Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1878-06-20
MONTANIANS DEFENDED.
Continuing the Roast.

duty to apologize to Senator Matthew's fo
leading him into a palpablc and public mis-
y statement in regard 10 this timber aren't
Mr.. Nowlan. If my gentle hint shall hav
stirred up the Secrctaly's pure mind b,
J. way OF rememb b.ance to that imperative
: but gracef act. shall gla lly cllronicI
: his entrance upon the line Of a genuine re
form in his own Civil Service.
l have already stated that the timJcl
question did not come into Congress by
the act, or. so tar as is known. by the de
sire of any Senator or Representative. 1,
!. came ''y the memorial OF the argrievc,
. citizens OF M0ntana--a memorial 'nosl
trivial in the estimation OF the Rev
James Freeman Clarke, yet proceeding
from $500 American citizens calrviur civ
ilization into the wilderness. one which
thought worthy 10 be quoted at length
The timber question came into Congress
also by the act OF Secretary .Schlrz him.
self. In his haste To send agents to the
Territories in utter disregard of its eX-
pense, he HAD prem urely and foolsly
exhausted his appropriation. and he APP
pcalcd to Congress for deficiency allow
ancc-3S'inr. indeed, twice and thrice as
much chrcting nothing but confusion as
Secretary Gland cr lad required for ini-
iiating and organizing a thorough work.
ms estimate. Is Secretary S.lurz sent
it to the House Of Representatives. was
Objectionable both in torni and substance ::
Objectionable in ways which lead directly
To tInt =.
Mr.. Clarke 50 vigorously and virtuolsly.
but indefinitely, depiores. Instead Of ask
inc specified sums for specified objects,
this anstcre Reiorner. who thinks the bus
mess of the country should be conducted
on business principles. sent IN the follow
ing grotesqne and omniyorOlts petition.
! which reminds one of that indescribal)lc
dish known TO the frugal New England
/ honsckccper on washing day rs pot
! luck: e"
"for diagrams. furniture. and repairs in
! the General Land Office. miscellaneous
items. !ncuding t"o bf tie ci;y neu,spa-
pers. to Le filed. bound and preserved for
| the use u the Office for the actual cx-
pcnses Of clerks detailed 10 investigate
| fraudulent iHnd entries. trespasscs on tie
public lands. and eases oi official niscoI1-
duet, and for advertising and tele25,ea,, hing.
the sum Of S1O,1
How much Of this $4,000 Secy Scl!l;rz
wanted for trlegrapl!ing; how much for
mcnd;n% 4 lealy roof in tie Land Office.
or for; new knob to the Pension Bureau
why be should cul from lis "liliscalln-
cous items" newspapers with tie nlinutip
Of filed, bound and prcscrved' While |
leaving the rest Of the MISCELLANY 10 the
limbo Of Lost Arts and what ratio of the /
S20G00 was to be devoted to a Sterile |
chase after timber thieves. or a squad OF
: Gon,lcmanly clerks" hunting "otlicial
MISCONDUCT through tie dcliles of tie
Rocky MOJntains-thc ,nrciOrmed mind
c,'E only conjecture. Bot this narGclcss |
and ainlless iumble Of items. this hc.er-
skeltcr and lil,rr*-skllrry Of broken rock
ing, Chairs and base officers. this mixing
and muddlns of expenditures which have
no possible relation TO each other except
the caprice Of .jllXtapOsition. must he ac-
cepted as the great Reform idea OF keeping
accounts in a business way. 1t certainly |
needs all the 'untiring industry" which
Mr. Clarke attributes to Mr.. Sc.urz, and |
it is no wonder that under the strain even
Mr.. Schnrz's great ability temporarily !
succumbed. venture to say there is not
a merchant in the United States. wholesale I
or retail, who would not he bankrupt in
twevemonth if he should venture on this
bookkeeping by double and muliipleX en-
try. after the model OF Secretary Schurz.
think some electric chord would convey
even from another world. the disgust of
\. I. Stewart. if his day-book should
read: 80 broadcloth, sweeping the floor.
gnnny bars, kit' gloves. collecting bad
debts, telegraphing, mouse traps, Lisle
thread. stockings, cleaning the snow from
the sidewalk. postage stamps, mending the
windows. night-watch. crctonne, 20.000"
Even Dora Coppertield might take her
pencil from the tender and careful bisec-
ton OF Davids nose and write in her pitt
tul little Imorandum-book: Flour. a |
silk gown, buns for Jip. picture frames.
dishcloth. pickles. repairing the furnace,
many other things, including canary seed.
Il man TO fetch the Goals. feather duster, to
get oysters opened, wash-tub. $780,
1t would be idle TO plead that this varie-
gated style of estimate had been practiced
by any Of Secretary SchurZ's predecessors.
The beauty of having Mr.. Schurz in the
Department is that he WAS vociterous re-
former. and was put there to show us Il
more excellent way than had ever been I.
known before. Moreover. the law indicates I
that different method should be adopted.
The statutes OF tie United States. in their
last published revision. direct that the
..Iieads Of Departments in communicating
estimates of expenditure and appropria-
ton TO Congress or to any of the commit
tees thereof. shall specify. as nearly as
may be convenient. the sources from which
such estimates are derived. and the calcu
lations upon which they are founded
Co ling still closer around Sec'y Schurz.
the statutes declare again that whenever
the head of a department finds that the
usual items of such estimates vary mater
tally in amount from the appropriations
ordinarily asked tor the GLject named /
X he shall accompany the estimate |
by minute and full explanations of all such |
variations and new items, showing the
reasons and grounts upon which the
amounts are required aad the different
item. added"
This fable teaches IL at Mr.. SchurZ and
his clique of Reformen. having for years
thunda-ed in oiW ears th.'t the "telt want
of the nation is that the business of the
Government should be done on business
principles, no sooner get firm foothold in
one of the most important Departments OF
the Government than they usually reveal
ooz;no World system of s.3usiness