New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-11
AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
OBSTACLES TO AN APPROPRIATION BILL

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEi
WASHINGTON June 1O-The House ran against
two xpeced obstacles in the Legislative. Execu-
tive and Judicial Appropriation bill, to-day and
the consequence was that the hour Of adjour nment
left the bill unfinished in the Committee of the
Whole. The first o bstacle was another attempt to
transfer the investigation and adjudication of the
Fourth of July claims" from the Quartermasters
Department to the Court of Claims.
1t may be remembered that when the same propo-
sition was brought forward as a part Of the Army
bill few weeks ago, it led to lively and some-
what bitter discussion, in tho course of which Mr..
Blackburn rSade some grave accusations against
the integrity of certain employees of the Quarter
masters Department engaged in examining and
passing the claims referred to. This led to an in
vestigation by the Committee on Expenditures in
the War Department. Although that investigation
is not vet concluded, the members of the committee
have learned enough to convince them that the
present method is defective and they brought in
amendment to-day providing for the transfer to the
Court of Claims. After aproraced and rather bitter
discussion, the amendment was rejected and the
clause, as reported by theAppropriatons Committee,
allowed to stand 1t provides for the employment
Of fhfty-fiye agents, clerks and other persons at
yearly expence of SsG5S0. OF course these persons
are employed mainly on the recommendation Of
Representatives and Senators, and it was perhaps
too much to expect that majority of congressman
would vote to deprive themselves of this nice little
plum in tho way of official patronage.
Another obstacle TO rapid progress interposed in
the shape of an amendment offered by Mr.. Kasson
in behalf of the Committee on Reform in the Civil
Service. The amendment provided in substance
that the additional clerks to be appointed
for the purpose of facilitating the settlement
of pension claims should be selected from among
persons not under eighteen than fifty years
of age; that each person selected, after passing
proper examination, should receive at first only
temporary appointment for term not exceeding
six months that he should be subject to removal
at any time if found to be physically. mentally or
morally disqualified; that after six months of sat
sfactOry service he should be entitled to receive an
appointment for the term of three years, during
which he should not be removed except for cause,
unless his services should not be required during the
full period because of the falling off of the amount
of work to be done and that in making
appointments preference should be gwen to suitable
persons from States and Congressional Districts
whose quota of Government appointments Is not
full.
This proposition aroused a storm of opposition,
and a point Of order" was promptly raised against
il bv Mr. Cannon who has charge of the bill. On
this point of order there long discussion, which
resulted III decision ruling out the amendment.
Mr. Robinson of Massachusetts, who was chairman
of the Committee of the Whole, gave his adverse
decision with evident reluctance, and 1t was quite
apparent that he favored the amendment, while he
was compelled TO rule it out of ordcr
As Monday is set apart for the consideration OF
District of Columbia business this Appropriation
bill cannot be taken up until Tuesday.