The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-14
FAST MAIL GRAFT WINS.
It Got Through the House by a Narrow
Margin This Time.

Washington, April 14.-By the mar
row margin Of four votes the mail sub
sidy section was kept in the postofTice
appropriation bill today and the bill
was passed. The vote was taken by
tellers in committee of the whole on the
proposition of MI Moon Of Tennessee to
strike out the clause providing for the
subsidy and stood yeas 1872, nays 106.
A roll call on the same proposition was
later taken in the house and the sub
sides were carried by vote OF ninety
nine to ninety-slX.
Only two mail trains In the United
States receive subsidies One is run
from New York to New Orleans, the
Southern Railroad company and is paid
S143, 900 a year and the other from kan
sas City to Newton, Kan, for Wnlcn the
Atchison Topeka & Santa F'e Railroad
company is given $4,000 annually. No
other subsidies are paid as the var
ious railroad companies strive to secure
mail contracts for the regulation price,
which nets the railroads of the United
States in round numbers 40 million dol-
lars.
The subsidy was opposed by the
postoff1ce department, which has al
ways insisted that it is unfair to other
sections of the country to pay sub
sides for any given section and that it
is not necessary in order to secure
adequate postal facilities The pro-
position was saved in the house by the
Democratic members from the south
ern states, who are benefited by the
southern subsidy. The provision was
more bitterly attacked this wear than
ever before and the opposition which
has been engendered proba bly, means
the defeat of all mail subsidies in the
near future. Postmaster General
Cortelyou in estimating the expenses
OF the pOstoffice department. which
exceeds the revenue by from 10 to Is
million dollars, said of the mail sub
sidy
We pay Il out simply because when
we have not asked for 1t, when there
is no demand on the part Of the de-
partment for it YOU stlu insist and
passed a law. We regard your action
under such circumstances as man
datory and imperative on US to obey
and pay the subsidy.
Mr. Shallenbarger. the assistant post
master general, whose bureau has di-
rect control of mail transportation. said
in his cross examination before the
postoffice committee:
We think the effect upon the service
at large is better if We do not select any
particular route in any particular c
ton for special favors."
The fight against the subsidy was led
! by Mr.. Moon of Tennessee who was
supported on the Democratic size Wig
orously by Mr.. Kitchin Of North Caro-
lima. It was defended on the Dero-
ocIdAic sue " MI RlcnardSOn OF Ala
bama. and MI Livingston of Georgia.
and on the Republican side by Mr.. over
street, the chairman of the postofffce
committee Mr.. Murdoch of Kansas
was the only representative from that
state to vote against the subsidy. Mr..
Enis of Kansas City supported it.
1t was shown in debate that the
Southern Railway company received
/ from the government under the gener
contract for carrying the mail from
Washington to New Orleans. 8. BAG. 900.
The postoffice department contends that
is a sufficient sum to provide adequate
mail facilities between these points.