Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-23
58TH CONGRESS.
House Further Discusses Post
office Appropriation Bill.
Final Disposition Made Of Only
One Page.
Senate Considers Bill Relating to In.
dian Appropriations.

Washington, March 22.-Outside of u
few matters the House of Representa-
tives voted the entire day to further
discussion of the post office appropria-
ion bill. but disposed of only one page
of the bill.
Butler of Pennsylvania, endeavored
unsuccessfuly to have passed an
amendment designed to transfer back
to the Office of the first assistant post
master general jurisdiction of the free
delivery and rural delivery services,
which caused Moon of Tennessee, the
ranking minority members of the COM
mittcc to administer a rebuke to those
members who are trying to take from
the fourth assistant certain duties Civ
en- to him under the law. He said
there was Il motive behind it all. and
that certain members. chatting under
the recent report of the department, are
seeking to punish Bristow for discov
Crng frauds in another bureau of the
department.
Another amendment by Tawney of
Minnesota, which was agreed to. pro-
hibits the postmaster general from or
dering out of office telephones of COM
panics other than the Bell Co.
An amendment by c. b. Lands of
Indiana, prohibiting the further rental
of canoelling machines was adopted
after Il spirited debate.
In the House of Representatives.. to-
day, Babcock. Rep, Wis, rising to a
question of privilege. called attention
to an article which appeared in New
York paper Of yesterday. in which he
is alleged 10 have improperly used the
mails. He said the statements i'm the
paper referred 10 were copied from u
campaign book ISSUED in his district
during the late campaign, which, Il"
said, was Il book of misrepresentation
and untruths. The people of his dis
trict had, he declared, after a full in
vcstigatiOn of the unwarrantcd SIAN
ders and charges. turned them down.
He said the documents charging him
with stuffiing the mails in the interests
Of the railroads had been sent out in
the course of ordinary business and
that he knew nothing about the official
weighing. He also emrhatically de-
Ciarcd that he never issued a railroad
pass in his life to anybody. lie denied
that he led the fight to give $4,000. goo
cash to the Pennsylvania Railroad to
build union station in Washington
and had also voted to give away s125,-
100000 of government money for tho
Pacific railroads. He closed by saying
that the entire article was an absolute
and unqualified falsehood. He was APP
plaudcd as he took his seat.
Babcock was interrupted in the course
Of his remarks by Tawney. who inquired
If there was any member of the House
who knew when the weighing took place
and if 1t was not a matter entirely Sc
crct with the department .,
Butler Gep., PAD declared that nobody
knew, which caused Hull Rep. 1a.)s to
remark that members did know and that
they were called on to recommend the
weighers.
a resolution was passed fixing Marcel,
p for the consideration of the bill pro-
vlding for the election of n delegate from
the territory OF Alaska and making the
bill privileged thereafter.
The House then went into committee of
the whole and resumed consideration Of
the post Office appropriation bill.
Continued on page 81