New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-08-07
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON.
EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEYS.
CONGRESSMAN HIsCocK's EXPLANATION OF THE
INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS BY THE PRESENT
CONGRESS.
IBr TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBUNE.I

lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.I
WASHINGTON, Aug 6.-Chairman Hscocks
speech reviewing the work of his committee and the
items OF appropriation for the current fiscal year,
and comparing the amount with that appropriated
for the last fiscal year, will be published
tomorrow. According to the figures given by
Mr.. Hiscock, the increase has been very slight.
large part of this increase he accounts for as fol-
lows: Pensions $34, 900 900; additional clerks to
facilitate adjustment of pension claims 81 ,742 f30
rivers and harbors, ST. 302 575, making a total of
$43O45,O05 There is an increase of about
$4,000 for the Department Of Agriculture tho APP
preparation bill for which was prepared by the
Committee on Agriculture.
After pointing out the items Of increase in the
River and Harb0r bill, Mr. Hiscock said: "The
items OF increase have indicated aggregate about
$5OOO,000 and I could point out others equally
mcrtorious, though not large to account for the
remaining $23 800, 900 Of the excess in appropri-
atoms of the bill of the Committee on Commerce of
the present House az approved aad con-
CURED in this Congress- over the last
years bill, l did not join in that
approval and concurrence. l believe the law APP
propratcs too much money. Granting every object
1t provides for to be worthy of aid. and in my
opinion it provides for improvements that have no
claims upon the Treasury of tho General Govern
ment; but the law for tho present year is far less
Objectionable in this respect than the last years
law"
Appropriations for miscellaneous purposesv in
the bills for the current year show an increase of
about 100000. This amount includes nearly
100000 for relief of the sufferers by the MI5sis-
sippl overflow, which of course was an extraordi-
nary expenditure. Another item of increase
Mr.. Hiscock spoke of as follows: There is
also included in this excess the sum of
$l,493, 1G II, the increase which has been gwen
by this Congress to the postal service of the United
States. That is q service which is constantly in
creasng There has not been the increase in the
appropriation for this fiscal year those of last
year there was in the appropriation for the last
year over those of its preceding year.
without Gripping the service, the Post
Office Department is now doing far more work
for the same expenditure than in either of tho
three preceding years" Another item of increase
amounting to $33, 900 consists of permanent ap-
preparations for which annual appropriations have
been substituted. Of course this increase is only
apparent. Mr. Hiscock summed up his comparison
as follows
Mr. Gh9man the aSgeg1e of the annual
including the Agricultural bin, which carries S91,7S0
Harbor bill, neither OF which prepared by the Com
mttee or Appropriations, was S2O36i6256 79 for the
37iso 25S H. AZ have ALREADY stated we have
given TINS year for the payment Of pensions aud ar
rearases pensions under existing law and the payment
OF which cannot be avoided at time S34,000000 ;
for clerical force to adjust them S1742430 aggregate
amount md the showing is that have appropriated
for all Government service proper to pay Government
in few minor Instances in Which the bills carried tneT
appropriations tand they included In the miscel
more than was appropriated by the last Congress
Mr. Chairman the in appropriations for postal
stated,
than accounts orit That 81 493 1I6 IL and leaves
Should certainly add the S33Os0 annual appropriations
we have substituted for permanent.
Alr. Hiscock then turned his attention to the de-
fcencies which the Democratic majority in the last
Congress bequeathed to the Republican majority in
this, and showed that they amounted to $40, ,24S,-
193 One of the items is 81 1872 206 for cOmpensa-
ton of Postmasters, which is fixed by law, but
which the Democrats dishonesty refused to allow
Another item is 81. .120 900 for transportation of
mails by railroads, also fixed by law. Another item
is one of $l,036,S67 for the Indian
service made up largely of appropriations
nece ssary to discharge treaty obligations with
the different Indian tribes. There were also de-
ficencics of $52OOOO in army transportation,
1858 O56 for expenses of United States Lourts,
S62OOOO account of the Census, andS16,OOO,OOO
for pensions speaking OF The deficiency on account
of public printing, Mr.. HscOck said:
The XLVIth Congress in its last ssOn appropriated
for public printing 81, 100000 believe there had
expended during the preceding year in that bureau
frate what sometimes has seemed to true. Perhaps
ght not to charge intimate it, but still tho sls-
Dcion crept into my mind that IL settled pol
lev I'm the last session OF the last Congress make insult
fcen appropriations for the then next fiscal year. ST.
appropriated for the support OF the Printing
Bureau when believe 81. 100000 had been nsed In the
previous year That Congress had the OF the
printing it controlled volume Of the printing and
knew il had increased yet IL failed to appropriate up
to the amount OF the preceding year. The deficiency
i'm that branch OF the service alone, which were
compelled to provide for. WAS SS65.000 and, sir. it
was all expended to print documents ordered by DEM
ocrauc Congress
OF the whole amount charged to deficiencies. Mr.
HiscOck computes that 81, 900 900 must be charged
to last year alone, and was rendered necessary by
the insufficient appropriation for that years Gov
ernment service the remainder dates still farther
back In benaf OF the Appropriations Committee
Chairman HscOck said
IL has been our intention and have strven to make
full appropriations for the service; and know Of
instance which have given less tnan be-
heved necessary for the support and maintenance
Of the particular branch OF the service for which the ap
preparation made, and many branches
OF the service tho amount given has
been increased in consequence of the
investigation OF the appropriation made for the last year.
including deficiencies voted by this Congress, the first
appropriation with the deficiency constituting the
amount appropriated in most for the service
for this year. We have never gwen "A less amount
By making specific appropriations In all cases as
far as practicable, the Appropriation Committee
has hit upon plan which will do a great deal tow
ard preventing deficiencies III the future