The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-30
IMPORTANT CHANGES IN
THE POSTOFF|CE BILL
Senate Committee Amends the
Rural Free Delivery and
Other Clauses.
TO BE DISCUSSED TO-DAY

Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 29.-That senti-
ment in the Senate is opposed to rural car
riers acting as agents or solicitors for
hire was shown to-day when the postal
committee of that body Incorporated in
the postoffice appropriation bill the fol-
lowing amendment:
THAT carriers may carry merchandise
for hire, and receive subscriptions for and
deliver newspapers, magazines and other
periodicals for, and upon the request OF
patrons residing upon their respective
routes whenever the same shall not inter
fere with the proper discharge OF their
official duties and under such regulations
the postmaster general may prescribe
and not otherwise, and provided. further,
that no carrier shall refuse 10 deliver or
take orders or subscriptions for any mer-,
chandise, newspapers or periodicals re-
quested by any patron on his route sub
ject to the regulations of the postmaster
general.
The committee fixed the salaries of the
carriers at $72O year. There will be no
change in this feature Of the amendment.
The only chance for securing greater in
crease was lost when the campaign was
started in the House to incorporate in the
postal bill a proViSo that the carriers
should continue to enjoy the agency privi-
lege without limitation. While the amend
ment adopted by the Senate committee
to-day Is in the nature of a compromise, it
indicates that the feeling in Congress is
quite general that the agency business is
an abuse, and that it should not be toler-
ated. The indications are, therefore, that
when the postoftice appropriation bill
energies froms conference the amendment
Will be worded just as it was passed by the
House
The Senate committee reported the bill
tonight, and ii will be taken up i'm the
Senate tomorrow. The bill reported does
not include all the amendments made by
the Senate committee on account of the
late session held in order to complete the
a dummy
while the clerks prepared the measure for
the public printer. The bill will be printed
tonight. On account of its incomplete
state the exact amount of the increase in
the bill cannot be given, though it is said
the bill will carry not more than 81, O0O, 600
over the bill as passed by the House except
the bill The House bill provides for the
rental of the Pennsylvania Railroad site
In New York city for postoffice purposes,
but the Senate committee decided that it
would he better business policy to buy the
site. Therefore, an appropriation of $1,000,
600 is made for that purpose.
Senator Clay's amendment increasing the
salary of the purchasing agent for the
Postoffice Department to 4,5Q0 and reqUir-
ing that all supplies must be bought by
competitive bids, the contracts to be given
to the lowest bidders, and that a schedule
of the bids must be sent to Congress an
nually, was adopted.
The committee adopted an amendment
for the retransfer of the free delivery in
cities to the first assistant postmaster gen.
erals division, instead of leaving it with
the fourth assistant
The Senate committee provides for the
purchase or rental of canceling machines
instead of purchase alone. as provided by
the House bill
Provisions for the payment to the Oceanic
Steamship Company at a rate of 81 per
mile, for the carrying of mail between
San Francisco and Tahita, was restored TO
the bill. This provision has been in the
postofice appropriation bills for number
of years, but was eliminated by the House
at this session on the ground that II was
in the nature of a subsidy. The Senate
committee has restricted the payments to
$4,000 annually.