Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-06
THE CAPITAL CITY.
ABUSE or The APPROPRIATIONS.
Senator Davis, OfW. Va, Looking into tx
penditures-A Bill to Require Ma
tiOnal Bank Reserves 10 Be
Kept in Standard Coin.
compsp.atiop to Pacific Railroads.


WASHINGTON, December 5.-The fol-
lowing circulars have been issued by
the Treasury Department:
The attention of all persons concerned
is invited to the provisions OF Section
$500 of the Revised Statutes, concern
ing compensation to certain Pacific rail-
roads, below enumerated, as follows:
SEC. $3.50. The Secretary OF the Treas
ury is directed to withhold all payments
to any railroad companya and its assigns,
on account OF freights or transportation
over their respective roads, of any kind,
to the amount OF the payments made by
the United States for interest upon
the bonds of the United States issued
to any such company, which and shall
not have been reimbursed, together
with the five per centum OF the net earn
ings due and unapplied, as provided by
law
In accordance with the above proyis-
ion of law, no payments will be hereai-
ter made, directly or indirectly, in favor
ui any oi the railroads in question. No
person entitled tO transportation at the
public expense will incur any eXpendi-
ture therefor over any OF these roads
with view of being reimbursed for
the amount. but should secure
from the proper authorities an order for
such transportation. and the accounting
officers OF this department will allow
any road presenting such order, duly
receipted, credit for the amount found
due. to be applied rs required by law.
In ease the expense OF such transpOrta-
ton is properly payable from any APP
preparation under the control oi the
Treasury Department, the necessary
order will be furnished only by direc-
ton of the Secretary OF the Treasury.
Looking into Expenditures-Abuse OF the
Permanent Appropriations.
Special dispatch To the Baltimore sun.
WASHINGTON, December 3.-Senator
Davis, OF West Virginia, offered in the
Senate, yesterday, resolution callingon
the Secretary of the Treasury for a de-
tailed statement of the amounts eX-
pended for the last fourteen years under
ations. Senator Davis, in conversation
with your correspondent, remarked that
he was satisfied the information which
his resolution called for would, when
given. be great surprise to Congress
and the country. What are known
as the permanent annual appro-
priations equal OF exceed every year
the aggregate OF the immense
sums voted by Congress in the regular
appropriation bills, and the heads OF the
executive departments, who have the
disbursement of it, are held TO no respOn-
sibility; therefore some few OF the per
mauent annual appropriations are made
under provisions of law comparatively
ancient. but the great bulk OF them are
provided iOr under the loose legislation
growing out ,Of the war. In the progress
of his investigations into the treasury
accounts. Senator Davis discovered that
certain funds belonging 10 one of the
permanent annual appropriations were
paid ont Tor matters which were entirely
foreign, and there is little doubt that this
SAME practice has prevailed in regard
To money in all OF the permanent an
uual appropriations. IL is quite proper
that the abuse which prevails in this
matter of permanent annual appropria-
tions should bechcckcd. Senator Davis
has, therefore, determined when the
regular appropriation bills come up for
consideration 20 move an additional See
ton 10 one ui them repeating all the
permanent annual appropriations eN.
rrpt that providing Tor the payment ot
the interest on the public debt. Con-
grrSs can then make regular annual ap-
preparations, as may be- necessary To
meet the expenditures now embraced
under the head OF permanent appro.
priationS.' The fees Of supervisors Of
elections are included under the pcrlua-
nent appropriations, and this explains
why they have been able to get their
paw.