The Dillon tribune., 1882-06-24
~ Ees,svoFd4<s.
WASHINGTON LETTER
tEsom our rsgulas Cosssspondsuk.l

WASHINGTON LETTER
usoo our rsgs,ar Cosssspondsakj
WASHINGTON, June 18th, 1882.
The debate upon the provisions cf the
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Aps |
preparation bill has shed some light on the |
pension question. The committee, in franz |
ing the bill, have undertaken to increase
the number Of clerks employed, directly or
on pension cases that the claims |
will be ad;udicated within three years from
July Ist, 1882. There were ,6S,ss4 of these
claims pending undetermined on April rst,
and with the present number Of clerks it
would take eight years to dispose Of them.
The committee provide In the bill for in.
creasing the numbers of clerks employed
in the Pension Bureau from "a, to 1850:
the number in the Surgeon Office from 81
to 766; the number In the Adjunct Gener.
ais Office from 4,3 to $50, and for the ad-
dition Of 60 clerks in other offices where a
small part of the work Is done. The addi-
tional annual cost Of these clerks will'be ST..
73,,43o The greatest part OF this sum will
be expended in the Pension Bureau, where
the cost Of clerical work will be raised from
$S6S,s3o to $1,SS1 $50. or more than doub.
led. 1t has been proposed By some to add
sufficient number OF clerk to dispose Of
all the claims in one year instead Of three,
but It has been found that no more addition.
al clerks than those provided for in the bill
| can work upon the records to advantage,
because there is only one copy Of the rec
ords which these clerks must examine. 1t
was thought that these records might be
duplicated BY autobiography, but an ex-
pert declared that their condition would not
| allow this. In order that fraudulent claims
may not be allowed, the committee provide
for $50 special examiners, whose duty 1t will
be to go to the houses Of claimants and ex.
anime witnesses. 1t is estimated that each
| Of these agents can examine asa claims a
year, or $4,000 year in all. According ia
to the estimate Of the Commissioner there
will be needed for the payment a pension
claims during the next four years sum
equal to exactly one fourth OF the present
amount Of the national. debt-$47s,ooooo
There has been much o,stcry against the ar
rears Of pension acts Of Congress, because
Of the heavy draft upon the Treasury, but
it comes mostly from organs Of corporations
or monied interests who want everything
themselves. The great majority Of people
agree that the money Ia far. .better expende(
and the lobby, as millions have been here
tofore.
If those who denounce the extravaganc,
Of this measure would turn their attention
to the River and Harbor bill and the reck
less appropriation for the construction O
public buildings there would be SOM
method in their madness. Nearly $4,000
will be voted for these two objects this year
a large proportion Of which IL actuall,
thrown away. The increasing proportion
J Of the River and Harbor bill really excite
) apprehension among Thoughtful peopl
here. This annual humbug started will
a modest two millions in 1870 and In twelv
years has come up to about twenty millions
AS reported to the house June Ist, the az
gregate amount called for was $I7,342,S75
but several jobs are to be added, 50 that tn
total will reach $,,,ooo,ooo by the time
gets through both houses. Nearly ever
Congressman wants a hack at It, and as tn
whole thing is run on the principle Of yo
help me and III help you, no addition ca
be refused, and every one increases tn
. number Of votes and helps to rush tn
scheme through. under suspension Of tn
!, rules, without debate. Just think what
will be in the next Congress when we hav
thirty.two additional members come In &c
their share of the "creeks' and damp plate {
to be improved. The President It is sal
looks cross.wise at this sort Of thing, an
a there is bare possibility that his conscienc
may prompt him to veto the BILL
}, With most people the Morey letter is
Z thing out of mind, and the true inwaranes
= of the affair or its authorship have bee
q given up as a conundrum too hard 10 gues
i But little Johnny Davenport has continue
q through all this time to occupy himse
IS with efforts to solve the mystery. Perhal
he hasn't much else to do and according
all accounts, it pays him well. lie w
here recently on his return from Cumbe
d land, where lie thought he had a clue, b
!. the result was not very satisfactory.
5, prominent member Of the National Repu
n iican Committee who was here day
c two expressed the belief that Mr. Davenpo
). had been on wild goose chase from q
beginning He said that Mr.. Davenpo
. had spent in the neighborhood Of $ao,o
on this investigation; that the nation
committee had advanced him various sur
aggregating in all about $4,000, and h
then thought II time to stop, as there seer
of ed to he nothing in 1t. After the nation
!" committee ceased its contribute
~ Mr.. Davenport applied for and receive
IL several Thousand dollars additional fro
: the Congressional committee and from p
d vate parties and he is apparently no nea'
m any discovery Of consequence than VIII
n, m he commenced.
q Dom PEDRO.
II