The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-22
TO CUT IT DOWN.
Senator BristOW Would Retrench
in POstOffice Department.
Pay Rural Carriers on Basis OF
Miles Travelled.
SCALE FOR CITY MEN.
Those in Large Places Should
Receive More.
Congressional Investigations
Which Will Go Over.
SCALE FOR CITY MEN.

Washington, D. C., June 22.-Sena-
tor Joseph L. Bristow. who served as
| fourth assistant postmaster general
under Presidents Mckinley and Roose-
welt for a period of about five years,
would like to see the expenses of the
postoffice department materially cut
down.
The Kansas senator is strongly in
favor of placing rural free delivery
under the contract system. or what is
known as the star route service. Fur
therm ore, he would also place the city
letter carriers under the contract sys-
tenn.
Mr.. Bristow contends that the rural
delivery, condition of roads travelled,
to the actual mum Der of miles travelled
by the carrier. time REQUIRED for each
delivery, condition of roads Travelled,
climate and cost of living in the vari-
Gus sections of the country.
In the delivery of city mail. Mr..
Bristow thinks that the carrier in a
big city should be paid a higher sal
airy than the carrier of the same class
serving a postoffice IN a small city or
town. The question of the cost of Iiv-
ing should particularly regulate the
city carriers pay. AS u comparison,
he takes a carrier in the city of New
York, who is in the same salary class
as is a carrier serving the Salina post
office. The New York employe of the
government should receive a higher
salary than the man carrying mail in
Salina because the expenses of living
are far greater in New York than in
the Kansas town of Salina.
Mr.. Bristow argues that the cost of
living in given locality should more
or less regulate the salary question of
this class of government employees.
Congressman Charles F. Scott has
intimated that it would probably be
wise to place rural free delivery UNI
der the contract system for the sake
of economy.
At least three and perhaps more of
the congressional Investigations will
either go over until the next session
of congress or else will be prosecuted
during the summer and fall. Only one
of the important inquiries will be alb
solutely concluded during this session.
This is the Ballinger-Pinchot investiga-
ton which began shortly after the first
of the year and which is now in it's
final stage. verdict will be found
within the next few days and the fam
GUS controversy officially settled.
Then, too. the senate cost of living
probe will be partially concluded dur
ing this session. Already all the testi-
mOny is in. There are many official
reports and papers which must be di-
gested before the investigation can be
officially closed, but the committee is
arranging to issue a preliminary report
which will suffice for all campaign pur-
poses. This report will beonade before
the adjournment of congress.
AS for the Alaskan investigation
brought about by the Guggenheim ac-
tivity in politics and other things in the
territory, it is altogether probable that
the findings Of the senate committee
will not become known until some time
in the summer and perhaps not until
congress 'recOnVenes in the winter.
This promises to be the most sensa-
ional of all the congressional investi-
cations begun this session.
The SlowneSS of the senate standing
committee on privileges and elections in
taking hold Of the Lorimer charges in
dicates that no effort will be made to
reach a conclusion during the present
has been called out of the city on ac-
count of sickness in his family and if
congress adjourns June 25 as now
scheduled, the Lorimer investigation
will extend into the summer.
The third degree" investigating
committee has not yet been organized.
This body is authorized by the senate
to inquire into the practices of police
and other officers in their efforts to OBJ
tain evidence to be used against a pris-
oner. There can be no adequate probe
into this practice during this session.
1t will continue during the summer and
probably until congress convenes.
The war department has sent orders
to commanding officers of cavalry reg
iments to exercise greater care in the
selection of members of the regiments
to take a course of instruction at the
mounted service school at Fort Riley.
Every effort has been made in recent
years to have an advanced course in
equitation established at that institu-
ton. 1t is not considered that the in
struction there need any longer be
rudimentary or for the benefit of be-
ginners in Craftsmanship. 1t is desired
to turn out graduates who will be able
to return to their regiments and act as
instructors in the regimentaI riding
schools To that end it is designed 20
send to the Fort Riley school only the
best riders in the regiments.
Insurgents in the house have not for
some time past been appearing in the
house promptly at IL o'clock each day,
as was their wont a few weeks ago.
Close observers have discovered that the
insurgents come trailing into the house
nowadays after the journal clerks gets
through reading the proceedings of the
previous day.
Earlier in the session spectators in
the gallery could spy numerous insur-
gents who bowed their heads reverent-
| ly as the Rev. Henry N. Couden, the
blind chaplain of the house, offered
prayer. No one was more attentive
| than Victor Murdoch, George W. Nor