The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-09
The Committee on Civil-Service Reform
Makes an Adverse Report Upon the Bills
to Repeal the Civil-Service Act.
Provisions of the General Deficiency
Appropriation Bill.
Criminal Proceedings Against Marshal Hall,
Who Is Short in His Accounts 100000
Other Washington News.
DEMOCRATIC REFORMERS.
The Present Condition and Defects of the
Appropriation Bills.

The Present Condition and Defects of the
Appropriation Bills.
Special to the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON June THE ways and means
committee has informally agreed to ask the
House to prepare for adjournment in about
month, or just about the time that the Demo
cratic convention meets in Chicago Perhaps
the House can get ready to adjourn by July l.
If so members will go before their constituents
in prime condition for the coming campaign.
Two years ago the cry of the Democracy was,
"Give us good working majority in Congress
and we will show you how to run things on the
reform basis" The campaign orators promised
all sorts of things; reform in all the branches
of the civil service, and reduction of taxation
among the number. Congress is just entering
upon the seventh month of its existence. 1t has
failed to reduce taxation one cent; it has said
nothing about reforms; it has refused
to consider the bankruptcy BILL it has
failed to enact legislation looking towards count
ing the electoral vote; it has not even passed the
necessary appropriation bills for the support of
the government 1t is true that many of them
have passed the House, but it is equally true
that they were so made up as to compel the Sen
ate to make material additions to them or Grip
pie nearly every branch of the government.
The following is the standing of the principal
appropriation bills to-day: Naval bill, in COLI
ference committee; military academy bill, ap-
proved March g. agricultural bill, in conference
committee; postoffce appropriation BILL in con-
ference committee; pension bill, hung
up District of Columbia bill, hung
up consular and diplomatic bill,
passed the House, river and harbor bill, in COM
mittee of the whole, in the House; legislative ex
ecutive and judicial, passed the House; sundry
civil and deficiency bill not yet reported from
the appropriate committee The chief features
of these bills, as they went through the House,
are those summarized. The postofice appro
priation bill, if it becomes law in the shape
that it went to the Senate will canse deficiency
of at least 81 0000 900, and will prevent the exten
sion of mail facilities OF free-delivery service.
The consular and diplomatic bill will so
complicate our foreign relations as to Sc
riously embarass business men trading
with foreign countries, and its tendency is to
drive all but rich men from the diplomatic serv-
ice. But the worst bill of all is that which
passed the House last week, the legislative.
executive and judicial appropriation bill This
measure, under the thin guise of economy and
reduction in the number of federal Office hold
ers, throws open the gates for unlimited frauds
upon the internal revenue, and virtually puts a
premium upon illicit distilling Altogether,
those Democrats who came in ON the reform
wave of 1882, are in excellent condition to go
out on the ebb-tide so drowned politically as to
make resuscitation impossible