Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-04-29
MARTIN FIGHTS GOEKE BILL
South Dakotan Would Have Roads
Handle Express Business.
URGE MONEY FOR REvETMENTs
sioux City Men seeking Appropria-
tioa with which TO Combat Mis-
souri, which Threatens to
Change Channel.
lFrom . staff corresrondent.l }

n CtAiI tOffeHp0nuentsl
WASHINGTON. April 2S.-tspeciai Tel
esram. Representative Martin of South
Dakota. as a member OF the house inter-
state commerce committee. addressed the
house In opposition to the Cooke bill to
have the express companies condemned
by the government and operated by the
Postoffiee department. and urged the
passage OF his bill to have the railroads
do the express business. A feature OF
his argument was that tho railroads did
not oppose the uoeke bin, because Il
contemplated the assumption by the gov
ernment OF tho contracts for carrying
express packages. and these. Mr.. Martin
declared, yielded a far larger return than
they should have for that class Of busl-
ness. Tho only way to secure a redue-
tlon Of the rates. he maintained. was to
have the railroads do the express bust
ness. under the regulation OF the inter-
state commerce committee. and thus
eliminate the express company para
Site"
The present contracts between the
railroads and the express companies.
declared Mr. Martin. give ts per cent OF
the express charges paid by the public
TO the railroads, leaving a large margin
OF profit to the express companies should
the government assume those contracts
no adequate reduction OF express rates
would result. As matter OF fact the
government pays the railroads moro now
for carrying the mails than the express
ass tSla 40, fnfs
only remedy, in my Judgment. is to have
express business conducted, not by the
express companies not by the Postoffiee
department. but by the railroads them
selves"
BridRc Across snake.
The house committee on Irrigation to-
day agreed to report favorably the bill
Of Representative Mondell OF Wyoming to
have the reclamation service construct
bridge across the Snake river near Jack
son Hole, wyo. The location OF the
bridge has been used as a ford and be-
cause of the construction Of a reclama-
tion dam the heighth OF the water has
destroyed the ford. II is therefore urged
that the reclamation service should build
bridge.
Appeal for euick Action.
The speedy appropriation Of an emer-
gency OF 5000 to protect Sioux City. Ia,
and South Sioux City, Neb.. from the
ravages Of the Missouri river. was urged
upon the house rivers and harbors COM
mittee by Representatives Stephens of
"a - frl..
joint committee OF citizens from the
vicinity. headed by f. A. Burgess. w.
II. Beck and Secretary Holmes of the
Sioux City, la. Commercial club. and
Judge II. r. Evans Of Dakota City. Neb.,
also testified to the committee From
their statements there is danger that the
two bridges at that point, the eombina-
ton highway and electric railway bridge
and the Northwestern railway bridge. may
suffer damage. and that thousands
OF dollars worth Of Nebraska land may
be destroyed by the action Of the water.
The river, It is alleged. Is threatening
TO surround South Sioux City. and i'm
mediate action Is necessary. Measures
were introduced in the house and senate
recently calling for this appropriation.
Western Matters.
James BurIeigh ana wife OF Lincoln
called on Congressman Mcclure today.
They are on~their way 10 Sew York and
Boston in connection with BurIeigh's busi-
ness interests.
w. :. FerTell Of Hillsboro. Clyde W.
Lathrop OF Manning. Omar W. House
Of Sigourney. n. v. Granger OF Des
Molnes II. NJ. Perkins Of Waterloo. Ia.
have been appointed railway mall clerks
clerks
DR. 2. L. Han Of Lincoln, member OF
the democratic national committee. and
serving on the committee on arrange
ments. has been In Washington for a day
or two. He went to Baltimore today to
attend to the affairs Of the committee
there in arranging details as to the COM