The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-13

SENATE.
Mr. Sherman called up the bill for tn,
reduction Of officers and expenses OF tn
Internal Revenue by abolishing lntcrna
Revenue Assessors, aud explained il, sta.
ting that if passed, it would save belwCer
two and two and half million of dollar
annually.
Mr.. Sumner asked whether the Com.
mittcC ON Finance had considered the pro
pricly ui reducing the number OF Collcc
tors Ul Internal Revenue. lie had beer
assured by persons familiar with the sub
jCCt that the number Of Collectors NIGH
be greatly reduced without injury to The
service.
Mr. sherman said that in some large
cities il might br practicable To reduce
the number OF Collectors, but il would no.
he in the region less tlickly populated
i}GSilts the reduction Of the number O
Collcctor:lwould not greatly reduce The
expenses, Us they were paid chiefly by ice.
depending upon the amount Ol business
done.
Mr.. Trumbull slid that as he under
stood the law Of last June on this sub
jCct, II provided for greater rednc
ION OF the number Of Internal Revenue
officers than the pending bill would
make, Thul law authorized u reduction
ui the whole number Cf assessors and
collectors to uHr hundred and sixty
while this bill, although abOlshing the
usiCsSOrS, would allow the retention OF
collectors TO the number Of two hundred
and ninety. He did not say he would
not vote for this bill, because he was in
favor "r any bill designed to reduce the
cost OI the Internal Revenue Depart.
mcnl; but in vi " Of how little had been
lone under previous laws, he had not
much confidence that this one would
effect the object
Mr.. Morrill,, ol Vermont, said that when
General Grant came into power there
were $500 assistant asa ssOrs, but now
there were only bO 1900. There had
been reduction under the law passed
three years Hgo oI about 1900 assist.
mi G>srS2rs, besides about thirty
assessors. Then the law Of June
last WIS passed, providing for the
reduction OF the number 10 eighty, and
Senator Trumbull complained That no
action had been taken under the law
!gu0riNT the tact That the time had not
y"t arrived that the law Was to "a into
cl-Ct, bat tbc Commissioner OF Internal
ltcVcTuC hSd devised system by which
the force could be very much more re.
duCcl than by the law Of June last. That
law reduced 'hc number ii collectors and
assessors 20 eighty, leaving it with the as
SCISSORS 10 retain the present number Of
assistant aSsrssOrs Bat this bill would
reduce the number OF collectors 10 one
Tor each collection district, while pro
viiiug that no collector shall receive more
pay than 81 500, and rs their deputies are
10 be paid out ui their own pockets, the
number OF deputies makes no difference
TO tl!r United States.
Mr.. Trumbu'l in reply to Mr.. MOrrills
statement that the time for the law Of
June last togo into effect In not arrived,
read the following provision OF that law:
"PriOr to the lst day oi January, 1873, il
shall be the duty u the President, and he
is hereby authorized and directed 10 re-
duce the internal revenue districts in the
United States to eighty in number" lie
rrumbulD repeated tha! the number OF
officers Of the internal revenue allowed to
be retained under this bill was greater
than the number allowed by the lnws al
ready enacted but uncxcCuted. The plea
that TIT deputy collectors would cost the
United States nothing because each COL
lcCtur would pay his own deputies out OF
his 81 800 ayear WAS prcpOstrrOus.
Mr Casscrly said the administration
either from want OF power or will had
failed 10 carry ont the reforms in the in.
tcrHal revenue drpsrmcn, for which
Congress had provided lie believed il
The President understood the sUbject
more thoroughly be would be more
prompt TO act on his own judgement
in enforcing the law; hut it was his mis-
fortune to he surrounded by men interest.
ed in keeping the truth from him aud
who, being themselves pressed at home
by ClamUrous army ui office holding
officers, are unable To do their duty to the
President.
Mr. Sherman said there was not the
least occasion for the Senator from Cali
flrniA, CasScrly, or any one TO Arragn the
President in connection with this subject,
or tO intimate that he had in some way
ConlrivcA 10 putoA the execution of the
law Ul June inst, until after the election.
Every body knew that in matters Of this
kind the President did not merely act
upon his own Judgment No doubt by
the lSt OF January he would have per
formed the duty imposed upon him by
this law, but he would do il after due con
siderallon with the officers OF the depart.
mCnt. There was no occasion for the in
timaton that the Presidents course was
III some way connected with politics.
Alter luTthCr discussion the Finance
Committees amendments were agreed to
and the bill pissed.
A bill for the relief OF the suiIercra by
the Boston fire was called up Mr. Wilson
Ferry Ul Michigan, criticised the bill but
said he would vote for It,
Mr. Morrill, Of Vermont, opposed the
bill, as Il matter Of relief il was humbug,
md rs matter OF policy, extreme md vi
Cious.
Mr. Sumner said he hoped the bill
would bCpRsscd ms il came came from the
House The bill was opposed as sctlinga
DAD precedent, hll the precedent would
be applicable only in q similar case aud
where such II case should occur he should
insist upon It's application.
Mr. Carpenter opposed the hill rs lie
had opposed the Chicago relief bill, on
the ground that il was II humbug, and
said that the passage Of the Chicago re-
lie! bill WIS one Of the strongest induce.
mcnIs lOpromp the rebuilding Of Chi
Clg0 Without action on the bill the
SuNic, NJ o'clock T. NJ went into exec.
uIlvc session md sunn after adjourned.
Accident on THEIR. & OR. II.