The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-05-20
NEWS AND VIEWS
OF WASHINGTON
Interesting Letter From Our Special
Correspondent. l,f q
PRINTERS ASK FOR Al CHANGE
Want the Government to Keep Out Of
Their Business. Relief Measure
introduced by Congressman
Kendall.
(By Cyrus Foss stoddard. }

10 (By Cyrus Foss Stoddard.)
Washington, ID. c., May 15.-There
Is rule in the House of Representa-
tives under which it is permissible
for a member, who, for some good
reason does not care to take the time
of the other members, to have his
remarks, no matter how lengthy, pub.
lished in the Congressional Record
without giving utterance to them upon
the floor of the House. 1t is a very
convenient rule, for it not only saves
time, but allows the member taking
| advantage of it to gain the same rec.
ignition and praise from his constit'
| uents, who are always joyful to feel
that he is actually accomplishing
something, as though the speech were
really delivered; and it also makes
him feel a good deal more like a real
congressman, especially if he be a
| new member, to see his remarks q
| part of the, record. 70 ~
Recently a certain republican first.
| term congressman from Idaho, Ham
err by name, asked permission to print
] his remarks in the Record 1t was
| granted and a speech, which would
have taken two hours to deliver, was
disposed of in less than a minute. and
doubtless copies of the speech, which
| can be printed separately upon re-
quest, were sent out to Idaho for the
information of the people of that state,
But the interesting part of the whole
performance Is that when the address
J appeared in the Record, it was cop
iously sprinkled with such words as
| applause" laughter and applause,
| great applause" etc. OF course the
| author didn't put them there, and II
is supposed that some employe at the
| Government Printing Office, with a
| sense of humor, thought he would
make the speech more real and insert
| the applause where the House would
have INDUCED in that pastime had II
heard the address. However it should
be said that this practice is seldom
resorted to, and it is sale to conclude
that if a speech appears in the record
it has actually been delivered on the
floor. ass
| Congressman Kendall has introduc
ed bill granting an increase of pen
sion of $50 per month to Michael Rus
sell, of Eldon. Mr.. Russell served In
Co. H. 9Th Iowa Vol. Inf. Notice has
just been sent to Daniel r. Dean, Mon
tezuma, informing him that his claim
for increase of pension has been al
lowed at the rate of SIS per month
from April oath.
| Considerable commentator is be
ing registered by the printers through
out the country of the bill introduced
by Senator Knute Nelson, of MinnesO
ia, providing tnat the government M
longer be permitted to print return
cards on stamped envelopes. Oh
lection was raised to this custom o.
Uncle Sam on the ground that it Is
an unjust competition of the govern
ment with the printers and publishers
of the country. fnese interests, how
ever, do not have the support of tho
Third Assistant Postmaster General
Mr.. Lawshe, and he is determined Il
fight the measure most strenuOusly
| He maintains that the government
does not compete with private enter
prise because the concern supplying
the envelopes is not owned by the gov
eminent; that the government does
not lose money on the practice, be
cause it has to pay nothing extra fol-
the printing of the return card; thai
ly Increase the work at the dead let
ter office. Mr.. Lawshe believes that
provision can be made affording re
lief to the printers. and to this end he
recommends that a change in the law
he made whereby envelopes can be
sent. from the locality or town IL
which they are to be used to the
stamped envelope factory in order
that stamps may be embossed upon
them, the printing being done previous
ly by the local printer.
The bill was referred TO the commit
tee on post offices and post roads, and
If favorably reported at the regular
session in December, will then be un
der discussion. Printers and others
who are particularly interested In this
bit of legislation will doubtless give
the matter some attention at that
time.
| .a. HHp ..-..
| In response to an invitation of the
citizens of Brooklyn, Iowa. Mr.. Ken
dali has consented to deliver the
Fourth of July address in that city
Supt. F. w. Else. of the Oskaloosa
public schools. writing in behalf of the
Board of Education, mas been assured
by Mr.. Kendall that, If his presence
in Washington is not demanded by
the return of the tariff Dill to the
House, he will speak to the gradual
Ing class of the High School on the
evening OF June ord, the exercises
being held in the Grand Opera House,