The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-23

mittee's bill and Of the Moon mea sure
throws light on what might otherwise
be n mystery.
The joint committees bill is confined
to railway mail pay, and provides for
line rates one cent n mile higher than
the Moon bill. The Moon bill also
makes the terminal allowances about
- per cent. lower than the committee
bill. Here comparisons must stop be-
cause the committee bill deals with
nothing else: here the popular appeal
of the Moon bill lies. in the opinion OF
its authors. because II hits the roads
again" and here is the colorcd gentle
man In the woodpile:
The Moon bill requires that all as.
sistant postmasters, including those
now In the classified service, shall take
Il civil service examination within
ninety days. These assistants are mostly
officers who have held their Jobs be
cause they were competent; those Jobs
are wanted by hungry Democrats; un-
u'I 'Ht IdiHt 'idlul VI tNltuuIuS tue
civil service the Administration will be
able to Dust some Of them and put Dem.
ocratS in their places
In this lies the appeal to the Demo
Gratis in Congress: add to it that the
Moon bill caters to the anti-railroad
prejudice of the country. and n strong
combination results The Joint com
mittee offers a fair and reasonable adj
iustment Of rates to I've paid for service
actually performed by the railroads;
the Moon hill Joins politics TO Office
grabbing. and the Wilson Administra
ton supports the latter.
As for the details of the Moon bill
so far as they affect the underpayment
! Of the railroads. which offers the ex-
cusc for It's Introduction. they reveal
an utter disregard for the rights Of the
carriers. Those unfortunsrs must
under It's provisions. provide terminal
post offices for handling and distribu-
ting the mails. as directed by the Fost.
master General: they must furnish free
transportation to the officers Of the
Post Office Department and the Postal
ScrN ice travelling on official business.
without regard to whether II concerns
tho railway mail service: the bill puts
+ The railroads at the mercy Of the Post
ma stcr- General as to the conveyance or
the mails in every detail; ii provides
that clerical and other assistance
and office rent for ii shall be paid out OF
/ the appropriation for inland transpor.
tation by railway routes: II gives TO
the Postmaster-Genera power To fix in
his discretion payment for carrying all
mail matter other than first class. in.
,uding Of course the parcel post bust
ness II betrays in every section whose
application makes possible the revela'
ton Of such purpose n design not to
treat the carriers fairly, not to pay
lust rates for services rendered but
still further To milk the roads. to force
them to do part of the work for moth
ing. and generally to starve them In
their relations with the Government.
This amazing product Of politics and
hunger Is 10 be discussed at hearing
to. morrow. 1t will not he defended a'
scientific or suitable; its strength will
he in partisan playing for jobs and the
supposed hatred Of a substantial frac
ton of the public for railroads. The
railroads will be represented, to plead
for a consideration Of the merits OF
the case, for a study Of the joint com
mittee's report. and to test the boosted
love OF the American people for fail
. play for all.
Are the railroads to get that fail
play from any department Of the Fed
eral Government?