Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1915-04-22
ONLY $4,000, 900 ASKED FOR.


Recently argument made before the Supreme Court
of States the outcome of which depends whether
the United States government must pay approximately 300
100000 railroads additional pay for carrying the mails
since 1907 Over 800 railroads interested in pending
claims
Under the statute passed in 1873 compensation for
ing mails is based the weight carried ascertaned quad
rennay by actual weighing for specific period Owing to
that mails not carried rule Sundays then
Sunday excluded in the selection of dvsor in ascertain
ing the weight In 1907 the general an
that thereafter to be made Sundays would
be included thus reducing the weight average and the rail
roads compensation.
Attorney General Thompson for the government
conended that the postmaster had right under
law to exercise selecting the dvsor Jacob
NJ Dickinson secretary of war; and John g. Johnson
Philadelphia for the railroads. argued that the selection OF
vor excluding Sunday had been tacy recognized by law
that the postmaster general could not change It,
The railroads have been making complaints by the score
for the past years about being underpad for carrying
parcels post matter Some of Republican brethren have
jumped Postmaster Bureson for rank injustice to the poor
railroad Complaints that freight rates must be raised result
ed in granting raise in rates to Eastern railroads Now
Western railroads seeking like relief And the movement
is backed by influential periodicals and journals Yet while
the railroads endeavorng procure justice for Themselves
they at the time striving in the courts to obtain $780,
100000 overcarge for something they only claim to be EMIT
led to by technically of law.
with the above the following is not generally
One Victor Murdoch elected representative from
about 1906 That the days of Cannonism, stand
patsm, repubcansm for yourself they all the
Joey and his henchmen made mistake Murdoch was
made member of the postal committee in the House OF Repre-
sentatves Being conscientious he applied himself conscien
ousy his duties At that time such conduct not
pected of staunch republican.
Be that it Murdoch departed from the ordinary
path made by Cannon Co., and got the straight
and way. His first discovery that to estimate the
compensation Of railroads for carrying the mails the depart
men in the habit of taking the total weight of mail for
period of days, then get daily average by dividing by g.
See the point
Murdoch also discovered that the days chosen to weigh
mail preferably in the holiday and times when the
postal traffic the heaviest He discovered also that good
many congressman ranked large amount of mail matter
at this time swell the total All of which evidences the
spirit of friendship which obtained between Cannon and other
republicans and the railroads.
But the greatest discovery made by Murdoch when he
found that he could get action Congress the posofce
department to correct the giving of extra $5OOOOOO
but thanks Teddy Roosevelt when he heard the facts and
how Murdoch had been sat his executive order the Post
General made the dvisor instead of g. There the
story ends The saved by the diligence of Murdoch
and the backing Of Roosevelt $5 100000 which said amount
the railroads would have and will have if the Supreme
Court of the United States adudges But judgment will
be justified which grants the request by legal echnicaty
otherwise