Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-10-19
RUN BY CLERKS.
How, the Annual Estimates are
Made Up.
The President and High Officials Away, and
the Government Going It Alone
The Urgent Need Of
WHERE JOBS AND ROBBERY CREEP IN,

WASHINGTON, October lS.-The Commit,
tee of Appropriations usually meet in
. Washington several weeks before the gath
ering Of Congress to prepare the supply
bills for the next fiscal year. The basis oil
their action is the annual estimates from
the different departments, collected by the
Treasury, and laid on the members tables
the first day of each session.
The President, the Cabinet, the heads oil
bureaus, and most of the chiefs Of divisions
have been absent from the capital for more
than two months. But they hsye been
PunetuaI I'm Drawing Pay,
without any scruple for not having earned
il.
Asa necessary result OF this absenteeism,
the preparation of the estimates OF expen-
ditures for 1884 has been made by irrespon-
sible clerks, so far as the work has pro-
gressed. II the Administration shoald re-
turn to duty within any reasonable time,
these figures could not be carefully ana
lyzed before the meeting Of the Approprla-
ton Committee. The fall elections will
materially interfere this year with reyi-
sion because politics is regarded as the
first business OF the administration. The
Clerks Have Been Running the Gov.
ernment
since the adjournment Of Congress, and
perhaps il is as well they should continue
to do so until the people are prepared for
change in this corrupting and costly sys-
tenn. Instead OF giving the items OF ex-
penditure, 30 that the taxpayers may see
the cost of every part OF the machinery,
millions are estimated for and voted in
lump, and nobody knows how the money
goes. -,
In England. IL ship is to be built, or
any other work Is TO be undertaken every
shilling of the COSTS
Exhibited I'm Detail,
and the Ministry for the time being is an
swerable to the Commons and to the ceun-
try for sny subsequent increase. The
Government is managed on the principles
of business, which merchant or a manu-
facturer or farmer applies to his personal
affairs if they are properly regulated.
Take an Example or Two
at random from the appropriations for the
new navy of 1882, as follows:
"For preservation OF vessels on the stocks
and in ordinary; purchase Of materials
and stores of all kinds; labor in navy yards
and on foreign stations; preservation OF
materials; purchase of tools; wear, tear,
and repair OF vessels afoat, and for general
care and protection of the navy in the line
of construction and repair, and incidental
expenses, namely, advertising and foreign
postage, 81, 100000"
For repairs and preservation of machinery
and boilers in vessels on the stocks and in
ordinary; purchase and preservation OF all
materials and stores and patent rights
purchase, fitting, end repair OF machinery
and tools in the navy yards and stations;
wear, tear, and repair Of machinery and
boilers of naval vessels; incidental ex-
penses such as foreign postage, kilograms,
and instruments, $S75,0O0.
No Details.
The two bureaus for which these ammo.
priations were made do not deign to give
the figures showing how the totals were
made up. II will be seen they contain a
multitude OF items artfully collected to-
gether as reason for q big money grant.
II they should attempt to itemize the sec
ton, the fraudulent practices which are
common TO the public service would be at
once disclosed. Hence they are Jumped for
the navy, fSf the army, and for the other
departments wherever Jumping is possible.
IEExtrayagance, colluSion, jobbery, corrup'
ton and waste ale inevitable when Gov
eminent or an institution OF any kind is
conducted in this loose and irresponsible
way. 1t has been going on for years with
out check
If the Democrats get the next House oil
Representatives, as now seems probable
one of the first reforms required at their
hands will be a change in the appropria'
tions, so that every dollar voted shall be
applied for a specific object, leaving no dis
cretion for diversion or for misapplication
ho
the, head of a bureau might spend a whole
appropriation in q few items. This was
frequently done during Secor Robeson's
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