The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-09-08

Net reductions ami p0stpoHencujs- 2l.it',-.9 =
| Now. 1 do not propose TO detract IL
any WAY from whatever credit Is due tC
the genileInen from Pennsylvania Mr..
Randall and the House for making
this large reduction aud postpOnement.
Ny purpose is simply TO analyze the
appropriations to state just what has
been done, how much Is due to reduc
tions and how much of it is due to
postponements. and how much oi
either was unwise or improper or both,
and how far the Senate has been will
ing to meet the House.
MILITARY ACADEMY BILL.
Tie reduction proposed by the
H. use i'll the Military Academy bill was
Sl33, I99. This was made first by
reducing the salary of each of the
cadets $50 per annum and the salaries
of the professors was reduced perhaps
$40, coo in the aggregate. The balance
of the reduction is mainly made by
pustp"ning the appropriation for the
completion of buildings at the acad-
emy. the most important and expensive
of which is the hospital for the care
and medical treatment of the cadets,
which 10y law and former appropria
tions in accordance Herewith has been
commenced and its early completion is
regarded by all of the officers in charge
as of vital importance and that it is
now and has been for years past de-
manded in the interest of humanity.
| To swell the list of reductions the Pro-
gresS of this essentially important work
is stopped and the cadets are denied
he privilege of hospital accommoda
tions, thus leaving to future Con
gress to provide a sum sufficient to
complete it, as well as the other neces-
sary buildings at the academy.
PENSION BILL.
have already referred to the reduc-
ton of S46G, 500 on account of pensions,
stating that the amount appropriated
was the exact sum recommended by
the Commissioner of Pensions, and
that the reduction was due to the fact
that we are now on the descending
scale on account of pensions.
CONSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC BILL.
The reduction and postponements in
the consular and diplomatic bill foot
up S42S, ,437. 50. This is accomplished
by reductions, first, of the salaries ol
the diplomatic service; and, second,
by the discontinuance of forty four
consulates and the reduction of the
salaries of the remaining consuls. As
to the wisdom of this wholesale reduc,
ton and withdrawal of our TepreSen
tatives from foreign countries the
future will surely give negative an
swer. We levy tax on the commerce
of the country for the maintenance oi
our consular system. and upon last
years basis, this tax more than paid
all the expenses of every kind for its
support. The arguments made against
these reductions by the two gentlemen
from New York Mr.. Wood and Mr..
Hewitt We're not answered at the time
they were delivered, nor have they
, been answered since. | agree Will
them that the present is Il very inpor
, ture time TO abolish any of these com
! mercial agencies by which our com
merce may be protected and extended
} One of the results of the depressed
condition of the industries of the coun
try is that the cost of manufactured
|
largely reduced, thus enabling our peo
pie to export many of own manufac
tured products, which heretofore we
have been unable to do. And now
simply to make political capital, 4
democratic majority of the House I'M
dertakes to economic by withdrawn:
consuls (who are simply acting as aid
to our commerce. from forty four i'm
: portant foreign stations and reducin:
the efficiency of those on duty by I
5 decrease of their salaries, and this, too
at the very time when of all others ii
: the history of our county this brancl
;; of our foreign service should have beel
streL gthened and increased. This
: a mockery of economy; besides, III tax
y ing the money eXacte1 from the com
$ merciaI interests of our people am
l placing it in the Treasury to be use
e for other purposes, no matter hoy
Y worthy, il wholly wrong. The imFlie
/, pledge that the funds secured by thi
a tax should go only for the support c
e the consular system l:ts been violated
and every interest connected with til
e extension of our commerce aud tn
y increase of our exports, now so muc
i needed, must correspondiPgly suffer
e If not a fraud upon cur colnmercif
e interests, it is a betrayal of trust, ali
e is wholly incxcusabl,.
!. FORTIFICATION BILL.
e The reductions, compared with la.
+ year, are $685., 600, and as compare
C with the estimates, are S3, 091 900. L
In ~ & (. I,.,
{ mittee agreed. The bill was reporte
/ to the house by Mr.. Wheeler, and th
e, House was unanimous in passing it. BI
= for all this it cannot be called Il redu
= ton. 1t is simply postponemen
Is The estimates made by the War D.
y partment show that nearly So, 500, 600
u needed to be expended on the forts I
.e the country to make them what the
IT ought to be- No one OH the conmi
~ 70 tee or in the House objected tn ii
e. postponement; but no one can fail
d, see that it is work which sooner I
rs later must be completed: and ther
le fore it is only postponement whic
.n :, must some time i'll the future be pr
vided for.
le LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE, AND ]
IS DICIAL BILL.
re The reduction and postponements
ID this bill compared with the approprl
Sc tions of last year are So, 124.4l1 j
es and from the estimates are 81, SIG, ~
TO 80. Two millions of dollars of the
p several amounts are wiped out by 4
III failure TO appropriate the necesSa
p payments OIL account of judgments
sc the Court of Claims. half milli
of mere by indefinite appropriations
liz the mints and assay offices; anota
he half million by re appropriations; a.,
1t the balance, S2, 124 600, can fairly
ch ascribed TO reductions. OF this su
le- $500, 900 apply TO the reductions cf t
as pay and salaries of members and
Is. ficers of the House and Senate, S25
ms 600 more to the salaries of the clel
be in the various Departments in Wa.
1r ington, and probably another hundr
rts thousand to reductions of salaries
rs; different parts of the country. L
he balance is due to the reduction OF
tor number of employees. Having civ
100 the subject careful attention from
l beginning of the session. l have be
m willing 10 make the reduction III nu
his bers about 20 per cent, and | bell,
ger that can be done with safety. The
to duction proposed is something III
be than % per cent. l have been satist
ne from the start that if the House
M. had been adopted the loss in the
= tarnaI Revenue Department wo
of have been ten times the amount VIII
,nt is claimed would have been saved
will reduction of force. That this wo
his have also been the case i'll other
asst partments-in the Pension Oihce
um of all the Offices directly relating ther
nal such as the second Auditors, Adluti
"a Generals. and Surgeon Generals
ces. the reductions as proposed by