Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-06-10
Congressional.
ON INFRINGEMENT.
MAY Is, 1928.
Iieod, and committed to the Committee Of the
Whole House on the state of the Union.

the Department Of War, in the Indian Depart
ment, and in the clerks and officers now acting
unfortunately to the Secretary of War;
In this branch of the public service, your COM
in'tee perceive that the beneficial effects Of the
organization Of the Department under its late Ad-
nihistrauon, and OF the industry and intelligence
OF the excellent officers which called to the
heau Oh the several branches Of the staff, dis
unctiy visible in the rigid ep orcement of
liability in all the expenditures of the Army.
AS hreiates TO the number of clerks attached to
the department, the Secretary gives it as his OPT
mon that they cannot be reduced with due re-
gard to the public service. Whether this opinion
be correct, it is difficult for your committee to
form correct estimate, the force necessary TO
conduct the business of the Department is point
connected with the Administration, which must,
in great measure, be left TO the sound discretion
oil its chief But they cannot refrain from express
ing some surprise, that, whilst the business Of the
Department has greatly decreased in some of its
branches, particularly in the Bounty Land and Pen
sion Offices, the number oil clerks now EMPLOYED,
it is believed, are as great as they nine years
ago, when the act granting pensions to the officers
and soldiers OF the Revolution, and those granting
pensions and bounty lands 10 the soldiers of the late
war, had so greatly augmented the business OF
those offices.
| Your committee consider that the business then
was at least twofold vhatit is at present In con-
sequence Of the diminuton of business, a system
| OF reducing the number of clerks had been COM
menced, as your committee understand, under the
late Administration Of the Department, by refrain
ing from Milling vacancies as they occurred, some
OF which, however, have been filled by the pre-
sent Secretary, although it cannot be doubted that
| there mas been considerable diminuton of busi-
ness since he came into office.
Your committee have been led into a COMPARE
son OF the relative expenditure of the late and pre-
sent Administration of the Department by tn, let
ter OF the Secretary, which accompanies this re-
port, and regret to state, that the improvement int
which he so confidently asserts to be in progress,
has not been sustained by the examination
Secretary he com will
learn with pleasure, that the administration OF this
Department has continually, for years past, tended
to reduction OF its expenditures. To manifest, TO
the satisfaction Of the committee, this economical
tendency, have caused a synopsis to be prepared
oil the disbursements for the last nine wears divid
ed into three parts. The first embracing from 10
TO y, both inclusive; the second, from '22 TO pa
and the third, from % TO '27.
"By referring 10 the heads subject to the dis
creton OF the Department, it will be that the
amount OF disbursement has been Iesssned. The
item OF the Quartermaster Department, in the first
PERIOD was $ 3Sl Obs 49, in the last. 1896 935 So
and, although the great number of troops in the
iIrs period must be taken into the account, yet,
after making the proper allowance for this circum-
stance, still the relative saving must be obvious
SO, also, with the contingencies of the Army. In
the first period, this item OF expenditure amounted
to Sl6O,l0 81; in the latter, to S39,39l SIS; and
IN comparing the first year, 10, i'll the first series,
with the last year and the last series 27 will be
found in the former case, it amounted to $50 SOB
81, and, in the latter, to SlO,922 81. So, also,
with the contingencies Of the Indian Department.
In the second period, (before which the contingent
cies were blended with the pay of Agents, Sci
amounted 10 S3l5 $50 55 in the last, to 1922 800
33-showng saving, in that branch of expend-
ture, OF S23, l59 %, in three years.
l twill be seen, from this extract of the Secrcta-
ry seter that he institutes the comparison, prove
the diminishing expenditure OF the Department.
not between the expenses of the three first years
OF the present Administration, and those OF the
three last years OF the former. hut with the wears
1919, 1920, and 1921. Compared with those years
the superior economy which he attributes TO the
present Administration might seem to be establish
ed; but 1t is obvious that the comparison is cal
culated to make an impression according 10 the rsa,
state OF the case.
Passing over the important fact, that the number
belonging to the military establishment during the
hrst period, was upwards OF ten thousand, whist.
in the last, i. only siS thousand four hundred
the Secretary has omitted TO state, that the great
Improvement was effected under the late Admins
tration OF the Department, through the means Of
its improved organization, which took place in those
years, which have been selected by him 10 com
pare the disbursements under the present and late
Administrations.
1t is well known that when his predecessor came
into olhce, the greatest disorder existed i'll the De-
partmeDt; but that, through his industry and ener-
gy, aided by the faithful officers he placed at the
head Of the several branches of the staff, abuse.
were corrected, and the Department placed in
condition greatly improved, in which COZ ,,n il
was passed over to the present Secretary.
The committee would refer 10 the report of the
late Secretary, under the resolution of the House
LIST Session 18th Congress, vol. 8, No. 49, az con-
tainng minute statement of the comparative ex-
Penses Of the Army, for those years, which fully
shows the rapid Improvements which were then in
progress. They will present from the report only
few general results The expenditures of the
Army for the years 1910, 1920 and 1921, were
respectively, as follows: So, 663, 775; 50 O6l sSI
) and 1892, 552: showing reduction OF the last
year, as compared with the first, Of 81 ,336,223
The point under consideration will PERTAINS
be more strkngly illustrated by the fact establish
ed satisfactorily in the report that the expense of
the establishment, in the year 1919, was 1884 for
each individual, incluing officers and men actual
W IN the service; while, in 1920 il reduced to
1915, and, in 1921, to S2S7-fnaknga difference
lot Sli7, in the expense per uan, between the frst
and the last Of these years. BY passing over The
OF the present Administration, and taking thesc
three years OF progressive Improvement as the ba-
sis OF comparison the credit which is fairly due TO
the preceding Administration, is attempted TO be
transferred to the present. In order 10 ascertain
whether the improvement of which the Score tarv
speaks, has really been effected under the prcsc nj
Administration, comparison ought to be made be-
tween the periods which comprehend the three
last years Of the late Administration and the three
first OF the present, which, having been omitted
| by the secretary, the committee will proceed to
| present
! The table accompanying his letter does not show
the expenditures under the heads of appropriations:
but taking those which they contain, il will be
found that the aggregate expenses Of the years
1925, g aDd'7, stated in the table, were S5I2I-
1856, whilst those Of 1922, . and r., amounted q,
! $i,055,24S; making difference Of 81 ,066 .Oss
| agaifla The present Administration, and showing