Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-21
IN THE HOUSE.
Post Office Bill, With Employees Sal
aries Increased, Is Passed.

Washington, Feb. 20-The posto1ice
appropriation bill, the largest ever re-
ported from the committee on pOStof-
fees and post roads. passed the House
today. All tho provisions relating to in
crease of pay affecting 30 per cent. OF
the postal employees. which yesterday
We're stricken out on points of order
were today restored to the bill. This
action was accomplished by rule pre-
sented by the committee on rules after
the bill had been reported to the House
by the committee of the whole.
Points of order We're the feature OF
the day. the battle over the provisions
IN the bill continuing throughout the
session.
An amendment presented by Crum-
packer. Ind, fixing the limit of rent at
third class postotfices at $3.50, an in
crease of $50 per annunl. was adopted.
When the item appropriatinG 81, i39, 000
for the pay of the employees of the rail
way mail service was reached, Macon.
Ark. MADE the point of order against
the paragraph that increased salaries.
The point was sustained.
Fitzgerald, n. Y, in conformity with his
pledge Of yesterday growing out of his
controversy with Macon Ark, made q
point of order against the paragraph in
creasinc the pay of rural delivery car
riers and the chairman sustained tho
point.
Tho remaining portion of the bill was
read and adopted without debate.
The committee of the whole then rose
and Currier, n. II, reported the bill to
the House with the amendments which
were adopted. Before the bill was put
upon its final passage, DalZeN, Pa, from
the committee on rules, reported a rule
restoring all the paragraphs stricken out
yesterday having relation to the increas-
es in salaries of clerks in first and second
class offices. city and rural carriers and
railway mail clerks. and making num-
Der Of important changes from the bill as
reported to the House from the commit
tee on pOstofIiccs and pest roads.
BY the term Of the amendments report
ed from the committee on rules, seven
grades of clerks are established in first
and second class offices with salaries
ranging from 5000 to s12oo City letter car
riers are divided into five grades with
salaries ranging from $500 to $1100. the 500
salaries being omitted. Railway mail
clerks are divided int six grades helow
that of chief clerk, salaries in each grade
being increased 800 and ranging from
$500 to s1Ta0. The maximum salary of
rural carriers is fixed at $50.
Two new provisions were added by the
rules committee, one providing that the
postmaster general may in his discretion
allow q railway mail clerk 20 days sick
leave in any fiscal year with pay. his
duties to be performed without expense
to the government during that period for
which he is granted leave; and the other.
that carriers who June 30. 1907 are reg
uIarly employed at $500 per annuil, shall
be promoted to the fourth grade upon
satisfactory evidence of his efficiency dur
ing at least one years service.
An order was adopted directing the in
sertion in the bill, of the enrolling clerks
of the recommendations of the postal
commission relating to the reimbursement
of railway mail pay by the postmaster
general. beginning July next The bill
was then engrosscd. read third time and
passed.