The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-01-13
Democratic Retreuchment

the enormous expenses of government,
and thereby relieving the taxes, is already
manifesting ITSELF Mr. Randall, after full
consultation with such members of his
committee as are present, and close eX-
animation of the estimates submitted from
the departments. and a personal interview
with the leading officials in the various de-
partments, says the Washington cores
pendent of the Chicago Tribune, good re-
publican authority. maintains his belief
that he will be able to reduce the annual
expenditures at least $40 100000. lie
takes from the army and navy establish
ments $1O,0OO,00O from each. This in
volyes reduction OF the army to $4,000
men, and a gradual musturing out or dis
charge of supernumerary officers and also
the sale of most of the small ships and
iron clads of the navy, and correspond
ing reduction among the force of officers,
seamen and marines Mr.. Randall feels
confident that he will obtain the support
of the republicans OF his committee and
the majority of the republicans on the
floor for these two measures or retrench
ment. A bill for reduction of the army
will be introduced shortly after the holt
days, and while the degree of reduction
already stated is fully determined upon,
the method by which it is to be accom-
plished, SO far as the surplus officers are
concerned, is not yet determined. The
purpose will be either to provide for a re-
duction to take place gradually by the US
ual casualties of the service, and by stop
ping both promotion and new appoint
ments, or in some way to make the mat
ter as easy as possible for the officers who
in the end must be dropped A proposition
to place such on the retired list for linz
tied period is in consideration The idea
of the majority in regard to the navy ap-
pears to be that nearly all the small
ships. and in fact the greater part Of those
which we now own, had better be broken
up and sold, the construction of a few
large ships be begun and carried on grad
ually until, with a smaller navy the etfec-
tive force would really be increased
through a better class OF ships, thus
brought into service.
The commissioner of pensions is con-
vinced that certain INVESTIGATIONS which he
has on hand will enable him to drop from
the pension rolls persons improperly upon
them in such numbers as to reduce the APP
preparation nearly a million Of dollars.
There will be no appropriation whatever
tor beginning new public buildings, and
the appropriation for those now in pro
gress will be very materially reduced with
a view Of preventing extravaganza. No
money will be voted Mr.. Robson for any
deficiency which he may report on ac-
count of his late unusual expenditures.
This determination is likely TO cause con-
siderable commotion II his department.
and to disclose the exact condition Of its
finances Members of the committee say
that no excuse which he can make will in
duce them to give him dollar, and that
if he has exceeded his appropriation al
ready, or expended money under one head
Of an appropriation which belongs to an
other, that he must take the consequences.
A large sum will cut off from the pres
ent cost Of transporting the mails, and a
large reduction will be made in the river
and harbor and fertilization bills The
contingent funds of the various depart
ments will be decreased at least three
fourths, and the large annual appropria-
ton for furnishing the public buildings
will be reduced in about the same proper
ton Mr.. Randall is confident that every
| necessary branch of the service can be
efficiently carried on if the sum total OF
the appropriations is reduced $40 900 600
as he proposes.