Oxford Democrat., 1882-06-27
4 BILL THAT is A DISGRACE.

When the bills In connection with the
6{kness and funeral of President Garfield
Y ke presented to Congress, there was
)Onsiderable talk about the scandalous
taracter Of the wine, whiskey and cigar
Is Of the Congressional delegation ap-
nted to attend the funeral in Cleve-
y q, and for time it was threatened
the whole matter would be laid be-
the people. But that reflection upon
national Legislature was averted IN
: liberation partly of the sad and MEM
BE occasion. Now there comes to
I i some Of the proceedings that mark
he trip Of the Congressional delegation
d be Yorktown Centennial. There seems
good reason why these facts should be
y secret, and a good many reasons why
4 should not. The people may be
D pless, but it is time they they knew
bat Congressional trip means, both as
4 the conduct of the delegates and the
dats on the public purse. The people
certainly have right to know how their
nOney is spent.
When the general deficiency bill was
under consideration last week, an item
relating to the expenses of the Yorktown
Commission was called in question. Mr..
Holman declared that the debts OF the
Commission in excess of the $4,000 ap-
preparation had been contracted without
authority, and that the trip was only
junketing excursion. Another member
sent to the Clerks desk one of the bills
that had been paid by the Commission,
and had it read. To summarize it, the
items included 80 gallons and 2SS cases
Of various kinds Of wine-allowing twelve
quarts to a case-S0 gallons Of brandy,
90 gallons of whiskey. barrels Of beer,
> barrels of ale, 5 cases OF AppOllinaris
water, 5 cases Of Congress, , cases OF
Old Tom gin. and 5 gallons of rum. SO
much to quench the Congressional thirst.
For smoking there were provided TO-
500 cigars and two thousand cigarettes.
For chewing, seventeen pounds of one
kind and gross of papers Of another
kind of tobacco. And all this supply OF
drinkables, smokables and ehewsbles was
required on board the Congressional del
egation's steamer between Washington
and Yorktown and during the three days
stay there. The total bill was about
$1,000.
In behalf of the bill it was asserted
hat the foreign guests had TO be treated
vines and liquors without stint. and
. . not to have joined with them in
king would have been an insult such
- no American Congressman would for .
moment be guilty Of The bill proves
rlat pretty conclusively; for the IS gal
VI hs of whiskey made up drink distinc-
tkely American, to say nothing of the
barrels of beer. But when all is said and
done, the showing is simply and wholly
disgraceful. There ought to be some
way to stop such "junketing trips. II
that cannot be done, it can be insisted
that Congressmen shall pay for their own
whiskey and tobacco and wines, just as
other citizens do who insist on using
these things. II there Is any earthly
reason why Congress should take the
peoples money TO pay such illegitimste
and scandalous expenses, we should like
TO have it set forth. 1t ought not TO be
possible for a member Of the House TO
stand in his place and say he was in
formed that there was "a free bar and a
free drunk" on the boat going down the
river, and then to have such bill as this
brought in as backing of the statement.
II it be true, as stated in denial, that
there was no free drunk, then the capac-
ity of Congressman and others to get full
but not inebriated would appear TO be
immeasurable. Let US have no more bills
Ike this -Er