Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-31
PLUNDERING THE PEOPLE.
How the Pulic Money is Squan-
dered in Washington.
The Enormous Increase of the Treas
ury Departments Contingent Ex-
penses- Extravaganza in Every De-
Partment.


ury Departments Contingent Ex-
nses-ExtraVaSance in Every De-
partment.
From the New York Sun.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.-In 1861,
the Treasury Department was required
to transact great deal more business
than it is now. We were then at the
fever heat of a great civil war, and
every department of the govern
ment required more clerical la
Dor than at any time since. In
the very nature of things the contin-
gent expenses of the Treasury Depart
ment should have been greater then
than now, for the purchasing power of
our currency has increased more than
one and a half times; but the appro-
priations for the contingent fund of
that department for 1864 was only
S94, 800, while for the present fiscal
year S227,5 500 was appropriated. The
SIN has heretofore shown the criminal
manner in which large portion of this
quarter of a million is disbursed.
Nearly $4,000 is used to provide fav-
ored officials with horses and carriages,
and $4,000 for gas, which includes the
private gas bills of nearly all the bu
reau officers, chief clerks, and the Sec
retary pets. The Sun has also shown
how laundry is run in the Treasury.
building at cost of $1,000 a year, os-
tensibly to wash towels, and a cabinet
shop is run at an annual cost for labor
alone of $4,000, to make furniture for
the department.
In looking over the report Of the Su-
perintendent of the Treasury building
for 1872, l noticed the following items
of expense which the Grangers will
take deep interest in:
Dec. II, l871-Hyacinths $50 a.
Dec. 16--Plants .................." 13 40
April II, 1872-Flower pots. 10 90
May 1l-Plants and seeds. 40 90
June 27-Plants ts............ 60 90
June 29-House for garden. 1896 90
June 29-Hot bed pits .......... 957 90
June 29-Tables inhot bed pits 200 90
Total al..........-..,......,.....S3,028 .S3, OPS 80
The Government is quite lavish IN It's
expendituressfor hot houses, eonserva-
tories, etc, outside the Treasury De-
partment. A botanical garden, hor-
ticultural garden, and number of con-
servatolies for flowers are maintained
at great expense to delight sightseers
and provide members of Congress and
heads OF departments with nOsegays
and bouquets. But the Treasury De-
VIZ, hay ,fal lIcl -
of it's own, and here we find S36 invest
ed in hyacinths III December, and in
April SO for flower pots. If orr legis-
latOrs are in earnest in their demands
for areduction Of the Treasury De-
partmept estimates, they will see TO it
that all these useless and expensive lux
uries which have within a few years
grown 70 large proportions are Topped
off, :. The Topping off must not be con-
fined to the departments. There is
work Of the same kind TO be done at
the Capitol.
Mr.. Dawes, i'll his speech ON Mr.
richardson S proposed increase of tax
es, Hereby denounced extravaganza III
every department of the Government,
In this he was right. and did not say
one word too much, but there are
great many leaks in the Capitol which
Mr.. Dawes might stop if he would ad-
dresa himself to the task Let him
lead off on the House side for reduc-
ton of salaries to employees. He can
commence with his own eoIltnfstee, the
Ways and Means, his clerk receives
S2,g8080 per annum for about five
months services. A messenger TO the
same committee reserves $1,511.10.
The pay OF messengers to the Commit
tee on Appropriations, to the Sergeant
at-Arms, and to the Qegk of the House
are respectively St,51l10, $1,656, and
$500. In addition to these there are
eighteen messengers not specially as
signed, each Of whom receives for five
months services 81 $50. There aGa hYe
others who receive $ee,070 each for Ike
serviles. 4here are men and boys in
positions that require only ordinary in
telligence and no cc9.ucation, receiving
hie'L hiite,e.ar salaries than are paid ta second
and third class clerks IN any of the de-
partments. The pestQfice Of the House
is provided with four messengers who
receive 81 .g37.20 each, four mail car
riers who receive a like amount, and
seven others who are paid l,240 each.
On the Senate side there is the same
-ehamaIass avtrava1raDcp Three pac