The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-03-22
Congress yGacgzge-s With tne P:sbIic
Money.

Washington Special to CoaIjey-Jownal
The sunday civil and the deficiency
appropriation bills, which passed in the
last hours Of Congress, have just been
printed rs they became laws These
bills went into conference committees,
and were finally passed by the House
and Senate without any member or
Senator having full idea what he was
voting for. Accordingly members now
find in these bills many items to which
they are opposed. This is one of the
evils of the last dayof Legislation, as it
might be termed. The suudry civil APP
preparation bill was increased in the
Senate by 1900, 600. 1t came back to
the House. A conference committee Of
three members met with three senators,
and these six men adopted or struck out
items. Then the conference committees
reported to their respective bodies that
they had agreed and without reading
the bill, and without debate, it became
law. Practically, six men voted away
millions of dollars. This bad legislation
will be stimulus to the movement to
change the system Of preparing appro-
priation bills, so as to prevent the pill
ing up of bills in the very last hours of
the session.
In these printed laws just ont, are
found many sneaking little jobs. Menu
bcrs Of these conference committees say
that one OF two OF their number will be
in favor Of some Objectionable item,
like, for instance, in the sundry civil
bill on appropriation to give Corbin
$4,000 for contestipg Buffers seat in
the Senate, and will threaten the whole
bill appropriating $l7, 00O,0 to $780,
O00, 900 if this item is not retained.
such items will never stand debate, and
those favoring them hold them up until
the last hour, with the intention of
thus sneaIling them through. In the
same bill $4,000 are appropriated to pay
contestants for seats in the House.
OF late years this has grown into
such an evil rs to induce defeated can
didates TO come here as contestants,
thus to get an allowance for alleged
expenses. They 4eally mako money
ont of it. For instance, Jaro lI0ralson,
the negro from Alabama, was here this
last Congress. No one ever paid any
attention TO his case, No ono member.
OF forty knew that there was such II
contost;yet Haralson is allowed ", 500,
Bisboe, OF Florida, who was unseated
in the month of February, was allowed
IA, 600 for his expenses. He drew two
years pay, which, with 81 600 for mile
age and stationary tHnd, from one term
in Congress of two years, $l8, 600,
when everybody supposes Congress
men get but IS, 600 a year. Several
others are allowed big sums for con
testing expenses, while no one knew /
there was a contest Lynch, the col
orel man, contested Gen. Chalmers
seat from Mississippi, and got $1,000.
Gen, Chalmers was asked whether he
wanted anything for his expenses, He
replied that the contest had put no one
20 any expense, and he would not claim
my. In this same bill Conkling got |
jhe clause inserted for the benefit Of
his great friend, bTrs Kate Chase
5prague, releasing the Saiomn Chase |
homestead here from all back and ia
ure taxes. 1t rcmitt1d back taxes to
he amount of twenty thousand |
dollars. The same clause had frequent |
" failed in Congress rs an independ-
mt measure. In the deficiency bill
here is a clause which says: "Io pay
Howard French as clerk in the Serge
Office during the year at
he same rate as committee clerks"
This same rate is vs. day, which for
}G5 days is S219O. Howard French
leld the position as assistant extraor-
linaly to his father, who is Sergeant-at-
Arms, which position is not provided
or by law, and in the general bill give
him years salary.