National Republican., 1880-03-29

$50 pounds to about 100. He Is now rapidly
on the mend, however, and Is gaining at tho
rate Of a pound day, II is said. He is a
gentleman whose courteous bearing and kind
acts have made for him many friends. Major
Power was for several years the president OF
the Pennsylvania Republican Association.
Captain William L. MacLeunun who Sue
ceeds him AS chief of the Warrant division,
was first appointed to q $1,000 clcrkship In
the Secretarys office, and has risen by constant
hard work to tile important position he is
about tn hold. In addition TO having thor
ough knowledge OF Treasury affairs lie Is
probably the most expert penman in tho
country.
DIR. Charles II. Miller, who succeeds him as
assistant chief of tho Warrant division, was
also $1,000 clerk, but IN competitive exam.
nation he jumped to u fourth.class clerkship
He is n medical college graduate For several
years he has held the next desk in Importance
TO tho assistant chiefs He Is a very rapid
and accurate worker.
A brief sketch Of the division of warrants
and appropriations is not out of place. OF the
ten divisions of the SeCretary's office 1t Is tho
principal one, Congress regards IL as such,
and for tho last five years 1t has made the sal
AIRY Of its chief several hundred dollars more
than any of the other divisions with one OK.
ception. The chief of the customs division has,
for only tho past year, received the samo pay.
Tho salary of tho assistant chief the Warrant
division is $400 more than any of the other as
sistant chiefs. 1t Is the division from which
tho higher officials have graduated. For in
stance, during tho past few years, Mr.. J. II.
Slville, once its chief WAS promoted to bo
chief clerk; Mr.. G. +. COnant, his successor,
was promoted to be Assistant Secretary, and
was subsequently, placed in charge of the syn.
dicato in London; Mr. James Gilfllan was
his successor MS its chic5 aud is now the
United States Treasurer. Major Power sue.
Gcedcd him, and now in turn is promoted tc
tho chief clerkship. The business of the divis.
ion is of vast Importance. A Senator Onco re.
| marked, 81 regard its rcla tiouship to the
United States rs l did tho Coriss engine tC
| Machinery Hall at tho Centennial without
the engine the machinery would stop, and
without the Warrant division the wheels o.
the Government would have to stop" There
arc over 100 warrants issued daily, reprcscut
| ing payments on an average Of about Il round
million dollars. These warrants are chccku
by tho chief of the division, and on his check
| the Secretary or Assistant Secretary sigus
| They then take their course through the Comp
trOllor's aud Registers offices 10 the Treasurer
who issues drafts upon them. He could not pay
out single dollar of United States funds with
out n warrant. The nj jnthly public debt state
ment Is mado up in this division. A iinan
cal history of the United States i
being prepared in the Warrant division.
has corps of most eXport but poorly paiC
lboOkkcopors. II they pass warrant maxim,
an overdrnft of an appropriation, the penalty
is dismissal. OF course this seldom, if ever
occurs, but it has n tendency to procure accu
racy. During July, when tho new appropria
tions for tho ensuing fiscal year, together will
deficiency appropriation accounts, have to b.
opened on their ledgers, they have to worl
day and night frequently the night worl
continues into August This extra work dur
ing the hottest part of the gear, when mos
everybody else is recuperating, is exceediugl.
taxing, yet thoy receive no extra compensa
tion for it. The 'bool of estimates" for apprc
priatons is prepared in the Warrant division
annually, and by the Secretary submitted t
Congress. 1t also gots up the digest Of apprC
details which, to make public, would Gonsum
too much space. Enough has been said, how
ever, to prove that it requires man of OK
perience and brains to run the division.