The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-12
BRISTOW IN DOUBT
Kansas Senator Raises His Voice
in Protest.
Wants to Know About Nevada
POstOff1ce Bill.
FOR EXTRACLERKHIRE
Recommended Paym ent to Re-
imburse Postmaster.
An Accounting Is Demanded by
the Senator.

Washington, Feb. 12.-When a bill
came up in the senate to reimburse
postmaster for money spent in an en-
Urgency for clerical assistance, Senator
Bristow of Kansas took occasion to
call down the postoffice department
for it's methods practiced in settling
such claims. Furthermore, he has held
up final consideration of the claim I'M
til the postofffee department can give
an account of its action.
The case in question was bill pre-
st nted by Senator Nixon, of Nevada.
which carried an appropriation of 3d.
900 to reimburse w. B. Graham, post
master at Ely, New. for money ex-
| pended for extra clerical assistance in
his office during the mining excitement
at the mining camp of Ely some two or
| three years ago. when the place grew
from a small village to a city of sew
eral thousand people.
| According to the statement of Sen
ator Dixon, the postmaster at that time
was unable to secure the necessary
| clerical assistance with the allowance he
had for that purpose, and consequently
he was compelled to hire extra clerks
| and pay for them out of his own pOck-
| ct. Being a mining camp no one was
allowed to work for less than 81 per
| day, and that was the price that had
to be and was paid.
1.-THE criticism which l would pass is
not so much on the merits of the claim
as applied to the individuals who re-
ceived the money! said Mr.. Bristow.
"but congress every year appropriates
sc much money for just such cases.
When the postoffice department sends
in claim here for $4,000 it means an
increase in that appropriation. If the
appropriation which is allowed for
| these extraordinary conditions had been
| used, then this claim would not have
been necessary. Why is it that this
claim was not paid from the fund that
is provided for that purpose instead
of being sent here as an additional and
extraordinary appropriation?
In a letter to the senate committee
Oh postoffces. c. P. Grandfield' acting
postmaster general. had recommended
passage of this bill, stating that 1t was
specially meritorious."
After considerable discussion of the
measure, a N otion was made TO pass
| it, but Senator Bristow entered his OBJ
lection. Let the bill go over" he
said. 81 desire to have the senator
from Nevada to obtain a detailed
statement as to the amount of money
which was allowed the Ely postoffice
by the postoffice department for extra
clerical help and why it was deemed
necessary to send here to the senate
this kind of a claim
Senator Bristow has introduced
Dill authOrlZlnS ana OlrecIlnS the sec
rotary of the treasury to pay to the
heirs of William w. c. CLANCY the sum
of $3.50, in payment of 1000 bushels
of corn. IS tons of hay. $500 sheaves
of oats. taken from his farm during
October, 1861, by the federal army.
Petitions and memorials presented
in the senate by Mr.. Bristow: Petit
lions of citizens of Logan. Kan. for
the passage of the so-called National
Tribune pension bill; memorials of
citizens of Lenora, Washington, Pratt,
Denton, Palmer and Blue Rapids,
Kan, demonstrating against the pas
sage of a postal savings bank. bill;
memorial of Meriden citizens against
passage of a ship subsidy bill, and also
| against an increase of the rate of
postage on second class mail matter;
memorial of citizens of Jewell against
postal savings bank bill; petition of
| business men of Wichita praying for
the enactment of legislation to defer
the date of filing the first reports re-
quired of corporations under the cor
| poration tax law until such time as the
| supreme court renders a decision as
to the constitutionality of the law.
Senator Borah of Idaho. a former
| Kansas man. will be one of the chief
figures in the consideration of the ma
tional incorporation bill in the senate.
He is on the judiciary committee, to
| which the bill has been referred and,