New-York tribune., 1876-07-12
WASHINGTON.
THE SENATE ON UNTENABLE GROUND.

LONG LINE OF REPUBLICAN PRECED foh
NEW LEGISLATION IN APPROPRIATION Bulls.
iron THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUSE'I
WASHINGTON, July 1O.-Congress has made very
little progress with the appropriation bi Is during
the past week. and If Congress had not agreed to
bill making a further temporary provision for the
expenses of the Government while the dead lock"
continues the machinery of the Executive Depart
ments must have stopped at the close Of business
hours this afternoon. On Monday last the POST
Office Appropriation bill reported from the Con-
ference Committee, aud it has since become law.
In this ease as in that of the Naval bill the Senate
made the greater concessions not the least important
OF which was the principle of allowing new leglsla-
ton on appropriation bills-a principle when the
Republicans never disputed when they controlled
both branches OF Congress- and which the House has
only applied during the present session more gen.
orally than has been customary. The whole practice
of Migrating new legislation on appropriation bills
is vicious one. for which both parties are response
bic; and had the Republicans in the last ana pre-
ceding Congresses been governed by the doctrine
laid down by Secretary Morrill, in his last speech in
the Senate the House would have bad fewer prece-
dents for its present position. Mr. MoniI, speaking
of the Appropriations Committee Of the Senate,
said:
II had no rrIt whatever TO consider question OF
chan OF salaries. It's duty and its Whole duty having
Government, done when 1t asreriailed what ,iat
service and the amount OF appropriations Gellnuen
for II In orfr 10 comply with The requirements oi k".
That was the total, the beginning and the end OF S
whole duty aud anything csc than ndt was usulPa'
lion OF the legislative functions OF this DOdy'
Nothing has been more common than legislation
upon appropriation bills. Hardly session Of Con-
gress mas passed since the close OF the war during
which the Republicans have not increased or cut
down salaries by provisions attached to some appro-
instances
of the entire reorganization Of branchOf the public
service in the same way. During the first session OF
the last Congress five or six sections were added to
the Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation bill, in
which the entire consular system of the United
States was rcorganzcd and the salaries OF cOnsus,
interpreters and others employed in that branch OF
the public service were fixed During the same
session OF Congress proylSo was added TO tHe
Legislative. Executive aud Jude Appropriation
bill changing the title of the officer IN charge Of the
Congressional printing and the mode of his appoint
mcnt. In the same bill Assistant Secretary
of state was authorized to be appointed; new
limitations were placed upon the amount OF fees
and compensation that certain officers OF the Govern
mcnt should receive; the clerical force III several
of the departments was reduced and other legislation
similar 10 that proposed by the House OF Repre-
sentatycs though not 50 extensive in its character,
session the salaries of the Assistant Secretaries OF
the Treasury the Solicitor of the Treasury aud the
Commissioner of Customs were all increased by
clause inserted in the Sundry Civil Appropriation
bill The most important p0st-ofice legislation of
1874 is contained ia more than three pages in the
statutes at large which form part OF the annual
Pot-Oiicc Appropriation bill. For instance, By
different sections Of thus bill, the rates of postage Oh
periodicals and newspapers worc established, ana
the method o. payment fixed; maabie matter OF
the third class was defined; the salaries OF post
masters of the several classes were changed; the
method of their appointment was stipulated; reSu-
lations for letting mail contracts were made, and
other new legislation equally important was i'll
grated upon the bill.
During the last sion Of Congress new legislation
of the same character with that now proposed By the
House was enacted several of the appropriation
bills, the most striking instance being an entire re-
organ zation Of the Treasury Department aud all of
it, bureaus which was ngrafted upon the Legsla-
tive, Executive, aud Judicial bill. This involved a.
great and as radical changes any proposed by the
House of Representatives during the present session
of Congress, although perhaps the reductions IN
force and in salaries were not great. If othcr in
stances of this kind of legislation, carried through
Congress NJ a time when both branches were in the
hands OF the Republicans, were needed, IT would
only be necessary 10 cite the notorious salary grab
by winch the compensation Of nearly every officer
of the Government from the President down, and in
Guiding member. OF Congress and the employees of
both Houses, was increased. This was done by
means of an amcniment to an appropriation bill.
From these examples IL may be seen that the
House has an almost unhro,on line of prcccdents
for the policy il has adopted of rcorganzing the
Executive Depart ncnts by means of provisions IN
appropriation bills. The position assumed by the
Senate therefore, that it's Committee on Appropria-
tions has no right to consider the subject OF change
of salaries s not sustained by the practice of former
Republican Congresses. The Senate also undertakes
to throw upon the House the blame TO tie failure
of the appropriation bulls, saying, IN eject, that its
refusal to pass them without the new legislation
proposed is Evolutionary, unconstitutional, and
Illegal. This is unfair representation OF the case.
If public interests suffer from the delay in passing
the appropriation bills the Senate must share with
the House the blame OF it.