The Washington herald., 1914-01-13
POSTOFFICE BILL
HITS HIGH MARK
Measure Reported to; House
Calls for Increase Of
$22,000,0 900.
TOTAL IS s3o5,247,7s7
Republicans Bitterly Denounce Rider
Empowering Burleson to Annul
Civil Service Rules.

The postoffice appropriation bill. carry
Ing sos, "a, ,767, the largest amount ever
recommended by a committee 10 run
government department. was reported 10
the House yesterday by the Commttee
of Postofices and Post Roads. The IN
crease over the present appropriation Is
nearly So 10000 which Is attributed
largely TO the additional burden of the
parcel post.
Republicans in the House and the
minority members of the committee de-
clare that a severe fight viii occur over
a rider contained in the bill which would
give the Postmaster General sweeping
bowers To discharge assistant postmas-
ters and appoint successors without re-
rars to the civil service law, under
which the assistant postmasters are now
protected.
The section reads:
THAT hereafter any assistant post
master, who may be required by law or
by the authority or direction of the Post
master General to execute a bond to the
Postmaster General to secure faithful
performance of official duty, may be ap-
pointed by said Postmaster General, who
NAV require such bond without regard
to the provisions Of an act OF Congress
entitled AN act to regulate and improve
the civil service of the United States,
approved January 16 1885 and the amend
ments thereto, or any rule or regula-
ton made in pursuance thereof and the
Postmaster General shall have power to
revoke the appointment of any assistant
postmaster and appoint his successor al
his discretion without regard to the act.
amendments, rules or regulations afore-
said"
ssChange of Front"
Representatives Halvor Steenerson, OF
Minnesota, and Martin B. Madden, or
Illinois. made a caustic minority report
They bitterly condemn the Democrats,
and charge that II is the first step IN a
plan to return to the spoils system MI.
Steenerson said:
III is proposed by the majority to in
>lude this vicious rider in this bill by
a special rule fer that purpose. The
policy of inserting riders in bills is a
vicious one, and a resort to it can only
be excused by a great public emergency.
The great Democratic party, when in the
minority uniformly declared against IT,
but no sooner are they in power than
they resort to ii at every opportunity.
The proposal is SO entirely wrong that
II could not possibly receive approval
Of Congress coming as a separate meas
ure. and IL is proposed in this way to
force it upon Congress and the Execu-
tive.
There are more than 1000 assistant
rostmasters, practically all of whom have
been admitted to the classified service by
actual civil service examination 1t is
proposed to take these tried and faithful
public servants out of the classihed list.
and make their tenure of office depend
ent upon the wnim OF postmasters ap-
pointed under the spoils system as re-
ward for party service.
In most cases this would be equivalent
to dismissal from Office without cause,
but the injustice of the proposal as af-
fecting these men is not the chief objec-
ton to it 1t is a backward step and
Injurious in the effecl not only on the
postal service. but the cause Of good
government. 1t is another step in the
direction of the spells system"
increases All Round.
Last years appropriation was SIS, H.
III. This wear Postma ster General Burle-
sen recommended an appropriation Of
sos, ,a53, ,767 The greatest item is that 1f
transportation which is S15. 1Ss.0oO, against
s5l. coo fer the present year. The pay
for letter carriers is S37,70o.OJO an in-
crease CT s., 3iO 900 over the current run
ming expenses. There are also big IN
creases in the appropriation for carrying
foreign mails which is s40O0.0o9, pay and
expenses of rural carriers which is Sis,-
s5O,GO, and the pay of postofiice clerks
and other employees a sum of $4i.4IO,Oel.
an increase of nearly A,UU,WD over the
current appropriation.
Postmaster General Burleson's recon-
nendation that $4,000 be appropriated for
experimentation with aeroplanes as fast
mail carriers, was unanimously voted out
Of the bill by the committee.
The bill will come before the House
for consideration on Thursday.