The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-05
The Fight for Forty Millions Of Spells.


army of officeholdcrs. the Rings, the job
bers, the public plunderers, the contract
ors, and the whole crew OF camp followers,
have now combined at WASHINGTON in
last desperate effort to save the spoils
which the House OF Repveseutativesstruck
cut from the appropriation bills. Every
appliance has beon used to operate on the
minds of weak Democrats. Persuasion,
temptations, threats, and promises have
been freely employed in every quarter
where one or the other might be effective.
Thus far the line is unbroken, and its
duty 10 to stand firm to the end. Whoever
recedes now must be branded with worse
than suspicion, and held up TO pub
bc scorn and punishment IL the protested
friends of reform cannot present rs conn
pact front as its opponents and be as
prompt and ready for action rs they are.
The country will insist upon knowing the
reason.
The leading Republicans of the House
nave now Joiued the couspiratore Of tho
Benate openly, and encourage resistance
10 all the reductions Heretofore they in
Adiously opposed the bills until required
- go ON the record, and then they voted
for the very measures they had condemned
N order 10 deceive their constituents aud
Me country. This double dealing cannot
10 continued. for the bad faith Is now
made apparent by the declarations of Mr..
hale, Mr.. GARFIELD, Mr.. KAssoS, Mr..
FOSTER, aud Others, who claim to speak
iOr the Republican side.
These leaders were mainly Instrumental
N forcing upon the appropriation bills
HE legislation increasing salaries, multi
plying offices, making money grants 10
me Washington Ring, and augmenting
me public expenditures during the last
even years. They colluded with the
Senate, and Of course the machinery ran
moothly while extravaganza was the
rule in Congress. Now, however, when il
proposed to substitute economy for
xcess, aud to carry on the Government
apon the sound principle that governs
private affairs, the Republicans conspire
10 defeat economy on the miserable pre-
ext that 1t conflicts with some of the
existing laws favoring prodigality,
which they attached to former appropria-
don bills.
1t Is n struggle for the spoils, and nothing
slse. Accustomed to treat the Treasury as
viii not give up forty millions without
supreme effort, cost what il may. Hence
the Senate threatens to stand out ami TO
ptop tho supplies, and the President is
ready to aid this revolutionary step by
doing his part to adjourn Congress IN the
contingency of "a disagreement between
the two Houses with respect TO the time OF
adjournment
On Saturday last, when the conferees
reported their inability TO agree on the
Legislative, Executive and judicial bill,
10 which the Senate had added 50, Gas, 600,
the Republican leaders In the House show
oil their hands pretty boldly, and took
ground against their own body and in
favor of the Senate. Let us give few ex-
tracts from the speeches that day;
"Mr. HALE-It arises from the attempt on The
part " the House 10 cut dO,cn the salaries nv
changing the present law, and nv reason for
.sk,ne the question Is this; There Ia clearly
difference between the House Insisting aud de-
terminine to insist on driving the senate into
change " law upon which reduction Of appro-
printion will result, and on the other hand In
preparations =. The Senate has better
ground there for resisting and claiming 70 be on
IN equality with u.s."
Tho House of Representatives has the
pANiNoifN '6AN W oAlElhuNt ItFtHut Dllb.
and, according to JOHN SHERMAN, ahso-
tnte power over the public purse. Yet Mr..
HALE, who is chiefly responsible for the
enormous appropriations voted TO SEcoR
RoBEsoN, and for other grants equally out
rageolls- now that he is in minority, main
tains that the Senate has extraordinary
power 10 thwart every measure of reform.
M. KAssoS, who speaks for tho Admin
ktration, sad
"Ts House, or rather committee Of this
House, think they can arbitrarily reduce the
tOrce eng lged IN tho public service nearly one
quarter ia "a single year. THIS senate
tay, afttr conslltiuy with the executive officers
~ tue GoVernnent IL cannot he done without
detrnent O. the puullO service. We
ought not, cannot, must not, ask the Senate to
vacato its cons ituttonal function, nor deny its
hight 10 0ive a fun ana free assent or dIssent 10
schanae Of tho laws OF the land"
30, 10 appears, the Senate consulted the
executive officers of the Government"
who think tho expenditures cannot
Dc reduced without dotriment 10 the
public service Th0y are well maid for