The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-04-20
THE APPROPRIATION BILL.
Remarks Of Hon. Charles II. Joyce in the
Eouse Of Representatives, April Z.

EOuTo OF representatives, April Z.
At the evening session the general appro-
prlstion bill was under consideration. After
offering the following amendment
move to amend the pending paragraph in
class three" and inserting thirty clerks OF
class three"
Mr.. Joyce addressed the committee as
follows
BY virtue Of my right, under motion
TO amend, | desire to avail myself of this
opportunity TO say few words upon the
imprscticabillty and injustice of the policy
adopted by the committee on approprla.
tions, with reference to reducing the num-
Der and cutting down the salaries and wages
OF the employees in the several departments
OF the government.
The democratic party came into power
in this house by telling the people how OK
trayagant and corrupt the republicans had
been, and what marvellous things they
would do to revive business and relieve
the distresses OF the people, ii they were
permitted to have control of this branch
of the legislature.
BY deception in one quarter and force
md intimidation in another, they have sue
ceeded in carrying a majority of the popular
elections, and 10 this congress, for the first
time IN sixteen ycars, they find themselves
largely IN the majority. When once in
power the situation demanded that at least
a violent attempt should be made to satisfy
the people and induce them if possible to
| extend ;heir lease and give them tho CON
| troll of the general government for the next
| four years.
At the commencement OF this session 1t
was perfectly evident that, in view OF the
| promises they had made of retrenchment
and REFORM their hope, II they had any in
this emergency, lay in the committee on
appropriations and in the organization of
the house sli the political Moseses they
could muster were placed upon that COM
mttee.
In their anxious and reckless haste to
| grind out political capital for the next
presidential campaign, u msjority Of that
| committee originated and adopted policy
which il carried out by q majority of this
house. will be a blunder much verso than
crime and bring down upon the demo-
cratic party the well deserved Censure of
every fair-mnded and honest man in this
country.
An hopest purpose TO reduce the expen-
ditures OF the government and inaugurate a
system of economic reform ia Ill its differ
ent branches would have led that commit
toe, before they put the filling into this bill
to make thorough examination of the de-
partmcnts, consult fully and freely with
those in charge, and then, with all the
evidence before them, theT would have
been prepared to decide intelligently
where the help could be reduced without
detriment TO the public service and where
the salaries and wages could be cut down
with a real saving to the government, and
without robbing honest labor OF its hard
earned wages.
Bat, instead Of pursuing this course, and
doing as any wise and prudent man would
do ia the management of his own business
they decided in the first place that in order
TO supply democratic orators aud presses
with sufficient ammunition for the coming
campaign they must reduce the current ex
pcnses Of the government at least thirty OF
forty millions OF dollars, ard SO they ca
down in their committee room and, with
out any reliable data upon which TO act
and in almost perfect ignorance Of the
amount of work to DO performed, or tn;
amount Of help required to perform it, they
cut and slasbed, regardless Of persona
rights or the public veal, with but singl,
idca and that was an arbitrary reduction
OF 10 per cent. on the salaries and wages
end 90 per cent. on the number of persons
employed.
Now sir, it seems to INC that any mar
With the smallest modiCuni OF common
sense and discretion, or knowledge of bust
ness affairs, would have known at oncc
that the number of employees in all thes,
departments and their wages could be fair
ly and economically established and regu
lated by any such rule rs the one adopted
by the committee on appropriations.
AS have said, Mr. Chairman, q thor
ough examination should have been made
of each one oe the departments, and if any
drones or siuecuros were discovered, they
nhould have been cut off, the help reduced
to the smallest number consistent witt
economy and efficiency, none but compc
test and worthy persons retained, and t
them should be paid fair and liberal re
ward for their services. The business o
the government, in this respect, should b
conducted on the came principle that
shrewd and cautious man would run
manufacturing establishment hire non
but competent and industrious persons, wh
are qualified for the business, q sulllcien
number to do the work, and then pa
them wages that will enable him to retall
them in his employ. Cheap help is Away
the most expensive, nnd oyerworked laboI
eIs are always q source OF loss 10 the en-
ployer.
, The truth is, and no men ought to know
it better than the learned gentlemen VIII
compose the committee or appropriations
that the wages now paid to the goYernmer
employees in this city, with present hg
, prices and cost Of living, is barely enough
if they have small families, to enable ther
to keep soul ard body together.
And there is another thing which it ma
} be well for us to remember, with reforenc
to the matter, and that is that a large pre-
portion of the men IN these departments
and about this capitol are those who's
, constitution have heen more or less sha
tered and their health broken down by se
vices and privations IN war which save
, US country and the blessings of our fre
institutions.
} These men who bring honorable scar
Z from many hard fought field, and rome
whose hopes and stay were swept away /
the red storm OF war are the nations wards
aud while they are unable, many of then
: to endure the exposure OF the farm an
the factory, they are able 10 do good sel
vice in these departments for the covert
ment they helped to preserve, and thr
save themselves, their wives snd littl
pucs' iiOin SiuhbiHS tuuIltyJ tnp DhubS 1
: want or the disgrace of bcggaty.
/ insist, then, Mr.. Chairman, that Il
rule or pretended rule, upon which til
bill WAS made up by the committee, is rat
S ically wrong, and would, il they had keT
= within it, worked great injustice to an il
. tolligent and hard working and deservin
class of our citizens but they have nc
kept within their own rule, and bad as
is, tho committee ia their feversh zeal
serve their party have gone beyond it, an
parsimoniously, and as | say knowipgl,
reduced the salaries and wages Of many {
these people below the point of actu;
G starvation.
4 Now, sir, l am in favor of establishin
a fair, honest and reasonable standard {
: economical reform everywhere and redu,
ing the expenditures OF this goyernmeI
G to the lowest possible figure consistel
with the public good and the due executio
, of the laws; but l am utterly opposed