New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-03-02
by TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBuSBI

DOUBT-IUE COAL ELL 10 CONF VI ~ ''AA'
SENATE TO-DAY.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBuNBl
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, March l. 1871
Tho House Appropriations Committee does not gct
much credit for It's abOrs hissession and las lost hcy
all the reputation 1t gained last year for vigilance ecou
omy, and conscientious work. Its members nave sho"'
this session. disposition 10 nOnOpOlizc business properly
belonging to other Committees, and dividing themselves
into sub Committees have spent ther time In conducting
half dozen Investigations within tlcr proper prov.
hce tead Of working al the Appropriation bills scru-
tnizng tho estimates, and endcayorng TO reduce inc
expenditures OF the Government When the Thirty MIL
lion Dollar Omnibus bill camo up In tho House thfeo
members OF the Committee proessed entire ignorance OF
item OF s. oO0oO pay claims for war expenses when
States supposed TO have but which have mover
been preferred In fact, every member of enc Commit
tee appears have sppca whatever suited him into tho
bill without the others taking the trouble to read wat
they agreed to. so eJtravaGaut and ieonsldered an
Appropriation bill has not been brought Into tho Douso
for years. and the rcbuke the House gave the Committee
by tabng the bill Monday and by passing yesterday
with $l C00co0 stricken out OF II was well deserved
In discussing the organization OF the Committees OF the
now House n suggestion has been made and APPROX
ingy oanvasscd among tho older members for tho ap
pontmcnt OF Committee 10 revise bills before maj
action Is had, Ito prevent tho recurrence OF bun
doris such that made last session, when 10 amending
laws relating TO tho Commissioner OF Patents and his
nor was abolished Another OF muddled sentences
and failure 10 make words express the meaning de-
signed is found in the Ot law for the payment OF
some claims by the War Department, In which an inter-
probation was given covering good deal, but not
the thing designed. IL subsequently amended
and the accounting officers refused TO pay anything
whatever unGcr H. There is Committee on Revision OF
Laws TO whom tho duty OF such examination might be
very properly assigned lts thougt that several OF tho
present Standing Committees might with great pTOpety
be abolshcd-as, for instance. that on Frecdmens Az
fairs tho duties OF which, IL there arc any, might DO
turned over to that Education and Labor that on
Militia which might be transferred to the Military Com
mittce while the Cummittees Public Expenditures,
Revolutionary Claims and Pensions, and Pensions OF
1884, might be abolished altogether The little WORK Tor
tho latter could easily be transferred TO tue Committees
on Claims and Pensions. Tho Committee on Mileage
could be dispensed with, and its duties transferred TO
that on Accounts. Many Of tho older members
believe Il would be found conducive TO tho
expedtng OF business 10 revise aud reof6an-
izo the committee Gystcm, especially Win q
view 10 tho moro equal distribution OF tho work. At
present tho tendency appears 10 be toward tho central
zton Of business IN the hands OF threo or four leading
committees and especially Is this tho with that on
Appropriations In the Senate II is the custom TO dis
tribute the appropriation bills they come over for ex
animation, among tho committees familiar with the
subject matter. Nothing OF the sort Is done IN the
House and tho consequence is that the Appropriation
Committee s very much ovcrworkcd Many members
think that this Committee possess more power than can
be properly exercised by one such body InYesu'
cations are referred 10 II which would seem
moro properly to belong TO others, charged with the
.peeial topics There are seven Committees charged
with supervision OF the expenditures OF the several de
partrneuts &c, which though regularly filed by tho
Speaker have apparently become mere nonentues' DO
ing nothing and seldom holding meetings. IL would
seem that they might very properly 30 required
10 mako themselves familiar with the workings
Of tho Departments, and b c-ired to
examine, before the Appr' 2r!aton committee
report bill, into the necessity otherwise OF tho
several items connected with tho De-, artfcnts they arc
supposed to supervise. There arc seTcIa committees
which At first were quit uihcant but have now grown
into considerable Importance That Education and
Labor Is an example Tie Committee on "Eoads and
Canals" which is usually regarded ornamental az
fair Is likely 10 become OF the most important
There is another practice which has grown TO an
abuse, in tho judgment Of many members Tho rules
already gato what business shall properly 80 TO the
several Committees, bat members have fallen into the
habit OF asking the reference OF their bills aud resou-
tions TO lust such Committees IL may they can
obtain earliest and most favorable reports from. IL Is
proposed TO frame rule allowing members 10 object TO
Committee reporting business not properly belonging
to Il.
Three members Of the House arc equally confident OF
being Chairman Of tho Ways and Means Committee 10
the congress Ilth ilthnS ho b'S ''N
make his appointment to tho coveted position beyond
question and each Ia alike amazed Mt the confidence OF
his rivals Tie formation Of this Committee Is the most
important and difficult task deyolyng upon tic Speaker
The Committee Is composed OF nine members, two
OF whom arc now Democratic THO increased
strength OF the Democrats In tho new House
will cnto them 10 tlr'o membcrs Six OF the present
members OF the Committee are elected to tho incoming
Congress namely Mr. Hooper Of Massachusetts Mr..
Maynard OF Tennessee Mr.. Kelley Of Pennsylvania Mr.
Brooks Of New-York, Mr.. Blair OF Michigan. ond Mr..
Marshall Of Illinois. IL is not probable that all OF these
members will be continued upon the Committee. Two
or three Of the Republicans may be given charmanshps
OF other Committees. Mr.. Blaine has given no intlma-
ton OF his intentions respecting the formation OF any
Of the Committees, and nothing Will he known until
they are announced.
Gen Neglcy, Chairman Of the subcommittee OF Milf
tary Affairs which las been engaged in the investigation
OF the management OF the soldiers asyuIns, has pre-
nared report which will I've considered by the full Com
Inittee Tomorrow The report concludes follows:
The Committee are convinced by the nvestgatiOnthcy
have made that the funds OF the National Asylum for
disabled volunteer soldiers have been faithfully applied
Board of Managers for the purposes intended by
the act Incorporating the institution and that me
the Board have been carefully. efficiently aud
economically managed The Committee have also come
10 The CONCLUSION that the Treasurer having accounted
for all funds OF the asylum winch ever came into his
hands by correct entries and proper vouchers efey
Ia I've Xonpratrd from any charge or suspicion Of mis-
appropriations neglect, other misconduct III the
dis Of his duties and Therefore having no eeS
ation the subject they AJAX to DC discharged from ls
further consideration"
The amendment TO the Army Appropriation Dill
adopted by the Senate today provides for the e1amDa
ton and payment Of claims OF Southern loyasts Tor
quarter naster aud eomussary stores furnished inc
Union army In the manner as similar claims are
now examined and paid in the Northern states ana IN
West virginia and Tennessee that II, Inc examination
will be made in the office OF the Third Auditor OF the
Treaaury and the accounts will be subsequently re-
,,.o, h, tho second Controller. Tie House
Committee on Claims have carefully examined this sub
iect and favor the payment OF these claims They
ho,.ver that ley ,hould be thoroughly inyestl-