The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-08-24

iected tosuch annoyances and prvations,
| will allude TO another abuse, and then
leave this branch of my subject. The
finance division of the Pensioh Bureau
can be dispensed with altogether, en-
blowing forty eight clerks. This is set
forth in Mr.. Clark's testimony In reply
10 a question whether that division ought
not to be Topped of, he said "lf the
wo,k in the Auditors office was npto
date, the work IN the finance division
would be useless" There cannot there
fore be a reasonable doubt as to the econ
omy to be gained and the general proprl-
ETY. of the transfer.
DEFICIENCIES.
Appropriations last year, 81, ,703, 500. Is;
department estimates for year ending
June 80, 1877, 81, 723,47l.79; recommend
ed by House Committee on Approprla-
tions, $662,3l5.07; House passed, $67l,-
4S8 IA; Senate Committee recommended
SS40, ,S3l OF; the law, as finally enacted,
S7l8,723.56. believe these deficiencies
are less than usual and heretofore, be-
cause of the knowledge by. the depart
mentS that a 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 detic-
fences would not be countenanCed. The
departments are, however, entitled to
partial credit. for their estimates this
wear were considerably less than hereto
fore. The same rigid rule will be again
applied, and the departments must gov
ern themselves accordingly.
FoRTIFICATIoNs.
Appropriations last year, $S5OOOO; De-
partment estimates for year ending June
80, 1877, S., ,406 600; recommendations OF
House Committee on Appropriations,
S3l5, 900; House passed, $3i5,OOO; Senate
passed, S3l5000; the law as finally en-
acted, $3l5,O00. This was a large com
parative reduction, But | believe no
material interests will suffer theretrom,
either in respect to our fOrtiticatlons or
as to experiments to be made in the trial
of armament or tOrpedoes. The later
sized guns of our recent war are now
considered ineffective Earth-works ex.
perience has shown to be the best pro-
lection against artillery on land or IRON
clads on water. The sums so lavlshly
expended since the war have not brought
any adequate return in these respects.
In the past ten years, up to and lnclud-
ing this year. ending June 80, 1876, we
appropriated for these purposes more
than Sl3000,000, 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,
Sl700l ,006 40 department estimates Tor
the year ending June 30, 1877, S2OS7l,-
$50 40: recommendations of House Com
mittee on Appropriations, l2,SOS ,655.4O; I
House passed, Sl2,432S554O; Senate
Committee recommended, SIG l67, ,S55.4O;
Senate passed, $l4,S57 ,S55 40; the law as
finally enacted $l2H0,3 ,3554O. The ap-
propriatious for the naval establishment
are largely reduced 1t is branch of the
service where large savings can be pru- G
IDENTIFY made. | need not allude at length t
to the sums heretofore expended and the Z,
manner of their expenditure. The de-
partment in its management has been
thoroughly examined into by a commit
tee of this House, and their findings are ,,
in print, which render further criticism :
in this connection unnecessary. These q
reduced appropriations come up to the
full measure of recommendations by the c
Naval Committee.
PosT-oFFGCE,
Post-otiice appropriations last year,
$SS76, ,205; department estimates for the
year ending June 80, 1877, IS, S,43l 6O29 ;
amount recommended by House Com c
mittee on Appropriations, $26S0,9O6;
amount passed the House, $3.50 9U6;
amount recommended by Senate Com
mittee on Appropriations S75S6 647;
amount passed Senate, S72SS,647; the +
law as finally enacted, S5,967 498. The G
reductions in this act arise mainly from
the cutting off of the salaries of the
higher class of postmasters, which have c
been confessedly too high, and the reduc-
tion of 10 per cent on the amounts to be
paid to the railroads for the transporta-
ton of mails, among which is what is
known as the fast mail" An erroneous
impression prevails as to this latter ser
vice. The fast mails were not provided
for by law Speed was not taken into {
consideration in determining the com
pensation. 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 throwing an increase in the guam
tity of mail matter on these principal
railroads, thus increasing 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 a very
great Increase over former rates. Prior
TO that time 1915 per mile on all lines {
was the maximum rate. Under that act
the pav on some lines was increased to
sos per mile per year, and on the fast
lines as high as 81 ,0l6 per mile per year
This Congress has reduced the rates for
railroad service generally, 10 per cent, ,
which is moderate reduction. The
compensation on star lines and steam
boat service has been reduced far more
than 10 per cent. since March, 1873; in I
fact, from 10 to 80 per cent. The amount
paid before the passage of the act of
March. 1873, was considered high even
IOr LldI p6IlOu' luO ICuuCOu piiNS VI
every commodity which goes into the
cost of running railroad IS Tar greater
than 10 per cent. These roads have re-
duced the compensation to their EN-
ployes, and, together with a general {
shrinkage of values, it goes to show that
the amount now fixed is comparatively
higher than it was at the time the for
mer rate was agreed to. | am indebted
to the gentleman from Indiana Mr..
Holman) for these facts and conclusions,
and any one who knows his care aud ac-
Curacy in such matters will at once
accept them as true and correct. Ailer
all that can be said, the benef of the
fast mail are divided between the rail
roads receiving the increased pay and the {
newspapers of our great cities, in the
quick transit OF their papers. In this
day of telegraphing the newspapers of
the various cities of the Union are more