The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-09
MILLER EXPLAINS.
Congressman Denies Charge of
Padding Mails.
Declares That He Always Voted
Against Railroads.
HE CALLS FOR HELP.
And Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral Responds.
Clear Bill of Health for Fourth
District Congressman.

Washington, May 9.-Congressnan J.
NJ. Miller makes the following state
mert in regard to the limitations that
he has been padding the mails with
worthless documents in the interest of
the railroad companies.
I'm it's issue of April 26 the Capital
says that once every four years for
period of two or three weeks, the mails
all over the United States are weighed
daily. Whereas. in fact, the country IS
divided into four sections, mails are
weighed in one of these sections each
, year, and not for two or three weeks,
but for 80 working days or Is weeks.
1.-THE Emporia Gazette says: The
present mail weighing period began
March g. whereas the date on which It
did begin was February II The Ga
zette further suggests that il did not
know the weighing period was on 1 am
too ignorant to remain in congress, but
does not explain why the Capital miss
ed the length of time the mails are
weighed by three months, and the GA
zette, believe, was five weeks IN learn
ing that weighing had begun. But that
these two intelligent opponents or the
Square DEAF may-not- be charged with
! ignorance, 1 call attention to the fac1
, that the postoffice department does not
advertise the period of mail Weighing
for the obvious reason that such ad-
regular course of mails, and thus de-
feat the departments purpose. the
weighing is conducted solely by the de-
partment, and the railroads are not
represented at any time during the
weighing. L admit that I did not know.
the malls were being weighed when
most of the matter complained or was
ordered sent out, and when my atten-
ton was called to 1t by the charges in
tie Kansas papers, and / inquired
about the matter, 1 found the same
lack of knowledge on the part OF the
members of the house, and even at the
folding room, from which the public
documents are sent.
GAS further evidence that I had no
thought of the railroad companies when
the mail matter complained OF was Or
dered sent out, let me say that just d
few days prior to the beginning of thu
mail weighing period sent out 25,ooo
packages of seeds, which might have
been held a few days longer and been
weighed and further had the public
documents which form the basis OF tho
charges been on hand and sent out last
year during the weighing period they
would have been weighed in another
section of the country, and the rail-
roads would have been paid for carry
ing them three times as far; and
had they been held until next year ana
then sent out, they would nave been
weighed in still another section, and
the railroads would have been paid for
carrying them seven times as far Do
these facts indicate any effort on my
part to enhance the receipts OF the rail-
road companies?
1.-The CAPITAL says in its issue of April
2Sth that the greatest objection CON
gresham Miller's constituents in the
Fourth district have to the distribution
Of year books to them during the mail
weighing period is that they have had
to wait too long for their books Now
haven't yet been informed that any
constituent receiving one of the books
has objected, but on the contrary nave
received numerous letters thanking me
COR sen1ing out the publications, and
requesting others. l may say, however,
that the farmers of my district nave not
waited until this time to receive thelr
year books of the 1906 edition or per
chance for q few of the 1900 edition,
which so far do not appear to have been
called to the Capitals attention There
are a great many publications OF nttle
or no value to the people of my DIS
trict placed to my credit at the folding
room of the house, and it has always
been my policy to exchange these with
members of congress from other con-
stitueneies where they were of value
and interest, for year books books on
diseases of horses, cattle, maps, eu1og- |
les of the prominent men, and OTTER
publications of interest and value in |
Kansas. Under the terms of house res
olution go. passed January IL, 1910 |
credit of members in the folding room
was ordered disposed of, and members
were given 80 days from that date to |
draw out such as were desired from |
their credit, and an additional 80 days
to file on any to the credit of other /
members I found by the terms of that /
resolution that there were many docu-
ments there to my credit of little, il
any, value to my people, but many oe
them were of value to other sections
OF the country. On my return from
Kansas, February 1, I ordered that |
they be delivered to my committee
rooms, and there most of them still re-
main. My clerks began at once to make
exchanges for books of value to the
people of my district, and in this way
"a large number of year books were OBJ
tanned also other publications. some of
them of considerable age but of much I
value as, for instance. I secured large |
number of the eulogies of two of our |
greatest senator's. Plumb and INGALLS,.