The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-13
Cause Of Bitter ei5ioate in the
Lower House
10WNE ON THE" EXPOSITION
New York Representative Speaks
in Favor of jamestown

Afr. small of North Carolina Defended
the Mail Subsidy-Sharp EXCHANGES
Of Words Between North Carolina
Congressman and Mr.. Macon of Ar
kansas-Humorous Speech by Mr..
Bede-BOth Sides of the House An
Dlauded the Appearance of Mr..
TOwne Who Spoke i'm Behalf of the
jamestown Exposition.
" Washington, April 10.-For. seven
hours today the house had under con-
sidefation the pOstofice appropriation
bill, but only in a few instances were
its provisions considered. During the
debate on the special appropriation
for railway mail pay bitter words
were exchanged between representa-
tives from North Carolina, Arkansas
and Kentucky, but all were within
The rules OF the house. A humorous
speech was made by J. Adam Bede,
of Minnesota, and Charles A. Towne,
of New York, spoke in behalf Or the
jamestown Exposition.
Mr.. Johnson, of South Carolina, said
that Notwithstanding the receipt CT
many letters from constituents of his,
whose jurgment he respected, he
would be compelled to antagonize the
special mail subsidy carried by the
bill in favor of certain lines of rail-
road in the south and west. He said
he did not go into a frenzy when the
wore railroad" was mentioned.
That because some corporations had
lot follow that all corporations were
sinners"
He resented the in%sinuation on The
part of some of the members of the
house that the subsidy for the South
ern railroad was due to the sparsely
settled sections of the south. He
said satrically that sparsely settled
New England, with slow going OK
trains, he presumed, had not q rail-
road in all it's dominions that received
as much mail pay as the Southern le-
ceived between Washington and DAN
vile, Va.
Mr.. Bartlett, of Georgia, spoke in re-
gard to the unjust and improper ex-
ercise of the power of the third as
sistant postmaster general" in ex-
Guiding from the second class rate a
number OF publications in his and
other districts. He called special at
tentiOn to the case of the Union News
company of ThOmaston, Ga, which
was denied the second class rate, and
which was the subject of investigation
by the house. Not content with the
report made in this case, Mr.. Bartlett
insisted that the power of the third
assistant postmaster general was des-
potic and should be curtailed.
Mr.. Small, of North Carolina, de-
Tended the mail subsidy which the
bill carries for southern railroads. He
said his congressional district was not
affected by the subsidy in question,
but knowing as he did the inestimable
service furnished by the Southern rail-
road, the 'anathemas" which were
hurled at this corporation came with
bad grace.
During the discussion on the part
of Mr.. Small, Mr.. Hay, of Virginia,
had read a letter from the first vice
president. of the Southern railway,
Col. A. B. Andrews, stating that if
the special appropriation was not vot-
ed by the house the mail train in
question would be discontinued, as
the railway could not maintain the
train and the schedule.
Mr.. Macon, of Arkansas. broke in
to ask what kind of a reply would
be expected from a railroad president
to a friend of the company.
Mr.. Small replying said: 81 under
stand that the gentleman infers that
Vice President Andrews has uttered a
f%alsehood. If he chooses to draw that
conclusion, he is entitled to it."
Mr.. Macon responded that it was a
mere confession and avoidance.
Mr.. Small said that Mr.. Macon had
charged that there was not a member
of the house for the subsidy who had
not received a benefit. He said the
gentleman insuIted the integrity and
manhood of the house. Il am not IT.
prised," he continued, that he should
libel the man who wrote the letter to
Mr.. Hay"
Mr.. Macon interrupted saying that
he had not said that the appropriation