Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-22

amount Of 70 cents day.
1.-THE whole service In the United
States has attained an average OF
s.65 per cent. Each man in the rail-
way mail service is not only Work
man of skill, but he is also student
He is regularly put through most
rigorous examination. He must not
only know the stations in the states,
the 10000 postofhces in the United
States, but he must keep himself con-
stantly informed as to all the changes
of schedules OF trains. There are men
running between Syracuse and Cleve'
land who know whether to throw
letter directed to a town In central
California north or south to obtain for
it the quickest dispatch across the
country
There are men running from New
York to Washington on the railway
postal cars who know more about the
postoffices OF North and South Caro-
lima than do the members of this house
who hail from those states. This Is
the finest service In the world. Other
branches OF the postal service halt at
some time in the day. This service
goes ON continuously. There are men
who work for 80 continuous hours.
Nov, for the first time in the his
tory Of this government, an attempt is
made by the committee to give these
men an expense allowance of rs cents
a day when they have been out IL
hours in the service. The plan is re-
ported unanimously by the committee.
I sincerely hope. and more deeply than
1 have ever hoped on any single item
1 have ever had anything to do with
in this house, that not a single man in
this house will raise his voice against
the proposition. (Applause.)
Life Constantly In Danger.
There has never been an army or
a navy or a commercial organization
of 10000 men which have exhibited
the efficiency that this body of govern
ment employees do. They are not paid
excessively. Their salaries range from
$500 to $1,000 year They occupy
the most hazardous place on the train.
Three or four years ago, out in the
west, when the cars of railroad train
went into the ditch they carried with
them eight men in the postal cars, and
to their death. This house ought to be
appreciative of good service"
Representative Hughes of New Jer-
sey cited an instance of young pos
tai clerk living in his district, who was
compelled to remain at the end of the
line every night when he had finished
his run.
LAS he explained the situation to
me-" said Hughes, this young man
was the son of a widowed mother, liv-
ing in Jersey City, paying rent there
and supporting his mother, but every
night was compelled to go to summer
hotel and pay for his lodging. pay for
his supper that night and his break
fast the next morning This clerk was
then receiving s675 a year; his salary
now Is $500 a year. How this man
was able to pay his way is beyond my
because had some ex-
perfence as to the charges made by the
hotels in the summer resort at which
the clerk was forced to put up each
night
McKinney's standpat Record.
Representative James Mckinney of
Aledo, ILL.,, completed a long record of
standpatism" in the house by voting,
in the recent spectacular fight on the
rules, against the Burleson resolution
which declared the Office of the speak
er vacant and provided for the cleo
lion of new speaker.
In all of the votes taken during the
life of the contest over the improve
ment of the rules, Representative Nc
Kinney voted with the regulars. This
was not surprising, as Mr.. Mckinney
has always been a dyed-in-the. wool
Cannon man.
Page Bats of the congressional rec
ord shows that Mr.. Mckinney voted
AYE on proposition to adjourn be-
fore the Norris resolution providing
for the elimination of Speaker Cannon
from the committee on rules could be
voted on.
Page $3.50 shows Representative Nc
Kinney voting AYE" in support of
Speaker Cannon's ruling that the Nor
ris resolution was out of order.
Page 34SS of the oficial Journal of
the house, records Mr.. Mckinney vot-
ing nay" on the amended Norris res
olution providing for a committee on
rules to consist of 10 members instead
or five, the speaker being ineligible to