The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-29
The Deadlock.

measure Of economy proposed by the
House, it would be furnished by the ac-
tion on the Army bill, which was driven
through the Senate Oh Monday with all the
retrenchment stricken out. Every other
bill has been treated in the same way, SO
that the hostility of that chamber is di-
rected against the policy OF reducing the
public expenditures, and not against the
items OF reduction.
The appropriations for the army passed
by the House are s3.479,OoO less than those
Of last year, exclusive of an unexpended
balance of 1s14-75. made applicable TO u
portion of the service. The army proper
is cut down from 20, 600 to y, 600 in the ag-
gregate. This reduction is far below what
the country has demanded. and below what
was promised at the opening OF the session,
when the maximum for the army was
placed at 1900, by which more than ten
millions Of dollars would have been saved.
But even this small economy was opposed
with as much bitterness rs If 1t had been
three times larger, because the Republic
cans mean TO prevent any reform what
ever and to insist upon continuation OF
the present prodigality, even TO the extent
of endangering the appropriations.
The President ou his side has threatened
TO stop the machinery Of Government on
the 1st of July, unless the House WILL give
up the forty millions Of retrenchment and
allow the Treasury 10 be plundered rs
usual. Every sort of device has been EN-
ployed to palliate this crusade against
economy. First, il was audacously con-
tended that the legislation initiated by the
| House was yiolative of existing laws, aud
not germane to Appropriation bills. The
| statutes bear witness that the EXTREMIST
measures OF the Republican party, during
its long career OF msrulc, were attached to
appropriation bills with which they had no
| possible connect on; and so fan as the army
| Is concerned, the record shows that il was
entirely recognized IN 1870 upon an app
preparation like that now pending between
| the two Houses.
When this gross Misrepresentation was
exposed, then the advocates OF eXtrava-
| gauce and the allies Of the Rings that de-
| pend for their nourishment upon the forty
millions that have been economical. resort
ed to another pretence. which was equally
unfounded and insincere. They claimed
that regular bills should Toe reported from
Aii' hllitl'ui tbIiullAAff-s ANU Dt fDhelutl-
ed on their abstract merits separately in
stead Of being attached to the appropria-
tons. Under that method, Of course, any
reform would he impracticablc, for the
plain reason that the senate would sttle
the bills in committee, or postpone them
indefinitely. Tile suggestion WAS a mere
juggle, as we shall now proceed to prove.
The House passed two bills reported by
the Committee on Military Affairs. carry
ing out the retrenchment which was sub
sequently put on the Appropriation bin.
These bills were sent TO the Senate more
than a month ago, and how they were
treated the debate on Monday last revcls.
Mr. EATON inquired what action had been
taken on them, and Mr.. LOGAN, Chairman
of tbs Military Committee, answered IN
these words:
submitted proposition TO the committee week ago
:, Gas htrSsdeat 10 bring G@@ 5sfore IL Senaie aud
M s dyy,Sg % p.ln.oe az Sy ne 'an"'s'
g,e,s."
This broad admission of an intention not
10 consider any measure of rttrenchment
for the army ut this session did not quite
satisfy the senator from Connecticut. lie
wanted the details specifically, and the fol
lowing dialogue with Mir LOGAN shows
how he drew out the information:
"Mr. EATON Well. let ne ask the honorable Senator
from tines u there \ ~ on ihal Ne Fog9sss to re
Mr.. LoGAs- Cuuung down tue army in Shat par
ticular?
"Mr LoGAS-i want Tie Senator To be definite Doe.
he mean IN nn1her u officers IN number OF soldiers OF
."Ir. EAfoS We vii tax, the number Of solder
"'"ar LooAv Id no, know Of any oil We propose tc
report cuttlhs a2yh me numner 81 soldiers,
MIR. l.oaAS-i do not know OF any bin that we pro
'.Mr. EATov-inc amount Of salary hird.
in etcrsace to the sy OF The a@ers re GTny a'
pay of The sodlers the reduction OF he army all At h
70 10 It at tins session OF Congress"
II i thus made clear not only that ther,
was no intention on the part of the Senat,
TO second the efforts OF the House in bring
ing down the public expenditures, but OF
the contrary, there was and is deter
mined purpose to keep them up TO tn,
highest point OF extravaganza, for tn,
profit of plundcrers of the Treasury ant
for the benefit of the party. The patron
age thus cut off from Senators and Repre-
sentatives, aud from the executive depart
ments, is immense, aud would he AN i'm
portant element in the Presidential cleo
, tion. The leaders are fighting for priz,
OF forty millions, and they are desperate
in proportion to the danger Of its loss
r All the clamorabout closing the machine
, of Government is a cheat, gotten up to de
celve the country, in the hope of nhamin!
public opinion against the House, b.,
threatenlng TO stop the mails and deranP
ing the whole rubrc service This frau,
rs made The more conspicuous, bccals
Congress will meet again on the first Mon
day in December, and il the retrenchmcn
proves prcjudielal TO any department, al
immediate remedy can he applied. IN
appropriations are made for the whol
q year and of course ought not 10 be hal
Q exhausted IN Ave months.
9 Consequently, there is not the shadow o