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

number OF clefks-lt duties were trans
ierred TO the War Department-to wit,
232 in all would be ample; whereas tho
present force in the Pension Bureau is
over 400, near 300 over what economy
aud necessity require. The character OF
the work is in n measure judicial, requir-
ing legal knowledge; and yet last year 128
employees were discharged and Sc new APP
pointments made-putting out experience
ed clerks and substituting for such men
ignorant and inefficient persons in their
stead. This was done mainly for political
considerations. The truth is, MS the evi.
dencc establishes, the bureau is run as a
political machine, Two clerks of the Re-
publican Congressional Committees of last
year were entered on the pension roll and
paid from the pension funds. The War
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 in
the same Office. The fact is, the delays
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 able
to bear procrastination, and those, too,
who never ought to be subjected to such
annoyances and privations. | will allude
to another abuse, and then. leave this
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 the
Auditors Office was up to date, the work
in the finance division would be useless"
There cannot therefore be reasonable
doubt as to the economy to be gained and
the general propriety Of the transfer.
DEFICIENCIES.
Appropriations last year, 81, 703, 609.1S;
department estimate for year ending June
30, 1877, s2,723,47l.79; recommended
by House Committee on Appropriations,
s662,3l5.07 House passed s671 ,486.74,
Senate Committee recommended $780,
S31 81; Senate passed, SS40, S31.27; the
law, as finally enacted, s9l6,723.56. |
believe these deficiencies are less than
usual and heretofore, because of the
knowledge by the departments that
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.
FoRTIPICATIoNs.
Appropriations last year, ss5O,OOO
Department estimates for year ending
june 80, 1877, s3,406,000 recommended
tions Of House Committee on Appropria.
tons, $4,000; House passed, S315 900;
Senate Committee recommended S315,-
600; Senate passed, 1915, 900; the law
finally enacted, $4,000. This was
large comparative reduction, but believe
no material interests will suffer therefrom,
either in respect to our fortications or as
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 s13,000,0O0, 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,
$4,000 ,006.40; department estimates for
the year ending June 30, 1877, S20,S71,-
660.50 recommendations of House Com
mittee on Appropriations, S12, sos, 654.50;
House passed, s12, 432, $500; Senate
Committee recommended, SIG, l67 ,s55.4O;
Senate passed, sl4,S57, S55.40; the law
as finally enacted, sl2, FAC, 355.4O. The
appropriations for the naval establishment
are largely reduced. 1t is branch of the
service where large savings can be pru-
IDENTIFY made. l need not allude ut length
to the sums heretofore expended aud the
manner of their expenditure The dc.
partment in its management has been thor
oughly examined into by committee of
this House, and their findings are in print,
which render further criticism in this
connection unnecessary. These reduced
appropriations come up to the full measure
of recommendations by the Naval Com
mittee.
pOsT-oPFICE.
Post Office appropriations last year, So
376, 205 ; department estimate for the year
ending June 30, 1877, sS,431 ,6O2.99;
amount recommended by House Commit
tee on Appropriations, 81, $50, 300; amount
passed the House, "a, 230, 90G; amount
recommended by Senate Committee on
Approp: iations, s7,5S6,6 CAT amount pass
ed Senate, S7,28S,647; the law as finally
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 the
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 hitter service.
The fast mails were not provided for by
law. Speed was not taken into considera-
ton in determining the compensation.
Weight and the number of postal cars
were and are the elements in fixing the
pay to 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 1875