rural
service as Kansas.
4I,a 49,. -,
only the two senators, Mr.. Burton and
Mr.. Long, are in Washington. Senator
Burton has been east for some time, al
ternating between this city and New
York. The hearing on the various mo-
lions of Senator Burton will come up
in the supreme court on Monday, De
cember 8. He will at least remain here
until his motions are disposed of. Mr..
Burton spends the greater part of the
day in his committee rooms in the Sen
ate Annex. His secretary, Colonel W.
w. Smith, has been here also for some
time attending to the various matters
in the way of correspondence that re-
quire consideration.
Senator Long is busily engaged in
looking after the completion of the re-
modelling of his new house on Massa-
chusetts avenue. He purchased the
house during the latter part of the
summer, and practically all the time
since then it has been in the hands of
workmen with a view to making it
more habitable. In his spare hours SEN
ator Long has managed to dispose of
considerable accumulated departmental
business. He called one day this week
at the White House, briefly to pay his
respects.
The remainder of the Kansas dele
cation, the house membership, will not
arrive until about December l. Mr.
Curtis and Mr.. Murdoch, it is under
stood, will reach here about that date
Congress will convene on Monday, De-
cember g.
Much interest is taken in official cir
cles, and among the Kansas colony in
the impending Missouri senatorial con-
test. The retirement of Senator Cock
rell is a source of considerable regret,
for the able kindly old Missourian has
been a most valuable member of con-
gress since he entered the senate 30
years ago next March. Some of the
Kansans have facetiously started a
boom for Charles S. Jobes, president of
the American National bank of Kansas
City, formerly of Kansas, and for years
national bank examiner for Kansas.
A most distressing accident was
that at Fort Myer. Va. recently, when
Donald c. Cubbison, second lieutenant
in the Fourth artillery, was critically
injured at target practice. Mr.. Cub
bison is a brother of State Senator J.
K. Cubbison, of Kansas City, Kas.
The young man was graduated from