The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-08-20
NEWS FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITOL

Washington, Aug. 18.-Just as soon
as the Senate begins consideration
of the omnibus postoffice bill, passed
by the House of Representatives ten
days ago, Senator Brady of Idaho will
offer and press two important amend
ments, one providing an increase in
the maximum pay CT rural free de-
livery carriers, and the other prcpoS-
ing readjustment and increase in
compensation of star route carriers.
The bill, in its present form, fixes
the maximum compensation Of rural
carriers at $1,000 per annum; Scna-
tor Brady proposes to make the
maximum $500. He has found.
upon investigating rural free delivery
service in Idaho, that the average
carrier in that state handles more
mail than the carriers CT the East,
yet receives the same compensation.
Furthermore, many of the Idaho
routes are in rough country; the cost
Of living in the West is high, and
all things considered, he maintains
that the maximum compensation
should be raised to $500, especially
as the carriers are put to heavy ex-
Densa in performing the afvice re-
The second s,kndment which
Senator Brady VIII offer will auth
orize a new method Of computing the
compensation1a star route carriers.
The presepE basis was adopted be-
fore the Advent of the parcel post
and Notwithstanding the parcel post
has doubled, trebled and often qua
rugged the amount of mail handled
tie compensation Of carriers has not
(been increased in proportion. Sena-
tor Brady maintains that the govern
ment should pay fair price for its
star route service, and should not
compel any carrier to operate at a
loss, but rather should pay him q
fair price, which would enable him
to make reasonable profit out of
his business. On a flat rate of pay
this can not be done, unless the COM
peHsation is advanced to a figure
which the Post Office Department
has been unwilling to allow. Senator
Brady, therefore, will press an amend
ment providing a flat rate of pay
for handling first class mail and a
given mount of second class and par
eel post matter, the contract to spe-
city tho amount as to each route
He will then provide that for all
mail in excess of the stated weight
the carrier shall be allowed a flat
rate per hundred pounds. Thus, if
carriers contract is for $1,000, he
will, for that figure, be required to
carry all first class mail, and so
many pounds of second class and par
Gel post matter, but if the bulky
mail exceeds the amount named in
! AAAo SOASAS-SS, AC oACaAA udtc dOUlIlOu.
al pay for all the extra mail carried.
On this basis, Senator Brady says
every carrier will be fairly compen.
stated.
Senator Brady has been urging
the Interior Department to expedite
it's regulations for the enforcement
CT the new reclamation extension
bill recently passed by Congress. TIKI
law is now in effect, but Senator
Brady is DESTROYS that tho regula
tons be prepared as speedily az
possible, in order that each settler
on government project may know
exactly what relief he will receive
lunder this law The law applies tt
settlers already on the projects, al
well as to those who may settle horc
. after, and considerable computation
will have to be made to determine
the status of settlers who have
been on projects for several year,
past.