The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-09-16
GARFIELD WORKING FOR THE
RING.

DOdTu VI IuDlhC WORASJ lON WIN uSiiO
opposite and around Government reser-
vations" In presenting the cause of his
"clients" he said:
In every case they (the Board of Pub
lie Works. had made out full and accu-
rate statement of the expenses of grading,
paving, and other work done on streets
opposite such public property; and thro'
the Governor of the District of Columbia
they have forwarded TO the President Of
the United States a complete statement
of such expenses, and an estimate of
what the Government ought to pay if it
puts itself exactly in the place of the Gov
ernment of the District when the work
is done opposite District property. The
President has forwarded this paper to the
House of Representatives and it has been
returned to the Committee on Appropria-
tions.
The honesty of this board was then sus-
pected and Mr.. Randall inquired;
Why should we donate such a sum to a
board which has shown itself to be reck-
lessly extravagant in its operationsP
On the 18th of July, 1872, Garfield re-
ceived his fee of $5,OOO and on the 10th
of December following he reported the
Deficiency Bill, directing the Secretary of
the Interior to pay the Board of Public
Works of the District for expenditures for
paving and other Improvements 81, 241 ,920-
92. This measure he engineered tnro ga
the House, and opposed all amendments
designed to protect the Treasury from the
frauds of the Ring
Mr.. Marshall, of Illinois, in the Commit
tee on Appropriations, proposed as an
amendment that Gen. Humphreys, Chief
of the Engineer Corps should cause the
work to be measured, and that payment
should be made on his certificate alone.
This amendment was opposed by Mr..
Garfield on the ground that it would be a
reflection on Gen. Babcock, who had charge
of the public buildings and grounds, to
assign the duty of certifying to the accu-
racy of the measurement to any one else.
Later developments have shown Il
country how competent and reliable Gen
Babcock was for the task. He is now un-
der Indictment as one of the conspirators
and villains of the District Ring.
The right of Congress to make appro
priations for unauthorized improvements
was disputed by members not in the pay
Of "clients" interested in the appropria-
tions.
That Garfield, as an attorney, did valu-
able service for his clients will appear
from the debate in Congress, December
l6th 1872. (see Congressional Globe, pages
22O, ct seq.)
Mr.. Holman-I rise to a question of Or
der, that there is no law authorizing this
appropriation of money, and that it is no.
the continuation of any work authorized
by Congress.
Mr., Garfield ask the Clerk to read the
following provision Of the law.
(He cited the thirty y-seventh section of
the act organizing the Territorial Gov
ernment, with reference to the Board of
Public Works, which had no connection
with the subject.)
Mr.. Holman That merely has refer
ence to the municipal corporation of the
District of Columbia, and to the powers
to be exercised by its officers in reference
to the city. But it has nothing at all to
do with the appropriation of money out of
the public Treasury.
Mr.. Garfield only claim that what
they have done is under the authority of
law.
Mr.. Farnsworth-I have no idea that
the motion will be Of any avail, for 1 SUP
pose this thing is already cooked, and
that my constituents, as we'll as the con-
stituents Of every other gentleman here,
are to be taxed for the Improvements of
the District of Columbia. | was here
when that organic act was passed. But /
had no idea at that time, and never con-
templated that any Board of Public Works
or Board of Health, or any other authority
of this District, was to be authorized by
the act to incur obligations which my con-
stituents would be called upon to pay.
The people of my State are not taxed
to make improvements at the State seat
OF government. The State owns the
Capitol, The State owns other public
buildings. There are squares and i'm
provements there, but they are made by
the citizens of Springfield, and the citi-
zens of my district are not called on to
contribute for their benefit. say
it was never contemplated that this should
be done.
The gentleman from Ohio, the Chair
man Of the Committee on Appropriations, /
believe owns lot. He can tell the COM
mittee whether he is taxed for improve
ments in front of his property to the value
of those improvements
Mr.. Garfield-No man, whatever he may
think on these points, can deny that the
board has greatly improved the streets
and avenues of this city, and, consider.
ing the amount and quality of the work
done, and the price paid for it, think it
must be acknowledged that it has been
economically and well done. / doubt if
so much work has been done for any city
in the Union at so low price.
Two days after, on the 18th of Decem-
Der, Mr.. Holman offered the following
"And such payment shall only be made
upon vouchers approved by q board of
three engineers of the army, detailed by
the chief of the engineers"
Mr.. Holman-I want to say word in
reference to my amendment, and also upon
the general propositions involved in this
/ believe have never known
so large an amount of money to be ap-
without any estimates / do
not underestimate trust the Committee
on Appropriations do-whether this ap-
is for liabilities already in
Cured by the Board of Public Works, or
whether 1t is for expenditures to be made
hereafter,
Mr. Farnsworth This is deficiency
bill.
Mr.. Holman--My friend from Kentucky
calls my attention to the organic act, which
expressly denies this power to the Board
of Public Works of this District
Mr.. Garfield-Will the gentleman state
in the organic act, there is a de-
nial of this power2
Mr.. Beck-The provision is:
And said Board of Public Works shall
have no power TO make contracts to bind
said District to the payment of any sums
OF money, except in pursuance of appro-
priations made by law, and not until such
shall have been made.