The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1886-07-09
WASHINGTON, July 9Th, 1886.
From our REGULAR Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, July 5th, 1886.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Congress has been wranging all week over the
money bill Is which provide for running the Gov
crnment during the next fiscal year. The sub
Ject sounds like dry one, but the Congressional
debates have not been duh. Appropriation bills
always provoke much disagreement and afford
an opportunity for discussing the comparative
eXtravagance and economy of the two parties.
The nation balance sheet has just been drawn
up again. The Governments bookkeepers have
footed up their accounts for the fiscal year that
came to an end on June 3Oth, and the figures are
even more satisfactory than could have been eX-
pected. Inc receipts exceed the expenditures
by S9O,52S $40. The receipts and expenditures
for the fiscal year compared with the last pre-
ceding one show an increase of revenue of
about 81, 100000 and decrease in the expendi-
lures Of about Sl4, 100000 Customs receipts are
some Sl1 100000 better internal revenue, $780,
UO and miscellaneous some S3,0O0000. The or
binary expenses So 400 600 less than last year
SS,G00,000 more
Yes, during the year just closed the Pension
once issued sl422 pension certificates, a larger
previous year. And when it is remembered that
this immense work has been performed with a
force of clerks less by 100 men than for the three
previous administrations, there seems to be suf
hcient reason for congratuating the present
Commissioner of Pensions, Gen. Black, upon re-
trcnchment in his Office.
At q recent Cabinet meeting the question of
how many telephones were in use at the several
executive departments of the Government in
this city came up. The President asked each
or his secretaries how many the department
over which he presided used. The Attorney
General SAID two. Secretary Lamar gave what
he thought was his number, and so on around
They made pabout fifty altogether. The Pres
ident asked them to look into the matter and re-
noy General Garland was the only one who had
made correct return. The total was one hun
drcd and fifty. The average cost of each tele-
phone-because the departments have number
of special wires-is 800 year. Thus for tele-
phonic service for the departments in this city
alone, the Government pays nearly Sl5, 900 a year
This was thought to be too high by the Cabinet
officers and retrenchmcnt in this line has begun.
Fifteen telephones have already been taken out
or The Treasury department. leaving only one
on each floor.
The salaries of Government clerks come out
OF the Legislative, Executive and Judicial APP
preparation bill. The failure of Congress to pass
1t by the close of the old fiscal year caused an
unusual outlook t Tor the new. Tho departments
to make any contracts for services in excess of
appropriations. 80 you are without pay" was
the remark made to a government clerk, that
must be uncomfortable" He showed no anxie
ETY. on the subject, however. Said he, the pay
of members of Congress is provided for in this
you see am all right. Every Congressman will
see that am provided for in time"
!, 1t was Senator Riddleberger who introduced
the bill to reduce the salaries of Congressman
and certain high officials twenty-five per cent
This reminds me Of the difficulty Of getting
good business men to take the responsible places
in the departments. There is no trouble at all
in getting mere politicians for these places, but
1t has been the Presidents idea to get good bust
ness men. Such men come here occasionally
tempted by the allurements of office, although
they can do much better in private life For
instance, the U. s. Treasurer, Mr.. Jordan has a
standing offer in private life of exactly double
what he receives in his present official position
He is considered, by the way, the ablest Il reas-
urer that has filled that office since it was first
created.
Secretary Lamar recently asked wealthy
business man to hunt him up a good business
man for Chief Clerk of the Interior Department.
How much can you pay such a man ?" inquired
the capitalist, who himself employs about four
hundred men. "Twcnty-tiye hundred dollars"
cannot furnish him. l pay $4,000 year for the
services of such man as you have described"
The new ad ministration has been very fortunate,
however, in securing the services of men to
whom it would be economy to pay very large
salaries in order to retain them.