Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-08-07
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The Postoffice Department is going to
seek the aid of Congress to prevent the
railroads from putting into service
bluff trains with view to capturing
mail tonnage and later abandoning
them. This fact is disclosed in the re-
,ort of the department regarding the
transportation of the mails for the cur
rent year. Il Is alleged that prior to
the reweighing periods, which deter
mine the routes and compensation ev-
cry four years, it has been the custom
of some railroads to put on new fast
trains with view to capturing the
mails. Having been successful, such a
road, under the present law, must re-
ceive pay for that mail during the sue
ceeding four years wehther 1t contin-
ues to carry it or not. Accordingly
some of the railroads have been accus-
toned to take off their bluff" trains
soon after the reweighing, allowing the
mails to be diverted to another road,
but continuing to receive pay for trans
porting them until the next reweighing
period when the trick is repeated.
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Speaker Cannon announced his ar
rangement of the new committee on
appropriations, with Tawney of Mime
sofa at its head and Livingston Of
Georgia as the ranking Democrat. Taw-
ney has come out squarely for the pol
Icy of retrenchment, which the Speak
er was known to favor, and he will be
the recognized watch dog of the treas
ury" during the life of this Congress-
In a statement Chairman Tawney re-
ferred to the estimates for the next
years expenses being over 100000 00G
over the estimates for the current year,
and said this would mean deficit OF
$S3,000,000. Hence the necessity OF
rigid economy and the avoidance Of
eew enterprises.
After a conference at the Whit,
House with Secretary Garfield of thu
Interior Department, Assistant Secfe
tary oliver of the War Department
and Commissioner of Indian Affair."
Leupp, the President decided to con
tinue the policy of the Indian Burear
of furnishing the Indians an opportu
nifty to work, and, in case of their fall
ure to take advantage of the opportu
nifty, toleave them to their own resources
This is the result of the recent out
break of band of renegade Ute In
dams now located on the Cheyenne
River Reservation in North Dakota.
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The roller skaters of Washington an
nm interesting sight. There are 5000
children Of skating age in Washington
and 10000 are whizzing around tn
streets mounted upon two skates, whilI
the balance of them, more or less con
tent with an equipment of one skate
child, are doing a complicated hol
whizz, undismayed by the frequen
complications which ensue. The asphalt
streets are really a temptation no
easily resisted, and after dark the roll
er skaters seem to have grown sudden
" and mysteriously taller.
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In order to make army service more
attractive for the enlisted men, the
War Department has determined upor
certain reforms some of which may
be put into effect by executive author
ity and others only with the co-opera
ton Of Congress and increased appro
prlatiOns. One of the changes proposed
is that the soldier shall receive his
first razor, tooth brush, soap and sim
liar articles from the government with
out charge, but after the first supply
he must maintain his toilet kit at hiI
own expense.
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In the Senate the committees have
been changed so as to fill vacancies and
make places for the new members
Knox goes to the front, as expected
by becoming chairman of the rules com
mittee, where he will have the duty OF
defending the legality of the measures
proposed by the majority. Other I'm
portant chalrmanships are: Appropr:a
tions, Allison; finance, Aldrich; foreign
relations, Cullom; Interstate commerce
Elkins; naval affairs, Hale; postoffices
?enrose, and Philippines, Lodge.
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Postmaster General Meyer believe.
that his work in efficiency is impaired
by following the custom of sitting al
desk. When he was the presiding Off.
Ger of the lower branch of the Massa.
chusetts Assembly he used a massive
desk, made of walnut, highly EN-.
bellished, and standing more than foul
feet high. This has been brought to
Washington and Installed in his Office.
This he will use hereafter, standing up
1t his work.
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The cash balance in the treasury has
been reduced to about $17,0OO,OOO by
the distribution Of funds among ma.
tional banks during the recent crisis
and the officials have decided to cut
down the amount of the balances stand.
ing to the credit of dlsburslng officers
Thus, by a simple act of bookkeeping,
the available cash is increased for tina
tine being by many millions of dollars
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Before the swearing in of the tive.
new Senators from the new State Of
Oklahoma they drew lots in the pres
ence Of the Senate to determine which
should have the long term and which
the short The blind Senator, Gore
drew the two-year term, and smilineIv
his colleague, Senator
Owen.