The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-07-09
(Seal.1
49,.
Discussed Mail Contract; Told
How Ne Was eld-ShsuI-
dsrsd in The House Of
Representative; Breught0ui
other National Features
srnm .sa,urdaY's Daily.

amount paid to the railroads for trans
porting the mail OF the country. or
approximately five million dollars a
wear. since the correction of an alb
surb error on the part of the pOstof-
flee department, was a declaration
made b. Congressman Victor Muir
dock. OF Wichita, Kansas. In an add
dress at the chautauqua last evening.
The congressman told how he him
self had discovered that the average
daily quantity OF mail carried by the
railroads was estimated by the post
office department by taking the total
amount carried in q week and dividing
that by the figure six instead of seven.
The speaker told how he had sprung
that statement In the house of repre-
sentatives. As a usual thing every
speech. no matter how poor. I'm that
body received some applause. just for
politenes, II for nothing else. But on
this occasion he did not get any ap-
plause. He was cold -shouldered
nearly everywhere for a long time.
He tried to get the postmaster gener-
al to take the matter up. but without
success. He tried to get the house to
act. and had a little success there, for
he won out I'm the committee that had
the matter In charge. Then came or
ders from higher up and the house it
self turned the proposed reform down.
But ut length the matter reached
President Theodore Roosevelt. With
out action by congress. that fearless
chief executive. gave positive orders
to the post office department to use
seven as a divisor instead of six. for
there we're seven days In the week
for the carrying OF mail. and the re-
suit was n tremendous cut I'm what
was paid to the railroads by the fed =
eral government for this service.
The congressman was speaking on
National Bad Habits and he laid
great stress on the evil of accumu-
lation OF wealth i'm this country. He
gave official figures to prove that for
ty-eight per cent Of the standing tim
Der I'm this country was owned by one
hundred and ninety-eight holders. HG
enumerated six business houses I'm the
United States. that controlled a CAPT
tai of twenty billion dollars.
The speaker said those To whom
the wealth was descending were not
as a rule the same sort Of people as
those who had accumulated It. He
illustrated his point by telling his ex-
perieuces at a social dinner. He said
there were only three people that he
knew at the entire gathering. They
were the man who gave the banquet
his wife and Mrs. Murdoch. and there
nnro M ptrndtsattan Ia th. htot
social life of this country, i'm certain
circles, as that life has developed, in
Productions have been discarded. and
when you go to q social dinner the
chances are that II you do not know
who is there you do not find out. But
the congressman made bold to address
a gentleman who was mex to him with
the pointed query. who a-e you?'
There was a conversation during
which II developed that the other was
n wealthy man who spent most of his
time In Europe. and vas so ignorant oil
the geography of America that he did
not know where Kansas was. and
when Mr.. Murdoch said he was the
congressman for-that state. the other
asked, Where is Kansas?"
Congressman Murdoch accused the
great body Of members OF the house
ct representatives Of failing to attend
to the business Of the government as
they should. He said the actual bust
ness Of the house was as a rule left
TO a very small minority, while the
average congressman was busy grind
ing of cordial letters to his constitu-
ents on a machine that produced let
ters that looked as II they we're type
written but they were not. There
were too many OF them to allow OF
them all being typewriter. At other
times the average congressman was
busy sending to his constituents seeds
which would grow In about one year
out of FIVE.
Earlier In the evening the audience
was delightfully."- entertained by the
Orphean male quartette. consisting OF
w. G.. Laye, OF Lock Haven. Pa, first
tenor: Ed II. Dennis. Abingdon. Ill.
second tenor: V. +. Henry. also ol
Abingdon. ILL.,. second bass. and f. W
Crumbaker. Pekin. ILL.,. first bass OF
baritone. Mr.. Laye played the from
bone. Mr.. Dennis the m~elliphone. Mr.
Henry the trombone and Mr.. Crum
baker the cornet. Mr.. Henry showed
himself to be a master of~the colored
crayon art. for In a very few minutes
he had produced three pictures. after
the style CT the impressionistic art
school. and all WE'RE heartily APP
plauded.
New Ulm Journal: Autoists on
trips to Mankato are complaining bit
terly that the timber road between
Nicollet and Mankato Is I'm a deplor-
able condition I'm certain places. One
spot in particular, halfway between
these two towns. and known as the
"Burrill Sinkhole," has caused many
%autoists TO come TO grief and neigh
boring farmers are constantly ON the
lookout to respond to the signals oil
distress. which means that an auto
has become mired and needs the as
s%istance OF a span OF horses to pull
them out.
The sinkhole is lined with trees on
both sides and the road goes through
a bog and has no chance to dry out
Promises have repeatedly been made
that this spot would be put in a pass
able condition but thus far nothing
has been done.
The misfortune OF autoists has be-
come a source of revenue to those
who are called upon to render assist
ance. We have been informed by ar
%autoist. who made the trip Tuesday
that men are constantly on guard