Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-02-02
SOB 300 i06

In Executive, Territorial, judicial ard rIi3.
ce!laneuus expenditures, ScONHo
S22 800 400
Oar naval and military expenses have been greater
slmcc lc the iOrm-: ing IN part In the uncertainty
of relations with France and tb" latter
To- Indian But our expenditures have been since
them increased in every branch By augmentation Of
amour, commercial credit which adds to the cost
Ui all cur supplies
In examining into expenditures, there vii! be
found III many Of Ihcu, much abuse requiring reform.
Two branches do annually under the consider
aur Of CurgrcsstEe expenditures for tie Post Office
service. and the expenses 81 collecting our revenue
The fsrr"r, not brrg charge upon he public Irea.
SURF pt for the fAprnseS OF the General insl ONCE
a5r regulated by tie income from hostages. which arr
annually increasing the NUMBER "i our routes aud The
frequency Of the transportation q" he mails or the In'
nense increase This branch OF the public service sUrae
idea may " form, nm the increase in the transrora.
ton Of The mails It not, probably, than l0O
coo miles in 1iO SIJ1G5 in 1885, rs late as lcl'3 1t
was but 1854 quo; il is 81 $50 2O2 miles. Though
a charge upon the public Treasury, we are bound,
as the trustee OF the fund, 10 that II IS administer
I'd with erui3umy in order that cur mail routes may
BIZ extended To the rrnoiest quarters of the Union 1t
has accordingly, the suhrct "f investigation; The
Department has rrn r"rganlzrd and rs b9liered now In
be- W. Administered. There charged upon this fund,
for the service Of The present year 50 100 900 Ii II is
designed iat this important establishment should sup.
MORT Itself t!rre ssens be reason for DISCRIMINATE
ing between The expenditures for the Offices Throughout
the UnInn and of the General Post Office, by charging
the former upon the nnd OF me Department. ana lhe
latter upon the Treasury.
The ,xpPDxr OF collecting cur revenue from customs
amounted in the first 10 years after l7-9 10 about 23
OOO annually for the last 10. ending 3lst Dec 1881 TO
81 I2 il; II is now about million and half BY re-
Iprrinr L, she table of tonnage it will hf that the
amount Of tonnage entered fran abroad has Increased
from GG5 OGO tons ~ 1880 10 GG5 900 Tons in lc1. The
expenses of collecting the revenue wac III lS29 81 OBJ
900, and in 1857 81 4!,2 COO. The nnnag" entered from
abroad was u3 100 in ic29, and 0CJGU tors IN lc1
The aprnri amount OF revenue Is criterion If The
expense or ru.sn;i,; her""sr al'hnuEh have Isln
Gushed the duty On more than halt Of impriia
lions the great increase in This branch cf trade
aes necessity for increased number al Inspectors
We have also, If late years, Introduce d many very
complicated provisions IN our tariff laws ard added
To the expense OF collection. Bat, part Of Ibis it,
crease j. owing 10 the neglect Of Congress IN no, limit
~ from time 10 rirc, thr number ri officers 10 be
pluved; and permitting the collectors ra he Whole
ex?Cnsa 0, custnuionSrs out ct the revenue receli
ed wihcut even transferring II 10 the public Treasury
Had Congress periodically limited The number OF our Of
icrs directed the collectors 10 pay all hs money re-
ceiyed BY them INTO The Treasury, fqucd anna! es
mates ard made specific appropriations Tor this a. IN
other branches of the public service" you'd have opr
ra'cd as snsbe check on The extravaganza "i some al
cur collectors.
Alhounh the subject of tonnage is only indirectly
nCcrcd it'll The question oi expenditures, Tie committee
cannot disr.iiss II without calling The attention Of The
the fact disclosed ~ thr liable annexed That
,,l,, The American tonnage entered from abroad III
creased from 50 $40 in lc29, t. 720 Ions in 1897
the orern tonnage from l3O 743 tn 100 IC tons in
the same nen-a result UwRg, among other 1"
.ur uuwis, taxes nnvig1tIon and 20 abuse Of
dit n home which enhbs foreign nations 10 huid sup
nIv and man their ships cheaper than VIC aud SLOW
iy t. undermine the hn.is of our negal power
The .r,ia,urp expenses Of the Federal Government
Ear the frsi ten years annually average, about
si7I ru(l ,. appropriations far the year Lass,
So-J zen part of hs has arisen fran The increase in
The runh,! members of Congress; hut the most ca
,avarai increase has occurred IN In" Contingent eXpcn
SOS of both Houses. In The htst ten years these did NJ"
rorn T., more tn n $40 COG Annually; While The appr0
:a,,o,z for he past wear S3I $50. Although
dor IN. i'm me Giae observation aud exclusive control oI
,t,ss there is brnuch of the public service where
r,e,r has been abuse ami eX'raraSance Thou
.,d, n documents. IN many instances OF ru mpUrnucr.
40 annually printed and the contingent funds Of The
o Houses have been, for some years past charged with
tho cxnense If furnishing members with books There
~ hern and remains 10 Lf paid, ON two contracts alone
81 his cboracrr $751; 1898 81, not only 10 supply those
ONO are actually in Congress, hut others who have not
b,., members for many years ras Should such tX-
rcrL,:ures be continued, this will very soon becnme
rorout item; and in any event, large amount will
I he rronrrd fulfil contracts for books in no manner
belonging To the Ies'iha'e co""Geeeso '''"'' ''""'
RE =e,vendi,urcs oil the Executive Departments
were in the ten after specific appropriations were
made nbou, Sl95 600 annually; The appropriation for
I-33 was S795 600. This item has steadily increased
Nth the growth of country and lis various eslah.
l,.hnenis requiring Executive agency and suprrinen-
dance Something would probably lie saved if there
were one contingent fund under the conro OF the Sc
c,e,o,v for all the Off ces of each Department.
Our complicated system of accounts, too was eslab-
lished MANY years ago. and more Jndcl"us organiza
lion Of the Departments might nuodncc greater sImpi
CITY and economy II is impossible, however, 10 nv"d
Uniform increase in this branch OF The pubic eIpendi
,ure while we continue To multiply our laws al every
se.sion which must be carried into effect by the Execu
live DE- uts and while rapidly increase, as VIZ
Inn re done ri late The number Of resolutions IN both
Houses calling for information, and frequently nroV-
ing great labor and expense
I,1nn c,cd also with The Executive Departments are
varous ne uditurps hch very incnnsderable,
mr. did m, xjs, al ALL at the commencement OF the Go
vernm,n,-such as those for the Mint, Territorial Go
vern,oents the coast survey, uming and equrpIrg mi
E,io the public lands and public buildings These,
which early legislation were qiite unnPVr'sh', no"
amount To near million annually
The expenses of the judiciary, IN the hrst len years
,Gsr sn,c6c nppropriaons made did not amount
10 MARI than ahnnr SOL 600 annually the appropriation
for lss was S4e4 Geo The increased expense for he
salaries of ndges has not been beyond hat might have
bsen sn,icipacd The expense, however OF the courts
r the u has increased from about $50 900 to S32,
Ono which is the estimate for The present year In this
brancb re the public service reform seems to be required
While the clerks Of courts IRE appointed By the
iudses and the fees OF The former amount to much
sGer sum annually than the salaries OF The Latter the
appointing power may be tempted 10 pa'ucIPate IN The
profits Of the cltkshp, and 10 sanction The most exob!-
,, charges The fees Of district clerks and at,or
news ought be more precisely regulated oy law, and
,bs clerks ought no, 10 be appointed by the judges