The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-09
WORK OF THE SENATE
CANCELLING MACHINES ARE
 FULLY DISCUSSED.
Democrats Charge That the Rentals Paid for the Labor Saving Devi- cos are Excessive-Patter-
 son Talks Chinese.

Washington, April s.-The contracts for office Department was debated at length In the Senate to-day, in connection with | the postoffice appropriation bill. MT Culberson introduced an amendment re- | ducing the rental of the machines, and | the Democratic senators charged that | the rental now paid was the same that | was paid under .he contracts made by | George w. Beavers, when he was chief of the salary and allowance division of the Postoffice Department, and that they were excessive. MT. Lodge denied the charge, saying that there was no proof | in It's truth. .4 N The postoffice Jill was still under con- sideration when the Senate adjourned. The first hours of the session were de- voted to a discussion by Mir. Patterson on the Chinese question, in which he maintained that the exclusion laws would be ineffective after December 2, unless there was additional legislation
 An amendment to the postoffice bill prohibiting the Postmaster General from refusing to establish rural free de- livery routes on account of the condi- tion of the roads was accepted. MT. Gull herson suggested an amendment limit ing the renewal of cancelling machines to figure not exceeding the cost of the machines. MT. Lodge said the high rem tai of these machines was due to the fact that they were patented and that 1t cost a great deal to keep them in repair Mir. Clay quoted Mir. Bristows report de- nounclng the Beavers contract for the machines. and said that notwithstanding lnis denunciation the contracts were con tinued. MT. Brstow," said Mir Clay, tells us that we pay POO per cent. on these machines each year. and I see no Frr rangement."
 Unless they went to yindicate him." said Mir. Culberson.
 Mir Scott expressed the opinion that it was not riFht to attemr to deprive pat entees of their rights under the law, and also dwelt on the cost of repairing the machines. Patentees. he said. could not be compelled to let the government have their inventions on It's own terms.
 MT Clay said that the cost of keeping in repair fifty machines was about SIP 50 per year. while the rental was $50 each year.
 MT. Scott replied that the Fourth As- sistant Postmaster General had just tele- phoned to the Senate that $200 was the cost of keeping in repair the machines on which a rental Of S4OO was paid. CT do not care what Is 'phoned." responded MT. Clay, there is not a word of testi-
 
 the machines should be bought
 Mir Lodge replied that some of the ms- chimes could not he bought and that to fail to use them would very materially increase expenses for clerk hire During the debate there was reference to the headline, Charges Against Mem- bers of Congress" and MT. Money again related his futile effort to ascertain who its author was. He also repeated his con vction that the charge had been made to l divert attention from "the raEcality of the Postnffce Department"
 MT. Gallinger expressed the opinion that the headline had been inserted at the printing office. saying that he had known of many such instances To this sugges- ton. MT Money replied that any official or empoye of the printing office who would make such a change in copy should he disciplined. He denounced the head | lines as "rnendacious, malicious and slah- deTous"
 The amendment was lost-lS to :6 | Mir Teller called attention to the fact that all the votes cast for the amendment to reduce charges for machines which, he said. the Fourth Assistant Postmaster General had denounced as extortionate' had been cast by Democrats, and all the negative votes had heen cast by Repuel'- cans. He said the prices named in the biiI as it stood were the same as those nXed by Beavers. He added that if the Senate was trying to give Mir. Beavers oiii or health, it should go further and instruct the Department of Justice not to prosecute him. The contracts he said. had been made in fraud and should bO discountenanced by the Senate.
 MT, Burrows said that he had just been in consultation with the First Assistant Postmaster-General. and that official had informed him that whereas the contracts Tor cancelllng machines were formerly made year at a time. they were now made for a period of only ninety days the change having been made in order to per init the department to take advantage of any favorable change in rates.
 Without completing the postofice bill the Senate went into executive session. at 4:55 o'clock and adjourned at D. 1n.