The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-20
VIC'S FIRST SPEECH
Continued from Twenty-frst Page.


uary /, 1929, to July l Of the same year.
of s49,77S.55, more than all its revenues
for the same time
so Barry found himself speedily over
whelmed. The growth OF the country.
the importantly of sections for new
/ routes. the extension OF the Thanking priv
ilge by congress 10 members from a priv
nage during session TO a privilege the
whole year round, the department in
those days paying pCstma sters 2 cents for
the delivery Of every free letter, the ex-
petition in mail, and extension of routes
during Barry's administration jumped a
total annual transportation mileage Of
13. 100. Gc0 in 1923 to 23.S5i.4S5 in 1s33-nearly
doubles 1t in 1884. Barry in his report,
showed a deficit, the first in the history
of the department. This was a balance Of
debt against the department beyond the
amount of its available funds on jan
uary l, 1881. of $315.5e99S Barry TO meet
this lack of funds, had borrowed from
time TO time from banks. in loans and
overchecks
The storm broke. Barry was investi-
gated by both houses OF congress. On
the night of February "a, 1885. in the
house an angry debate followed the re-
mark of Representative Beardsley that
that acknowledgement had been liberal
to a fault. l might say almost beyond
a fault Explanations for his latent
meaning were demanded by Barry's
friends. During this William Cost John
son. of Maryland. savageiy attacked the
whole postofice department. A few days
later Lieutenant Barry, SON of the post
master-general challenged Johnson to
duel. which Johnson accepting with spirit
for the same day. fell through. if contem-
pOrary reports are. correct.
Both committees of congress made
lengthy reports upon Barry's adninistra-
ton. showing upon the whole a loose
management. In congress a spirited de-
bate occurred over the proposition Of cir
culating generally these reports for the
enlightenment of the public. A copy Of
the printed report exists IN the library
of congress with uncut leaves.
Barry had sinned chiefly on the side
of expedition. The notable case of the
time was the mail between Philadelphia
and Pittsburg
"Reeside and Slaymaker had a con-
tract to transport the mail between Phil
adelphia and Pittsbury daily in four-horse
post-coac hes, to run two miles day, one
to go through a few hours more than two
days. The first was fast mail This
service began January l, 1892. The first
coach carried the letter mail; the slow
coach carried the newspapers. A few peo
pie in Pittsburg and west of Pittsburg1
received envelopes containing copies of
newspapers, then small. on the fast mail.
This aroused the regular subscribers.
and they. demanding their newspapers as
early, by the pressure of public opinion,
were forced to give in, to carry the
newspaper mail in the fast coach, and
from this coach. three times week pas
sengers. were excluded, at loss of 500
day The contractors said the whole
transaction was costing them Sl5,ooo
year. and proposed that they would bear
IS. 600 of this sum themselves. Barry al
lowed them the $4,000. The investigating
called this. indignantly, "a
gift
Some manipulation of contracts by !
Rarry's subordinates were unearthed by |
the investigation After a contract, $500 |
for carrying the mail between Chicago |
and Green Bay. weekly. to Colonel Saw !
erv. had been granted, Colonel Slavery |
assigned his contract to a Doctor Tenn /
pie, who had been a clerk in the depart
ment. This outraged the senate COM
mittee. which found confirmation of its |
suspicion in the fact that:
Temples contract sum. $500, equals |
the net proceeds of the hostages re-
reived in the whole territory of Michigan.
But Barrys chief fault was in ex-
pediting the mails. and he notes with /
contempt that one OF his congressional
accusers had been prominent petitioner
for an improved route.
But Barry got out Of the department
by Jackson appointing him minister to
Spain and he died in Liverpool on his
way to the new post. Before he went he
wrote several defenses. One he closed as
follows:
My official acts belong to my coun-
try. and whether their tendency has been
the promotion Of the public good 1 cheer
fully submit to the decision of my fellow
,itizens. l make no pretention 10 infalli-
oility but my errors. whatever they may
nave been. have not resulted from de
sign. Our national domain is extended
rom the frozen regions Of the north TO
the plains of perpetual foliage in the
south. from the Atlantic ocean on the
east TO the Rocky mountains on the
vest
o. 'Clashing interests and sectional pref
ldices can be counteracted only by safe
and speedy intercourse Every improve
neut which tends to shorten the time of
,pistolary correspondence and to eXpe-
lite and facilitate the traveller in his
transitions from one part Of the country
O another Is like bringing the distant
,arts together. and does more to cement
,ur union than any other consideration Of
interest or safety. This end l have kept
constantly in view Whether I have been
n any degree successful the public Will
udge
Barry was TO have a vindication with
n "A few years. Under an act OF congress
lis successor reoreanized the department
nd began a rigorous and unpopular re-
reuchment. The first railroad had been
,uilt and with the querulous complaint
( the department that it ought to control
he time OF the ARRIVAL and departure OF
rains. as Il had the coaches. the thrust / !
nd parry over the rate for the ty8nspor- I
alton Of mail began
AT one time congress offered the roads