Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-08-24

pay oi sucu Objects, anu tue amount Oh
pay saved would be quite one-half. At
present more than one-half is done at
the Surgeon Generals and Adjutant-
Generals Offices. Both these bureaus
now employ one hundred and sixteen
persons on this work, and an equal num-
Der OF additional clerks, if duties were
transferred to the War Department, to
wit, 232 clerks in all would be ample !;
whereas the present force in the PEN
sion Bureau is over 400; nearly 800
over what economy and necessity re.
quire. ....... .....-.. ....
The character of the work is in q
measure judicial, requiring legal knowl-
edge; and yet last year 12s employees
were discharged and ninety-six new
appointments made-putting out expe-
rienced clerks and substituting for such
men ignorant and inefficient persons in
their stead. This was done mainly for
political considerations. The truth is,
as the evidence establishes, the bureau
is run as a political machine. Two
clerks of the National Republican Con-
gressional Committees of last year were
entered on the pension-roll and paid
from pension funds.
The War and Pension Departments
being separate: there was required last
year $4,000 duplicates of rolls from
these two Offices, requiring transmission
by mail and messenger, which might
all have been done in the same office.
The fact is, the delays now incident to
applications for pensions or increase OF
pensions, arise almost entirely from
these separations of duty, causing years
of delay to those least able to bear pro-
crastination, and those, too, who never
ought to be subjected to such annoyan-
ces and privations.
| will allude to another abuse and then
leave this branch Of my subject. The
finance division of the Pension Bureau
can be dispensed with altogether, en-
ploying forty-eight clerks. This is set
forth in Mr.. Clark's testimony. In re-
ply to question whether that division
ought not to be Topped of, he said: II
the work in the Auditors office was up
to date the work in the finance division
would be useless. There cannot, there
fore, be a reasonable doubt a. to the
economy to be gained, and the general
propriety of the transfer.
Appropriations last year S4,703, $685.
13: Department estimates for the year
ending June 80. 1877, S2,723,47l.79;
recommended by House Committee on
Appropriations, S662 2,315.09; House
passed S671. .4S6,74: Senate recommen-
ded $40, ,S3l.27; Senate passed $S4O,-
s3l.21; the law, as finally enacted,
$sl6, 1886.
believe these deficiencies are less
than usual and heretofore, because of the
knowledge by the departments that a
Democratic House was to be in author
ity, this year, notice having been given
last year by the then Democratic mi
nority of the Forty third Congress that
the practice of allowing large deficien-
cies would not be countenanced. The
departments are, however, entitled
TO partial credit, for their estimates OF
deficiencies this year were considerably
less than heretofore. The same rigid
rule will be again applied, and the de-
Partments must govern themselves ac-
cordingly.
Appropriations last year, $3.50, 900;
Department estimates for year ending
June 80, 1877, s., ,4O0. 900: recommen-
datIons of House Committee on Appro-
priations, S315, 900: House passedS315,-
900: Senate passed S315, 900: the law
as finally enacted, S3l5,0O0.
This was large comparative reduc-
tion, but believe no material intere sts
will suffer therefrom, either in respect
to our Notifications or as to experiments
to be made in the trial of armament or
torpedoes. The largest sized guns OF
our recent war are now considered in
effective. Earthworks experience has
shown to be the best protection against
artillery on land, or iron-clads on wa
ter. The sums so lavi>hlv expended
since the war have not brought anv ad-
equate return in these respects. In the
past ten years, up to and including this
year ending June 81. 1876, we appro-
priated for these purposes more than
$4,000, 600, large amount of which
could as well have been saved by the
same character of reductions which we
have made this year.
Naval service appropriation last year,
S17, ,O0l ,O06.40: department estimates
for the year ending June 81, 1877.
S2o,s7l $3.50: recommendation OF
House Committee on Appropriations,
SOS. .655.4o: House passed $I2.-
432 $3.50. Senate committee recon-
mended $16, 167. .S55. 40; Senate passed
S14,S57. $3.50. The law, as finally
enacted, $12,740.355.4O.
The appropriations for the naval es-
tablishment are largely reduced. II is
a branch OF the service where large saw
ing can be prudently made. Ineed no.
ailude at length to the sums heretofore
expended and the manner of their ex.
Penditure. The department.. in its man.
asement, has been thoroughly examine d
INTO by committee Of this House, and
their findings are in print, which rem
der a further criticism in this connec.
ton unnecessary. These reduced an
preparations come up to the full meas.
ure OF recommendations by the Naval
Committee.
Post Office appropriations las, year.
Ss,SIS,2oo: Department estimate 70.
the year ending June 80, 1877. S.. .43l..
6u2.S9; amount recommended by House
Committee on Appropriations, So, ,6So, ;.
so6; amount passed the House, $4,.
$50, 900; amount recommended by Sen.
ate Committee on Appropriations, 81.
oso,oa'; amount passed Senate, 81.