Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-11
MILLIONS SHORT.
A Big Deficiency Bill I'm Prospect
The Natural Result Of Radical Ex-
tEavaganee and Thfevery.

A Big Deficiency Bill I'm Prospect
The Natural Result of Radical Ex-
tEavagance and Thfevery.
Washington Correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Commercial.
1t is becoming painfully apparent
that there viii be a deficiency bill of
extraordinary large proportions 70 pre-
sent to Congress at the approaching
session. The precise amount of the
sum to be asked for to remedy the mis-
calculations of last spring can not, of
course, be definitely ascertained, but it
seems quite certain that it can not fall
much below S3,000,OO0, while it seems
altogether probable that it will reach
S5,000,000 The various departments
are already running ashore, and In
some cases are going IN debt, trust
ing to Congress TO help them out next
winter. The Postmaster General finds
his appropriations entirely too small
for the demands upon them, and
will, doubtless, by the LIST of
December, be In debt to the rail-
road companies alone to the tune
of a million or a million and a half.
Similar instances are afforded In other
departments. Congress made a great
display of effort IN the wayof retrench-
ment and economy last winter, and it
was practiced entirely in the way of
cutting and pairing down department
estimates. To carry ont these re-
trenchments ostensibly a number of
clerks have been discharged during the
summer. Whether all that could be
spared have been dropped is Tot clear.
There are good reasons for believing
that many more could go without I'M
pairing the efficiency of the civil SER
vice, unless the consequent relaxation
of the dignity of the department Off
Gals would have that effect. Be that
as it may, the country may rest as
sured that the greatest possible pub
LEFTY was given TO every dismissal, and
that each instance lost none of its duo
effect. Business to day is transacted
with the usual ease and rapidity, while
officials are complaining that the re-
auctions have been too extensive and
have done harm.
The fact that they are already begin
ming to exceed their appropriations or
are going In debt does not indicate, in
all cases, reduced appropriations. They
have not made the corresponding neces-
sary and practicable contraction in ex-
penditures, but in many cases it indi-
Gates nothing less. a point to bear in
mind is that the retrenchment of last
winter was in the way of saving at the
spigot of necessary expenditures, while
the leaks at the bung, the pouring forth
of money for Jobs of small degree, was
checked very slightly. Instead of saw
ing the fifty thousand dollars given to
Cowles & Brega for the use of their
humbug process to keep moths ont of
army clothing, which is one of the
most notorious swindles ever known
in Washington. Congress made
necessary the discharge of a few clerks
IN the departments, when it was prac-
ticable to keep the fifty thousand dol
lars and discharge the clerks too. No
effort was made to prevent the stealing
and cribbing to the amount of millions,
under the guise of appropriations for
the improvement Of rivers and harbors,
and various other objects, but a great
bullaballOo was made over the appar-
ent reductions In the amounts appro-
priated TO keep the Government ma
chinery in operation. The officials here
have failed to carry out their proper
ton Of this sort Of economy, and have
been as nonchalant IN their disregard
of Congressional action as though they
had private assurances that their ex-
cess of expenditures would be made
good next winter.