The daily gazette., 1880-02-25
From the N. Y. Sun.
Shall II be Economy or Plumber?

1
All the time consumed in the losg de.
bate on the revision Of the rules of the
House Of Repi iesentatives will have been
proftably expended, If the vote on the
test question Of retrenchment by the
Appropriation Committee be finally con
firmed by yeas and nays. The division
by tellers showed majority Of twenty
eight for the Morrison compromise,
which Is quite As effective as the existing
RUE, and in some respects is even more
vigorous for the purpose sought to be at
| tanned.
Until the Forty-fourth Congress the
rule of practice applied to appropriations
tor the public service was that It was in
order to increase, but not TO reduce
them. Economy was thus outlawed In
the body claiming TO represent the inter-
ests Of the people. Under this afro
ci0us rule the salary grab and back-pay
steal, and other plundering legislation,
were made possible. The Republicans
had crowded the statute book with laws
providing for large standing army and
an extravagant navy, with costly retired
lists for each. The different depart
ments were all organized ON . prodigal
sale, with high salaries aud expensive
siDecures. This was the condition of
things when storm of popular indiRna-
ton, reused to resentment by the ex-
cesses Of Grantism, swept q Republican
majority of one hundred In the House Of
Representatives out Of existence, and
returned a Democratic majority Of seven
ty-five in its stead.
When the new House met, Q Republi-
can Senate, and Grant in the White
House, stood in the way Of every
mea. u 9 of reform and retrenchment.
1t would have been absurd for the Dem
ocrats to attempt q repeal of the laws
which created extravaeant expenditures,
as there was no possibility of passing
them or Of wiping out the political leg
islation which the Republicans had re-
peatedly mounted as riders on the appro-
priation acts when they dreaded discus
sion, and could use the previous ques-
ton TO cut off controversy.
Hence, in order to redress griev-
ances, they resorted to the great con-
stitutional remedy, reserved to the
House exclusively, of originating bills
of revenue by exercising control over
the appropriations. They began by
reversing the Republican rule, and
making amendments to the supply
bills in order, only when they reduced
expenditures. Then they told Grant
and the Senate that the budget must
be cut down forty millions, or no
money would be voted.
That notification had salutary eff
feet, for, although the Senate resisted
and spitefully returned the bills, they
were obliged to surrender in the end,
with a saving in round numbers of
twenty-five millions, absolutely ex-
torted by this method. The disease
demanded heroic treatment, and the
knife was applied successfully.
The work thus auspiciously begun
has gone on since then gradually,
though not with the original vigor. It
is difficult to find a Chairman of Ap-
preparations, upon whose shoulders the
chief responsibility falls, who unites in
mis- own person the mental and the
physical qualities and the parliament
ary training which are indispensable
for success in that laborious post. And
this is especially true when an entire
governmental system is to be investi-
gated, revised, and reformed. Mr..
Atkins, the present Chairman, is mp
right, straig ghtforward, and an open
enemy Of all jobs and corruption in
every form. But his health is not
equal to the strain, and he is deficient
in some other respects.
The Committee Of Appropriations has
come to be recognized, and is now prac-
lcally the Committee of Retrenchmen ent.
This power has excited the Jealousy and
The resen meDt of other commuters Ia
tne House, whose members would like
20 report army bills, navy bills, Indian
ollls. diplomat @ bills, and the like, Gov
ering al branches Of the public service,
their own way, without revision. Di-
vide the authority in this manner, and
the expenditures would Immediately
swell up by tens of millions. Bills are
now ready to be launched on the House,
for public buildings and other objects,
That would add more than twenty mil
lions to the appropriations for this ses-
sion alone; and they are but pulse feel
or for otbors kept In reserve.
1t Is easy to uBderstand from these
eacts why De Golyer GARFIELD, Secor
Roi e'sn, and other Republican mana
gers have made SO long desperate fight
| to deprive the Committee or Appropri-
ations of the power to cut down the ex.
pepditures. With the aid of q few bolt
| ing Democrats, this combination came
several times within one vote of attain
| ing their object, and 1t was only by the
ill-timed aud excessive Esal of Robeson,
In daring final assault that the seeming
victory OF the coalition was converted
| into q crushing defeat through the sdop-
| ton Of MOrrison's substitute, offered at
l the very crisis of the contest.
Experience has demonstrated the wis
| dom of the rule relating to appropria-
| tons. Without this hold on the public
purse there would be no restraint on ex-
pebditures, and existing laws, passed by
| Republican Congresses for partisan and
pro,iigal objects, and which cannot be
repealed while Fraudulent President
sits In the White House, would be put
forward as q cover for immense spolla-
tions of the Treasury. Therefore, the
House must either stand by the recent
vote, when the record Is made up. OF
/ D -epare for a new era Of plunder. These
are the plain alternatives Of the situa.
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