Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-17
THE LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE
AND JUDICIAL BILL.
Specific Appropriations for All Em-
pIOYes In the Departmenls-AnI In-
crease In the Number of Clerks Pro-
VIded For.

The House Committee on Appropriations
have completed the legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill, and
authorized Mr.. Cannon to report it. The
bill, which was drafted by Mr.. Cannon,
differs from previous legislative bills in
making specific appropriations for all EN-
ments, instead of leaving them,
as heretofore to be paid out of
| gross appropriations. The principal fea-
| lures of the bill are as follows: 1t increases
the clerical force engaged in the prepara-
ton of pension cases to such an extent as
to enable the Commissioner to examine and
| adjust all pending claims within three
| years. 1t directs the Secretary of War to
transfer all the records in the office OF the
Surgeon General of the army, from which
the evidence is furnished for the settlement
of claims for invalid pensions, and also the
| clerks employed upon such records, to the
Office Of the Adjutant General of the army, If,
in his Judgment, the work of furnishing such
evidence will be facilitated or the number
of clerks employed upon such work can be
materially reduced In number by such trans
fer. It authorizes the Adiutant General to
use a part of the State Department building
for offices, and thus effects a saving OF the
SIS 900 per annum now paid for the rental
OF offices In other and less secure buildings.
Finally, 1t strictly prohibits the employment
in the executive departments of any other
clerks than those for which It specifically
provides, and thus renders impossible many
of the abuses and Irregularities which char
acterize the old system of clerical appoint
ment.
A comparison of the bill with the esti-
mates upon which 1t Is based, and with the
expenses for the same departments In the
current year. shows the following results
Estimates for 1888, $21, ,175 90S IS; amount
appropriated by the bill, $l9, ,691 ,047 80; de-
crease, 81, ,4S4,s55 IS. Amount appropria-
amount appropriated by the present bill,
$19,691, ,047 80; increase, $2.650, 1858 Al. II
from this last named amount, however,
be deducted expenditures heretofore
included in and covered by the
sundry civil and other appropriation
bills, the net increase made by the present
bill will be reduced to $2,218, 852 Al. The
principal items which go to make up the in
crease on the amount appropriated by the
appropriated for the current year are
as follows: For 1910 additional clerks
and other employees to expedite
pension work in the offices of the Adiutant
General, Surgeon General, Second Comptrol-
Ter, Second Auditor, Third Auditor, ard in
the Pension Office, 81, SIS 430; for contin-
gent and other expenses incident to this In
crease Oh IOTcc, pSS1,OOVs lOF In6 increase IN
the membership of the House of Represen-
tstives under the new apportionment,
$53 344; for fifty-one additional clerks In
toe Sixth Auditors Office, $64. 900; for forty
eight additional clerks In the General Land
Office, $72, $50; for thirty-seven additional
clerks IN the Patent Office, $37, $50; for
forty one additional clerks in the Post Office
Department, $S9,070; for ten additional
clerks In the Department of Justice, So. $50:
for salaries and expenses of Collectors and
Deputy Collectors of Internal Revenue,
5000 900. By reason of deficiency appro.
pristions the present cost of the service
In the Land Office and Patent Office is
nearly the same as that contemplated
by this bill. The nominal increase made by
the bill in the number of employees in the
executive departments at Washington, and
in the bureaus and offices subordinate there
to, is 2,207. This number includes 1910
clerks for pension work, and $40 clerks al
ready employed in the departments, but
paid out of miscellaneous appropriations
The actual increase in the department cleTi-
cal force, therefore. exclusive of pension
clerks, is 157. No increase is made by the
bill in salaries, and no offices are created
above the grade of fourth class clerkships.