The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-09-02

aud necessity require. The character o
the work is in measure judicial, requiI
ing legal knowledge; and yet last year ~
employees were discharged and SO new ap
pointments made-putting out experienc
ed clerks and substituting for such mel
ignorant and inefficient persons in thei
stead. This was done mainly for politica
considerations. The truth is, as the evi
dence establishes, the bureau is run as
political machine. Two clerks Of the Re
publican Congressional Committees Of las
year were entered on the pension roll an,
paid from the pension funds. The Wa
and Pension Departments being separate
there was required last year $4,000 dupli
Gates. of rolls from these two Offices, re
quiring transmission by mail and messen
ger, which might all have been done il
the same odice. The fact is, the delay
now incident to the application for pen
sions or increase Of pensions arise almost
entirely from these separations Of duty
causing years of delay to those least abb
to bear procrastination, and those, too
who never ought to be subjected to sucl
anuoyances and privations. | will allud,
TO another abuse, and then. leave thi
branch Of my subject. The finance di
vision Of the Pension Bureau can be dis
pensed with altogether, employing forty
eight clerks. This is set forth in Mr.
Clark's testimony In reply to question
whether that division ought not to be
Topped off, he said: "If the work in III,
Auditors Office was up to date, the work
in the finance division would be useless.
There cannot therefore be a reasonable
doubt as to the economy 70 be gained and
the general propriety of the transfer.
DEFICIENCIES.
Appropriations last year, 81, ,703, ,609.1
department estimate for year ending june
80, 1877, s2,723,471.79; recommended
by House Committee on Appropriations,
1862, ,3l5.07 House passed s671 ,486.74
Senate Committee recommended $780,
83l 81; Senate passed, S840, ,S31.2 .27; the
law, as finally enacted, s9lG,723.56.
believe these deficiencies are less than
usual and heretofore, because of the
knowledge by the departments that O
Democratic House was to be in authority
this year, notice having been given last
year by the Democratic minority to the
Forty-third Congress that the practice OF
allowing large deficiencies would not be
countenanced. The departments are, how
ever, entitled to partial credit, for their
estimates this year were considerably less
than heretofore. The same rigid rule
will be again applied, and the departments
must govern themselves accordingly
FoRTIFICATIoNs.
Appropriations last year, SS50,000
Department estimates for year ending
June 30, 1877, SO, 3,4O6, 900 recommenda-
tions Of House Committee on Appropria,
tions, S3l5, 200; House passed, S3l5, 900
Senate Committee recommended S3l5,.
900; Senate passed, S315, 900; the law
finally enacted, s315,000. This was a
large comparative reduction, but believe
no material interests will suffer therefrom
either in respect to our fortications or us
to experiments to be made in the trial OF
armament or torpedoes. The largest sized
guns Of our recent wars are now consider.
ed ineffective. Earthworks experience has
shown to be the best protection against
artillery on land or iron clad on water
The sums so lavishly expended since the
war have not brought any adequate return
in these respects. In the past ten years
up to and including this year, ending
June 80, 1876, we appropriated for these
purposes more than $4,000, 900, a large
amount Of which could as well have been
saved by the same character of reductions
which we have made this year.
NAVY.
Naval service appropriation last year,
SIT 7,001 ,0O6.40; department estimates for
the year ending June 30, 1877, 500, ,s71,-
660 $50; recommendations of House Com
mittee on Appropriations, sl2, sos, ,654.5O;
House passed, s12,432, ,855.40; Senate
Committee recommended, SIG, ,l67 1855. 40;
Senate passed, s14, ,957 ,S55.4O; the law
as finally enacted, S12,740, ,35540. The
appropriations for the naval establishment
are largely reduced. It is a branch of the
service where large savings can be pru.
dently made. | need not allude ut length
to the sums heretofore expended and the
manner Of their expenditure The do.
partment in its management has been thor
oughly examined into by committee Of
this House, and their findings are 10 print,
which render q further criticism in this
connection unnecessary. These reduced
appropriations come up to the full measure
Of recommendations by tho Naval Com.
mittee.
posT-oPFIcE.
Post Office appropriations last year, ss,-
37G G,205 department estimate for the year
ending June 30, 1877, ss,431 ,602. go
amount recommended by House Commit.
tee on Appropriations, 81, $3.50, ,9O6; amount
passed the House, "a, ,230, ,906; amount
recommended by Senate Committee on
Approp: iations, s7,5s6,647 amount pass
ed Senate, 81, ,288,647; the law as finaly
enacted, s5,967, ,49S. The reductions in
this act arise mainly from the cutting off
Of the higher class of postmasters, which
have been confcssedly too high, and tho
reduction Of 10 per cent. on the amounts
to be paid to the railroads for the trans.
portation Of mails, among which is what is
known as the "fast mail" An erroneous
impression prexails as to this latter service.
The fast mails were not provided for by
law. Speed was not taken into considera.
tion in determining the compensation.
Weight and the number of postal cars
were and are the elements in fixing the
pay 10 railroads This extra line was first
established less than year ago by throw
ing an increase in the quantity of mail
matter on these principal roads, thus in
creasing the number Of postal cars and with
additional weight, causing an increased
amount Of payment to special roads. The
compensation as fixed by act of March,
1873, was very great increase over
former rates. Prior to that time 1915
per mile on all lines was the maximum
rate. Under that act the pay on some lines
was increased to S705 per mile per year
and on the fast lines as high as 81 ,Ol6 per
mile per year. This Congress has reduced
=.