The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-27
m THE LIMm1GHr.

The fiery haired, but cool-headed
young statesman. who represents the
Eighth congressional district Of Kan
sas in particular, and a good deal of
the United States in general, Is a reg
ular Horatius at the Bridge in these
closing hours of the congress.
Murdoch is buster than q hive of
bees and his earnest efforts seem to be
to prevent the people from getting
stung. Last week he led the night on
the subsidy which proposed millions
for ship schemes. good. bad or indiffer-
ent. Friday and Saturday last he went
after q railroad grab and he went at
it successfully.
Murdoch, as we understand it, is not
seeking to do any injustice toward the
railroads, but he doesn't purpose stand
a graft on the people.
Murdoch was the first to expose the
fraud on the part of the railroads in
getting pay for the hauling Of mails on
a daily basis secured by dividing the
weeks business by six instead Of divid-
ing 1t by seven. The railroads advanced
on the absurd position that Sunday
being day of rest. or legal holiday,
1t should not enter into the deal as a
matter Of divisor. Everybody knows
that the railroads carry mail on Sun
day, as well as every day through the
week. OF course, II the railroads weigh
the mail they have carried on seven
days and divided 1t by six, they get a
bigger daily average. they work fraud
and make the government pay for
something 1t does not get. Murdoch
insisted that the daily average should
be secured by dividing by seven, and he
was right This was over a year ago. He
came pretty near forcing his sane ideas
on to a majority of his congressional
associates, but at the last moment the
interests" defeated him. Realizing
that Murdoch was right, George B.
Cortelyou, then postmaster general, just
before going into the cabinet, issued an
order that the divisor should be seven
instead of six. The railroads have been
at skies and sevens' with Murdoch
ever since, but the people have been
with Murdoch and the railroads have
got to get with him on this PROPOSE
ton. If they want the consideration of
the people to which they are entitled
only if they behave themselves like in
dividuals are compelled to behave.
The railroads cannot expect the sup
port of law, If they are against law
and justice themselves. But that is an
other story.
Last Friday and Saturday there was
a new feature Of the proposition up in
the house for the annual weighing of
the mails which would have cost the
government about three million dollars
a year additional to present charges.
The committee on postoffices and post
roads Of the house. Of which Murdoch
| is a member, had it beaten in the COM
! mittee. The senate put it into it's BILL
the department recommended it. There
was a conference committee. The
house conferees. who appeared to be
| in favor Of the three. million dollar
graft, agreed to it as senate amend
ment and brought it back to the house.
Then Murdoch, almost alone, but with
the brave assistance Of Representative
Stafford of Wisconsin (who, by the
way, Is on the paper and pulp commit
tee before which this writer testified
this month";, charged this iniquitous
amendment full tilt. On Friday last
the house sent the matter again
back to conference. Once more the
conference committee brought 1t back
to the house and STAFFORD and Murdoch
went after it again with the extreme
qualification of seeing the house fire it
back to the senate by the overwhelm-
ing vote Of 1856 to So. This was truly
remarkable: for usually conference re-
ports are agreed to, and such "a knock
down and drag out defeat" of a con-
ference report is something that is not
often seen in congress for it's canned
corporate conservatism: often meaning
extravaganza, is sometimes enough to
give the public ptomain poisoning; but
the soda which Murdoch administered
last Saturday sweetened the whole