Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1838-06-01
SPEECH OF MIR. BOND.

OPEECl1 OF MIX. BOND
Of Ohio, on The resolution 10 correct abuses
an He public expenditures, and 10 separate
tie Government from the press.
Delivered in the House of Representatives,
April, 1888.
Mr. BON d said he reioiced that the al
tenlion of the House and of the country was
again invited to the subject of retrenchment
and reform.
MIR. d. he said wished gentlemen now in
power TO admit that they had amused, if not
deceived the people of this country with
mere fancy sketch" If they would not
make this concession then he called upon
them to specify any retrenchment or reform
which they had accomplished. But sir. if
they fail in this, as | think they must then
demand their reasons for not CARRYING out
their great and salutary system OF reform,
for which they stood soemnly pledged be-
fore their country.
You, Mr.. Speaker, prolessed, mean the
party with which you act protested, to be
moved by the purest and most sacred regard
for the welfare OF the people We find re-
corded here, and in the Senate, a solemn
pledge 10 carry into effect systematic re-
form, il you should be placed in power
This was done, sir in March, 1929, and
you have held undisturbed possession ever
since. During that time, now going on ten
years, what part Of your pledge has been re-
deemed2
desire TO conduct this discussion fairly
and with entire accuracy as 10 facts
wish so TO state them too that all may form
just opinion in relation to the sincerity and
good faith Of those whose conduct may be
brought under review.
But lest gentlemen may have forgotten
the precise charges made against Mr. AID
ams's Administrations | beg leave TO read
from certain documents Of this House and
OF he Senate, in which these gricfs and com
| plants, with the promised reforms, are duly
recorded.
The first in point OF time, is report made
10 the Senate in 1926. bya select committee,
(of which Mr.. Benton was chaitman) Mr..
Benton reports:
THAT, after mature deliberalion, the com
mit,ee are Of opinion that it is expedient to
diminish or to regulate by law the Execu-
! tive patronage of the Federal Government,
whenever the same can be done consistently
with the provisions of the Constitution, and
without impairing the proper efficiency Of
the Government.
For this purpose that committee then re-
ported six bills one of them proposed to
regulate the publication of the laws and OF
public advertisements another had this i'm
posing title" bill 10 secure in Office the
faithful collectors and disburSers of the rev.
enue and to displace defaulters" But, be-
sides its aluring title, that bill also contain.
ed the following provision
THAT in all nominations made by the
President TO the Senate to Gil vacancies oc-
casioned by the exercise Of the President s
power 10 remove from Office the fact of the
removal shall be stated to the Senate at the
same time the nomination is made, with a
statement of the reasons for which such Of
ficer may have been removed"
The other four bills also looked 10 the re-
sraint or reduction of the Presidents power
and patronage The report proceeds
The committee do not doubt but that
there are many other branches Of Executive
patronage, in addition to those which are
comprehended in the provisions of these
bills, which might be advantageously regu-
lated by law Far from thinking that they
have exhausted the subject, they believe that
they have only opened it, and that nothing
more can be done at this time thanto lay the
foundation OF system, TO be followed up
and completed hereafter"
Mr.. Bond said that, Notwithstanding a Sc
ries of years had elapsed, and Mr.. Benton
and his friends had full power, the people
/, had looked in vain for superstructure on
this " foundation OF system" OF reform
which this famous report proposed 10 have
laid.
BY way Of Illustrating the great number
Of office holders and their combined power
Mr.. Benton then turns to the Blue Book
of the Republic" which he also calls " 6
growing little volume" and says it cores
ponds with the Red Book Of monarchies."
Mr.. Speaker, this Blue Book is indeed
growing little volume" but it has grown
more rapidly in the nine years OF this Gov
! ernment, administered under the advice o
Mr. Benton and his friends than it did IL
; double that time, before they came into pow
! err. | present now, sir, for your inspection
' the Blue Book for 1928, and that forthe las
Z wear, 1887 1t is plain that the last is near
| ly or quite double the size OF the former ant
/ If the contents of the two are compared, thu
. number of office holders, their salaries ant
compensation the various divisions and sub
divisions of every Department, it will be sect
: that under this boasted system of retrench
ment aud reform, nothing has been curtall
+ ed, but on the contrary great increase II