The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-06-24

The Appropriation Bills.
There is great deal of buncombe in this
deadlock between the Senate and the House
on the appropriation bills The pretext Of
the House to govern tho country by means
of the appropriation bills il. untenable. Once
concede that, and there will be no use of
Senate or President The argument that
the Senate is resolved upon no course
that will not admit of corruption is unfair
and untrue. The Senate is quite as honest
a body as the House, and the republicans
who control it know as well as the democrats
who control the House the advantage of coon
omy as cry in the canvass.
The trouble about this reform question,
this cutting down of expenses, is that
the republicans and the democrats alike
seek political and not national ends.
This is not the why to reform any
government We need so much money to
carry on the government, SO much for the
different branches Of the service We need
q small army, enough to picket our frontiers
and to keep the skeleton Of future organi-
zation if needed. We should have large
staff, engineer and ordnance corps, be-
cause in the event of war the eff
cheney of the volunteers will de-
pend largely upon the manner in
which they are organized. The artillery,
infantry and cavalry might be reduced-the
infantry especially. There is little use for
marine CORPS As to the Marine Band, how
ever, that should be protected by an amend
ment to the constitution. The navy should
be reduced. But we should have the most
perfect torpedo system that science and
money con obtain. Upon our torpedoea
and the extraordinary progress science has
made in the adaptability Of electricity to
explosive substances we must depend for
the defence of our coasts. When our coasts
are secure the country is secure. We have
no missions on the high seas. no empire to
extend over coral reefs and African jungles.
Canada and Mexico are ripening pears.
They will be ready to fall into our pouch az
soon as we are ready to hold it out. As to
the Indians, they should be transferred to
the War Department. We spend money
enough every year to keep every Indian
in the Fifth Avenue Hotel. That fountain
Of corruption should be sealed. As to the
foreign service, almost any change would be
an advantage. One or two good, level
headed ministers, one in London and the
other on tho Continent, in some central
point like Geneva, are all we need.
Then we could have consuls or consular
agents at the other capitals to transact any
business we may assign to them. We have
no such necessity for embassies as our
friends in other nations over the sea- As to
our home civil service. we do not see how it
can be benefited. We pay poor salaries all
around, and as q consequence are poorly
served. The only reform we would suggest
in that direction is an increase in the pay Of
the smaller officials and civil service. Strike
out the whole business of patronage. Pay
q clerk what he is worth, keep him steadily
at work, and as long as he behaves himself
and is really needed keep him employed.
This would be reform worth paying some
money to attain.
Moreover, it is idle for the majority of the
House to talk about economy when we see it
passing measure SO Ubiquitous as the bill
for the equalization of bounties. This bill
proposes to pay about hundred millions OF
dollars over to claim agents and brokers who
have bought up claims for song. Those
claims never rested upon solid foundation.
They were fraud at the outset. The
House, in passing them, has approved Of
the fraud. Now, if Mr.. Randall and some
of the reformers will induce the Senate to
defeat this most iniquitous measure they
will save the Treasury much more money
than can possibly be squeezed out of the
appropriation bills.