New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-11
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON:

NEWS FROM WASHlNGTON'
TOPICS OF NATIONAL CONCERN.
uo,rvvp,.r .rrp REDUCTIONS IN THE PUBLIC SEX
,.uoxr AND MAYo--THE ATTACK ON MR.
,,,rp-sytTs AGAINST STAR ROUTE CoNfhAC-
TORS.
. oorres,ondent of THE TRIBUNE states
.h,t octiop will probably soon be taken py the
President looking to consohua'ion VI ~
nal Revenue districts. Inc oecrc'aiy VI ~
Treasury is also said to De STUDYING nv"
can reduce expenditures IN the customs '0
vice Senator Malone and his irlenus Al
washington are working hard to retain 'no
active friendship of the Administration ooh.-
modore Mayo has issued an order when IL
locked upop as an effort to suppress facts re-
oord;np the management of the Norfolk Navy
Ward. 1t is stated that Mr.. Elmer, the Secoho
a0s;Stant postmaster- General, will be sus'
to;ned in his action ordering mail service on
tbe route between Fort Niobrara and kapid
c;tv The effort to settle by arbitration heaVy
olo;ms of the Government against certain
Stsr Route contractors for over-payments mas
failed and suits have been begun for large
sums.
THE POLICY OF ECONOMY IN FAVOR
THE PRUNING KNIFE PROBABLY TO BE APPLIED TO
THE INTERNAL REVENUE AND CUSTOMS sh"-
VICES.
Try TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON. June 1O-Diligent inquiries at the
White House and the Treasury Department fall 10
show that either the President or the Secretary OF
the Treasury is besleged by Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes with personal appeals to prevent the
consolidation of Internal Revenue districts Inc
first Senator or Representative is yet to be dscoV
cred who does not admit that the policy OF consoi-
dation is wise one. As a matter OF course, Wheh
the question arises as to where tne
reduction shall begin, nearly every
Congressman will be armed with arguments, more
or less satisfactory to himself, to prove that the
services of the Internal Revenue collector In his
own district cannot well be dispensed with. lnere
are, however Senators aud Representatives VINO
care more about the policy than they do about the
Individuals to be affected by it, and several OF them
have WISHED Washington since the adjournment to
uree its adoption. Mr. Hiscock has done so, for
one: aud he is anxious not only that the number OF
internal Revenue officials shall be reduced, but
also that the same policy shall be adopted and
carried out in the Customs Service. At least one
other New-York Representative-General Ketcham
takes the same ground. One of the few Republican
Representatives cow or recently in Washington IS
Mr.. Perce of Indiana. He is In favor OF the con-
solidation of Internal Revenue districts Inc col
lector in my district recently appointed and he
is good man. hope he will be retained after the
consolidation, but, of course, he must take his
chance along with the Others" said the Indiana
Congressman. Probably Mr. Peirce spoke
the sentiments of majority of the Republican Sen
ators and Representatives ON the subject.
M &. Kaif onH UQ
example, who will stubbornly oppose any reduc-
ton which viii be likely to diminish the :patron-
agev which they consider somewhat in the light of
their own property; but they will not be permit
ted to defeat the policy, whether 1t inter-
feres with their personal desires or
not. The Secretary of the Treasury has
been giving considerable thought TO the matter
but bis plan is not yet sufficiently mature to be lad
before the President It is expected however tnat M
Cabinet this week and that action will be taken as
early as the beginning of the fscalyear
REDUCTION IN THE CUSTOMS SERVICE.
Meanwhile the Secretary is giving diligent
attention to the Customs Service, with a
view to reducing the number and compensa-
ton of officials and employees In that
branch of the service however. less discretion is
given to the President than in the Inter
nal Revenue Service. The report of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury to Congress last February
recommended that the total number OF Customs
officers and employees be reduced from 4.Zoo 20
from IS, ,404, 967 to So. 5.033355. ms was 10 DC
effected by consolidation of Customs districts, as
we'll as by the fixing OF all salaries by law. ma
iority of the House Committee on Appropriations
favored the recommendations and the project OF
enacting them into law as part OF the LegSiatiyc
Appropriation bill was seriously consleeTed ~ tno
committee. After careful canvass OF the House
and through study of the Legislative situation,
Chairman Hiscock was forced to the conciuslon
slafa afta m
this defeat of the Tariff bill aud the project was,
therefore, reluctantly dropped. Had u
been carried ana the appropriation Deen mace 10
correspond, the expenses of the Boston custom
House would have been reduced about Sl0OOO a
year. In the exercise of his discretion alone the
Secretary OF the Treasury cut down the expenses
only from $4 900 to So 600 year.
The Secretary is unable 10 apply the pruning FORK
where IL is most needed. In his report TO Congress
the Secretary forth that there many districts
IN which no duties have been collected for years. and
others in which the duties collected are not sulcent
20 paw the costs of collection, and in which the la
bors of the officers consist almost entirely III Issuing
documents TO vessels, collecting hospital tax and
fe s. and making up monthly ana qualtriy returns
said that these duties might as well be
done by subordinatcs aud the unproductye dis
tricts abolished. lie recommended the repeal OF
all laws allowing commissions, fees and storage to
collectors Some of tine officers are now paid ny
salaries commissions and fees; some by. commits
sions and fees only, and others by liked salaries In
secure the services of competent OTHERS
and in Others the salary and emolu-
ments are excessive. The Secretary also
said that owing inequalities in the present COM
pensation Of collectors and surveyors. and TO tho
partially sinecure nature of many of these offices,
it is imprac ticable TO adopt any uniform rule for
fixing the salaries of collectors aud surveyors under
the present or ganization.
WHY MALONE is IN THE CAPITAL
UNEASY RESPECTING THE ATTITUDE OF THE ADMIN