The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-09-02
Hplitital Sfairs.
-
.rRENCHMENT
|| 4 Democratic House Has Done.
a|actiOn of $3O,oOO,OOO in the
Public Expenses.
kHIB DOCUMENT WORTHY OF
0AREFUL PERUsAL.
HtEECH OF MR.. RANDALL,
House Of Representative Aug. "a, 1876

= Hreaker, before the final adjourn,
M 81 d protraeted and labOrious session
u ,.<pp1r to review our action concern.
1fIcpriations from the public treasury
.sff on the Government for the fiscal
1nding June 80, 1877. We were
II the very threshold by the inexor-
tltarnativc Of reducing expenditure
IS just and economical basis, or, by al.
|HS appropriations to be made at the
aN Igufcs Of previous years, with in
|4tu.l taxntion; and this latter il was our
Ai6d ihith and solemn duty to prevent
sehaIf of the great body of the people
||I'e down by a heavy load of taxation,
Es NAo were further distressed beyond
@IsQfe BY arrangement and misfortune
N<cfy ayenue of agricultural, manuiac.
5<|o<, nechanical, and commercial activ-
Tp this end every item Of public
|t4ec, whether large or small, was sub
sV'o1 % che sevcrest scrutiny, and an in
<e|lon of every bureau and department
I'|V Gorernment undertaken, without a
z>'|eI, believe, for quarter of cen.
||>5 We had the comforting assurance
I11 VA had behind us the people, who
|E'4 nded That their burdens should be
31'eoea BY practical and necessary re-
11tlpna. The majority of this House Of
Freseuiotives was elected to reform
11Ilrld abuses of administration, and
1>A Ho assembled in December last that
n. s.s.f aagutna1 E,ll a,,,Ia..4,,
||z hoIl mud obtained partial control over
13|ic cxpcnditurcs. The first difficulty
1Ich pfcsented itself to the execution Of
I||< trust conided TO US was the existence
n i fole In the House which prevented
/9e repeal or even modification of any law
y appropriations upon an appropriation
6I|| unless tW0-thirds Of the members as
Gcnted thereto, which number the majority
1il not have. The construction which
1a1 been given TO that rule allowed amend
1Iti1ts 10 increase compensation to officers,
<|grks, and employees, but adroitly preyon-
<sd AZ out Of order any reduction what
aver To overcome this obstruction n
1<oQosItion wns submitted to so change the
<|l|o as To allow the incorporation into ap-
I1opfiation bills of such legislation which,
Being gcrmane, retrenched expenditures,
Mus making complete revolution in the
0pcration Of the rule, and turning legisla.
i've action in this House from cxtrava.
4 xance into the better and safer direction
of economy. That change, for the pur.
nose 1 have Indicated, was vigorously re.
sl1fed BY the Republican side of the House
fof the reason that, composing As they did
nd do more than one-third of its mem.
o3n, no amendments changing existing
s0s could be made or put upon an appro-
g|afion bill except when such amendments
Increased salaries, as under the old prac-
[|oe fWo-thiyds were required to suspend
40 rules to allow the majority toysote
tPcn on such amendments; and that two
|1|rds, as / have already stated, the mi
Iofity In this House could at any time
1fuse. Without such change any and
81 efforts on the part of the House to re-
IIcc the expenditures of the Government
|cu)i have been as the idle wind. Final
through the agency of the Committee
||<a 50 much desired, and the House
Aid Il by majority composed exclu-
1|y of Democrats. Almost all the re
r. HONS we have accomplished have fol-
iva Is the result of the first step, for il
i6dd Che way. It must not be forgotten
.ss 's ~ ISs H. o'se..;s,S ~ III;
'''s'ss' ''t'rt !" an .no eo9ou'"'o "n.e"
aro .no P'oP,e P,o.PGiouo, Io",
q <..} ~ ''-pPy' ~. ~
's'o'' .'e' y Ahai's was 'oU p'"'u i" y,
*.'1' ~ vas " up on az ono" anu
81 s'e'y ~, rN1"''i "nu erne 0oS
Y. >i''' in'o W. nav Pai';"y az
2: III. ~ Il, r'a'i"e; "n.on WIN y;
~ *<f.ev ',,pP'' 'no "''on pn. " ao II,
e 'e 'ano''Jus, ',a .,,L pu' " ~ Seoa'e
z'.' ~ II, ie.s'a' ,oo", ""nos' P.ou"s
~ .squneu 'o"s anu Pa,''"' "a
'"'''' 's"''o"' ""' '''J'
f,frihp REDUCTION OF SALARIES
A further plan Of procedure adopted
N reduce by 10 per cent. all salaries
1|11 n ZOO. and provide a reduction in
4 |ofoc Of clerks and employees of 20
6cnt These two provisions, If fully
|1pted, would have secured much lar,
feJuction of appropriations, and the
|I1a1f4e ofall supernumerary clerks and
11|oyes, Of which there are still large
1'Ebcr
b Is xrll known that all over the land
|YAtc establlshments of every sort and
E1ription have reduced the rates of com
o,ation 70 their employees. The House
.|4Ilcfcd this not an unreasonable re-
'et|pa IN amount under the circum-
1acaz But this reduction has almost
0oI|y Iailed because of the obstinacy Of
Senate and the Senate confcrees in
{1r o| clerks and employees has been only
1zI'a|ly realized, as the House conferees
It's fIfcel 10 yield part of their recon.
|1n||.Iions. It will surprise many when
IS |aafn the fact that as many as l0O,.
~ ourons receive pay from the Federal
11.1r< ~ order that no harm should
n Il 60 -.