The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-29
A Dad BesinnIng.


When Mr.. BUcKNER, Chairman of the
Committee on the District of Columbia,
offered and carried through the House
joint resolution directing the Commits
sioners TO pay the interest on the 365
bonds, out of any funds in the United
States Treasury, subject to their re-
QUESTION, he committed IL great blum
der. In the first place there was no
necessity for any such legislation, since
the authority already exists; and in
| the second, ii was playing INTO the hands
OF that Ring of plundorers and spectators.
He proposed to pay first and investigate
| afterward, while II WAS due to the Govern
ment and TO the outraged people OF the
District that not IA dime should be paid
until the actual legal Indebtedness was
ascertained, and the frauds exposed which
are known to have been perpetrated. We
commended Mr.. BUcKNER Mt the outset,
believing he would pursue this direct and
upright course. We condemn him now be-
cause he has detected from it. and adopted
the very opposite policy.
Since the meeting OF Congress these Com
missioners and the Board of Audit have
been hurryIng through claims and issuing
bonds at an enormous rate. They think
this the last chance, and are trying to inn
prove it IN every way. They have already
III six weeks made three different state
ments Of the aggregate of bonds issued for
which interest was to be provided. And
Mr.. BUCKNER as their mouthpiece asked
for ts00,0O0 more than the figures requied
only ten days ago.
During the discussion the following pas
sage occurred, which will show how
loosely they legslate at Washington:
"Mr. Holman hope the gentleman will
state to the House what is the amount OF bonds
issued for the amount OF work which has been
dcne ~ the clt{ since the act authorizing this
Board n Commissioners.
Mr. BuCKNER-I will state that the commit
tee haze not gone into that question vet
Again;
Honds have been issued to q large extent,
and think IN erctSs of tue authority conferred
either upon the Board Of Audit or upon the
Commissioners
Yet in the face of these admissions, which
faint with illeGaity the whole proceedings
of the commission, Mr.. BUcKNER allowed
himself to be made their instrument in
passing IA measure which indirectly recog-
nizes their validity. Mr. WOOD and Mr..
RANDALL gave satisfactory reasons for OPP
posing IT, and tried to guard against any
| committal by amendments, but the fact
stands and will be urged hereafter as IL pre-
text for assuming the Ring frauds.
Eighteen months ago, when this commits
sion was created, il was estimated that
the claims ana other forms of Indebtedness
| for which the 1868 bonds were to he uttered,
would not exceed $s,i00,OO0. On Monday
Mr.. BUCKNER asked the House to provide
| interest on $15,O00,000, and the end is not
! yet These figures tell the story of extor-
ton aud fraud that have been practiscd
under the new regime, which Boss SHEP-
HERD directs just as much as he directed its
| predecessor
The Ring with the money In their pock-
cts will laugh at Mr.. BUCKNER's projected
investigation, as they have done ut others
headed by far ADLER men than he. They
have succeeded in pulling wool over his
ewes ut the start, carried their most impor-
tant point, ana got the majority to sane
tion an act of the grossest,inius to the
public Treasury and to the plundered and
helpless people of the District.
The country had IA right TO expect an un-
| spnring investigation OF tle Washington
| Ring ut the very opening of Congress.
This corruption was n large factor in the
elections Of 1874, by which the Democrats
secured the present House. Now, when
six weeks have been squandered, Mr..
| BUcKNER coOlly tells the House. ave have
a proposition before the committee f6r the
purpose of examining as to these various
additional expenditures and this large in-
crease Of the debit"
| ha hnI he ~ Al.
on the appointment Of his committee, by
suspending the issue Of bonds and OF con-
tracts, ono or two millions Of dollars would