New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-12
THE YORK BEFORE CONGRESS.

Only four working days remain to Congress
before its adjournment. There is possibility
that it may extend the session to July IL,
whereby two days additional time will be
gained In either case the time is brief in
which to perform the work, which itiis OF
primary Importance should be completed dur
ing the present session.
The business still unfinished includes four
Appropriation bills, each of Importance not
only as involving the expenditure of immense
sums, but also as affecting the army and navy
and the entire Indian policy of the Admins
tration. The Army Appropriation bill, to
which the bill reducing the military forces has
been attached, has passed both Houses, but dis
agreeing votes on several amendments make it
necessary that it shall go before Conference
Committee. The Naval Appropriation bill is
in the same condition, having been sent to
the Conference Committee only on Friday
last after several weeks dawdling in the
Senate The same dilatory and querulous
consideration has been given to the General
Appropriation bill, and it still remains undis-
posed of. But the action upon the
more important Indian Appropriation bill has
been even moro perverse and foolish.
The two Houses, by indulging in a
quarrel over mere technicality have rem
dered doubtful the passage of the bill in
any form. In doing this they have endan-
gered the success of the Presidents Indian poll
cy and aroused occasion for grave fears of gen.
eral Indian war. If the disagreement cannot be
at once settled, truce to the quarrel at least
should be declared and the appropriations passed
This money is necessary to the maintenance
G fai nd ha
the House shall refuse, in its present perverse
humor, to provide the money called for by
this bill, it may look forward to the adoption
next session of deficiency bill far greater in
amount to pay for an unreduced army and the
expenses of a general Indian war. There
should be no adjournment with the apprOpria-
tons for the Indians unprovided for
Of financial measures which are still pend
ing the Funding bill ought not to be neg
lected. There has been undue haste to pass
Currency bill with few virtues and several
defects, and a Tax and Tariff bill with many
defects and no positive virtues. But the
Funding bill, which is an economical measure
of finance, has been persistently neglected
until the final consideration of its most
important features is left to Committee of
six, whose report is to be submitted, during
the last hours of a session, to men eager to
dismiss in haste matters of public policy that
they may smuggle through bills for private
gain. The treatment which the Funding bill
has received has been most absurd. The levity
with which this whole scheme of finance was
treated, has been equaled only by the display
of ignorance concerning the financial policy
which it proposes. 1t will be inexcusable if
Congress adjouns without the adoption of a
Funding bill in something like the form pro-
posed.
There is beside pending bill organizing
Department of Revenue, which the President
is anxious should be passed. It's importance
is probably more apparent to those familiar
with the administration of the Government
than to the general public. There are also
other measures of importance which we have
not space to enumerate, but which there
should not be any failure to consider The
time which will most probably be devoted to
the passage of the Tax and Tariff bill can
better far be devoted to dozen other matters.