The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-01
Railroads Overpaid for Their
Service, He Says.
WHY KANSAS is A RICH STATE
Washington Times Tells of
Conditions "Out West"
BristOw Would Repay POstmas-
ter for Robbers Work.

Washington, Feb. Former Con-
gresham jerry D. Botkln of Winfield,
Kan. in a signed article to appear this
week in the r. F. D. News published
in Washington, goes after the posto1-
flee department in a rough-shod fash
ion in declaring the people are filched
of their money by poor and expensive
management of this branch of the pub
lie service Here is his statement:
LAS a member of the Fifty-flfth con-
gress in a speech in the house in March,
1885, 1 discussed the pending Loud bill
whose Ostensible purpose was to provide
for a $15,000 900 deficit in the postofhce
department by increasing the rates on
certain publications. In pointing out Il
better way to make both ends meet L
showed FROM the records that We were
paying &c the railroad corporations the
enormous rental of $500 per year for
each postal car in use In addition TO
this we vera paying $31 900. 900 per year
for hauling these cars in their regular
trains.
I suggested that if we cut out all of
the graft involved in the railroad
charges and pay them a legitimate sum
for their services we should prevent
deficits and be able to deliver mail .
every ruraI home in the United States
This was IA years ago Some years
later Mr.. Murdoch of Kansas MADE d
successful fight on the mail weighing
graft and saved the government the
neat sum OF S5.0Q0,000 per year. Two
years ago WlCn the postmaster SS4i6lell
and the president so perSlStently urged
an increase of postage on maya zines
and other periodicals as means u
reducing the then deficit of ST 100000,
Senator LaFollette put a temporary
uuietus on this effort to lay tax
penalty on intelligence by showing that
we were then paying a postal car rem
tai of s., 200 per year, and the colossal
sum of S46,0G0,O00 for hauling them.
Why Are They Blind to Graft?
IL
tremendous graft? Why are they SO
determined to continue this graft by
putting an extra tax upon the read
ing public, and by depressing the al
ready meagre salaries of the men VINO
brave dangers and endure hardSh1pS TO
make the mail service efficient? General
Hitchcock says. AS a first step in the
adjustment Of the SecOnd-class rate on
the basis of cost, the suggestion of the
department is that the rate be increas-
ed now to 2 cents a pound, ETC.
why do the authorities waste all
their energies in devising ways for
filching from the people the money to
meet the great expense of the mail
service? Why do they not investigate
the cause OF this great expense? The
evident reason is that such Investiga-
ton honestly and thoroughly made
would turn the searchlight upon the
railroad graft, which appears to be the
one thing the administration would sa-
credly guard.
The time is certainly ripe for q raid
on the chief cause of postal deficit, to
the end that the men who do the work
may receive adequate salaries
Bristow's Bill in Senate.
Senator J. L. Bristow has intro
duced a bill in the senate directing
the secretary of the treasury to reim-
burse r. w. Branson, formerly post
master at Cherokee, Kan, in the sum
of $3.50, for damages suffered by him
on account of the destruction caused by
the blowing open of the safe in which
was deposited postal funds, stamps,
etc.
Congressman Taggart has measure
in the house directing the secretary of
the sum of $25.25, which the latter ex-
pended out of his own pocket in be-
half of the government for lighting
and heating the building occupied by
the postoffice at Gardner, Johnson
county, Kan, and for rent of the build
ing during the months of January and
February. 1907. Mr.. Dare was post
master at Gardner for many years
Congressman Rees has presented a
bill to convert the regimental army
post at Fort Riley into a brigade post,
and to enlarge it so as to accOmmo-
date a brigade of troops. To carry out
this Improvement $500. 900 is asked to
be appropriated.
why Kansas Is Rich.
Why Kansas is rich, is explained in
an editorial published in Munsey's
Washington Times. Following the
declaration that Kansas has the largest
per capita of any state in the Union,
the editorial continues:
What lies behind this spectacle D.?
Two simple things-the people of Kan
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