National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-10-30

making collections. Nodoubt exists in the
minds of those who have had experience in
the transaction of public business that con-
slant reminders are necessary to secure
prompt payments Experienced attorneys
are therefore very useful to their clients,
and when they are honorable and indus
trious men they well earn their fees. To
the Intervention of such attorneys in the
transaction of business the heads of Depart
ments can make no valid objection. And
we have learned, by properly instituted in
quiries, that it is not designed to interpose
objections to any such legitimate practice
in the various Departments.
tits, however, the design ofthe Secretary
ofthe Treasury and the Postmaster General,
as well as other heads of Departments,
to afford such facilities for the transaction
Of the public business as shall require no
unnecessary delay 10 principals who come
to this city to effect settlements in person.
They also design to show to those who
attempt to transact business with them by
letter that it will be promptly and equita-
bly, adjusted without the Intervention of
third parties. They mean also that this
shall be done without any exhibition of
favoritism, so far as it may be in their
power to prevent it. If they find their
employees conniving at the delay of pay
ments or aiding in the obstruction of bust
ness in the interest of agents or attorneys,
such clerks will be forthwith discharged,
and the attorneys or agents debarred from
further practice in the public Departments.
To this course no reasonable person can
object, while all those who have business
with the Government will be gratiied at
its faithful observance.
Commercial men, who are accustomed to
the transaction of business amounting to
many thousands of dollars with each other
in the space of few moments, cannot I'M
derstand why it should take weeks or
months to accomplish such transactions
with the Departments in Washington. To
these we have to say that it need not and
does not when those accounts are honest
equitable and just and made in pursuance
of contracts properly executed, for which
the requisite appropriations have been
made. Nearly all matters the settlement
of which are delayed are those which have
become complicated by reason of the inter
yention of third parties or by attempts of
contractors or claimants to overreach the
Government, Such are rightfully laid over
by the accounting officers for the action of
the courts or for that of Congress. Heads
of Departments are restricted in their pow
ers to pay claims by the extent of the ap-
preparations made by Congress for such
purposes. 1t is common to attribute all
delays of payments to ''red tape" which
is supposed to inhere to the machinery of
Government. While there are many evils
properly chargeable to the disposition to
procrastinate and put over until tomorrow
every possible thing, there are still very
many claims presented for adjustment
which are utterly without legal foundation,
and to meet which there is no money ap-
propriated. And yet perhaps these very
claims may be founded in equity so far as
the claimants are concerned.
A former Secretary of the Treasury at
tanned great popularity by reversing the
usual policy of circumlocution. It was
long ago when the Department was less
cumbersome in its machinery than now,
and much more circumscribed in its opera
tons. The Secretary consequently had q
great deal more time to look personally
into the merits of claims presented The
claims were also fewer in number and pos
sibly on the average more equitable. After
giving a case thorough examination and
becoming satisfied as to its validity, instead
of referring tito the Comptroller or Attor-
ney General for an adverse opinion, he
would send for the Solicitor, and telling
him that he had carefully investigated it
and found it to be just and equitable, he
would hand him the papers, saying, 81
want you to hunt me up law to pay that
on"
There is little doubt that in the multi
tude of our statutes at the present time
there is but little difficulty in finding
clauses or provisos by which the payment
Of all accounts not specifically appropriated
for may be refused or delayed almost in.
definitely. 1t has been the endeavor of
the President, in the selection of his Cabi-
net and heads of bureaus in the different
Departments, to obtain men in sympathy
with the commercial and industrial inter-
ests of the country, in order that through
their fullappreciation of the importance of
prompt adjustment of accounts the current
business might be disposed of with alacrity,
and the accumulation of years gradually
cleared away In this object he has been
measurably successful. There has not
been a time for years when the current
business of the several Departments was
more promptly and efficiently disposed of
than at the present moment And it is not
too much to add that the force employed,
though considerably reduced from that of
late years, is daily increasing in efficiency
through the admirable discipline which
has been infused into its organization.