Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-03-26
The Raid on the contingent rura


MIR. sHERMANs EFFORT TO CALL A HALT-coM.
MITrEEs THAT HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED TO
SIT DURING THE RECESS-OTHER "JUNKET
ING" RESOLUTIONS PENDING, ETC.
The raid of Senators on the contingent fund
by means of resolutions ordering various in.
quiries and expeditions for the coming recess
is of no small proportions. The question is az.
ftating the republican majority of the Senate
and in the caucus some pretty strong language
has been used to condemn the practice ofget.
ting through "junketing resolutions" The
number Of resolutions providing for recess
trips, with clerks, stenographers, ETC., has gone
beyond any previous session. One by one
was confronted with the fact that it would have
to provide a very large contingent fund to meet
the demand upon it. AS each day brought one
or more new propositions of this character
some of the republican Senators began to think
seriously that it was high time to put stop to
hnd nfo
thing, or compile something during recess,
some of them with authority to travel and sew.
were presented, some of the Senators Of the
majority could stand 1t no longer. They decided
to boldly oppose such proceedings, and Mr..
Sherman submitted his resolution to rescind
authority granted to various committees for
recess work. In the caucus some of the Senators
tne Of
on the ground that such work is necessary. The
Senators who support the Sherman resolution
full or necessary work, but that their purpose is
to prevent waste OF money In idle {nnketings,
rs such waste would bring reproach upon the
Up to the present the following committees
have been granted power to meet during the
recess and to employ clerks, stenographers and
cation and labor, public buildings and grounds
Mississippi river, naval affairs, Indian affairs
transportation routes to the seabOard select
committee on interstate commerce, rules priv.
ileges and elections, on steel producing works
and the printing committee. This Is o list OF
twelve, but of that number it can be stated that
it is usual for the printing committee to meet
and such meetings do not entail any additional
cost to the. government: The committee on
rules also hoe some work on hand which It Is
Congress. There is to be a new revision OF the
rules, etc., and another edition of the Digest Il
to be printed. Hence, that committee Ii to be
exempted from the operations Of the sherman
repeal. Many Of the committees named are
authorized to travel about the country
in pursuit of information. OF this class ars
affairs, transportation routes, Interstate com
merce, steel-producing works, and education
and labor, while the committee ON agriculture
rondacks. Besides the committees whtch have nave
already received authority to do recess work
resolutions are pending to authorize q specia
committee to Tlsi. visit. Alsska, Aa, to empower the
points and investigate the subject Of protection
Of our coasts, to authorize the committees or
fisheries to look INTO the fisheries and to direc!
information. Should the pending resolutionl
be adopted, thus increasing the list OF commit
tees having authority TO compile or investigate
and travel to fifteen mot counting the printina
committeel It can easily be seen that the con
tineent fund would have to be very large TO cover
the sxPenses Incurred. The The aggregate expenss
below 100000, as the trip to Alaska would
necessarily be costly one.