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

ing subsidiary silver recently authorized
by law 10 substitution Of fractional cur.
rency. Now, as to the objection urged to
reductions of appropriations for the con-
s.ruetion of public buildings throughout
the country, and the building for the Safe,
War and Navy Departments in the city Of
Washington. The policy which guided
the House was to make appropriations
this year for no building the construction
Of which had not yet been commenced,
and 10 making appropriations for those al
ready begun to give sufficient sum to
finish and furnish those Of smaller size,
such as the custom house at New Orleans;
the custom house and post Office at Ra-
leigh, North Carolina the custom house
and post Office at Port Huron, Michigan;
the custom house and post Office at Par
kersburg, West Virginia; the court house
and post Office at Lincoln, Nebraska, and
the cusssm house and post Office at Roch.
land, Maine, giving the balance which We
deemed wise to appropriate in moderate
degree to the larger structures SO as to 20
on with the work slowly. The appropria.
tion is S2,0O0,000 less than last year,
when tho appropriations for public build.
'ingsi now and old, were unusually extrav-
agan.. As to the appropriation for new
structure for the State, War and Navy
Departments in the city of Washington, il
was under the same rule. The expendi-
lures for this structure are made an excep.
tion, all the others being under the Super
vising Architect Of the Treasury Depart
ment, while this is under an engineer Of
the army, General 0. Z. Babcock. For
the repairs and preservation of tho navy
yards we gave 100000, against s5OO,O
last year. We deemed that for the legiti-
mate purposes of repairs proper at the
different navy yards and stations, and the
preservation Of the same, 100000 was
adequate, and believed the $500 900 here
tofore given was diverted to other purposes,
not properly chargeable to this particular
service. In reference to armories and ar
senals, the reductions, except in one or
two instances Of no small amount, were
those recommended by the latc Secretary
Of War, Mr.. TAFT, in bis communication to
Congress revising the estimates of his pre-
decessor.
JUDICIAL EXPENSES.
In regard to tho judicial expenses of the
reduction was made upon
the recommendation Of the Committee on
Expenditures in the Department of Justice
and justified after thorough investigation
by exposure Of the most outrageous frauds
upon the Government, perpetrated by mar
shals and other United States officers, the
most fragrant Of which were in the States
Arkansas and North Carolina. The JUS
tice and Propriety Of this reduction are
undoubted.
There are many things in tho appropri-
alton bill referring to the public lands
which meet my approval. l believe that
we have appropriated much larger sum
Of money in years past for the survey of
the public lands than was needed, and /
have said to members of the Committee on
Appropriations that believed there could
be retrenchment and saving of money in
this direction at the present time. do
not believe that single State or single
Territory will suffer practically by this re-
trenchment. The implied statement by
the President that the aggregate appro-
priations Of the sundry civil bill are in
not more than 65 per cent. of
those heretofore made should command
appreciation rather than censure. For life
saving and life boat stations our appropri-
ations are in excess Of those made last
year. We gave this year S237 ,460, while
the amount appropriated last year was
1891 $50. Surely we cannot be charged
with injuring this humane service Of the
Government, when we have in this Demo.
cratic House appropriated more than was
appropriated by the previous Republican
House. The appropriation for public
printing and binding We reduce largely on
the recommendation Of the Committee on
Printing Of this House, which established
fact Of gross abuse and extravagance in
the administration Of that Office. The
given last year was 81 ,665, ,5O7 &c.
The amount asked for the current year
vas 50, ,296, ,056.56. The amount allowed
this year, under advice Of the Committee
on Printing, is 81, 1885, so, about $780,
900 less than the appropriation last year.
The report Of this committee, to which |
have alluded, clearly establishes the fact
that this sum should have been sufficient
TO have done the work last year if the
proper prices had been paid for material
and the running expenses had been right
fully adjusted. For the support of the
National Home for Disabled Volunteer
Soldiers we gave the exact amount asked,
s66S,733,43. The appropriations for the
sundry civil expenses Of the Government
for the year ending june 30, 1868, were
81, ,307, 1918. In 1870 they had crept
up to SO, 1915, ,228.81. In 1872 they furth-
or advanced to s24,161 ,773.S6. Finally,
In 1874, they reached the enormous amount
Of s32, ,lS6,129. In 1875, when the dis
tress in the country became so prevalent
Il could no longer pass unheeded, even in
q Republican House of Representatives,
We find there was small reduction from
s32, 1876, ,129 to s27 ,0O9, ,744.sl; in 1876,
10 S26, ,644350. We have reduced the
sundry civil expenses this year below the
appropriation of last year sl0,441, ,7S0,
ippropriating only about one half the
amount appropriated in 1874, being re-
iuction Of about SIG, 100000.
MILITARY ACADEMY.
Appropriations last year, 1864, ,740; de-
partment estimates for year ending june
30, 1877, s437, ,740; amount recommended
by House Committee on Appropriations,
1921 PAL; amount passed the House,
1853, ,231; Senate Committee recommend
ID, s30S,S41; Senate passed, s208,94l;
The law as final enacted, s290,065. There
was 10 controversy between the two Houses
The question of compensation to professors
1t West Point. The House deemed that
in some instances, being over $4,000 per
annum, they were higher than for similar
services in civil life, especially when we
AXE into the consideration the fact that
these professors, without sncountering any
1f the privation, hardships, and dangers Of
-.., H(~ -. sl~.. .-.~l .~-l.