National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-03-06
URGENT DEFICIENCY BILL.

Passed by the House After Brief, In
teresting Disoussion-DIstrIc of CO.
Iumbia win Get the Bulk OF tho
Money.
Early in yesterdays session OF the House
the urgent deficiency bill was taken up.
Mr.. Bunes, Of Missouri, explained the
several provisions Of the bill. Part Of the
deficiency for compensation Of special
agents Of the treasury was occasioned by
a special examination required by defal-
cation In the New Orleans subtreasury.
There was appropriated for the armament
OF the four new cruisers, 1851 1868. In his
judgment there was an immense amount Of
work for the naval committee Of the III use
to dc, and 1t should do It regardless Of al
conseqt ences, II It desired to save proaigate
expenditures Of the peoples money. The
first appropriation for the cruisers had been
an unguarded appropriation. It had been
an appropriation that left II within the
power OF the Secretary OF the Navy to leave
the money In one bureau aud take Il out of
that bureau after obligations had been In
Cured, and place II In another. Congress
had steadily improved the modes and
methods OF making the appropriations, and
from the date OF the Robson bill to the
present hour legislation, under the direc-
ton OF the appropriations committee, had
been vast Improvement oyer the legisla-
tion that preceded Il.
Mr.. Cannon, OF Illinois, said that the APP
preparation for armament had run some.
what beyond the original estimate. This
increase was due to the change in plans.
The armament had been improved, as IL
should have been. IL Secretary Chandler
and the present Secretary OF the Navy had
| gone to work and constructed the arma-
| ment authorized by Congress four or five
years ago, without taking advantage of any
| improvement since, while they would have
| complied with the letter OF the law, they
would have violated its spirit, and would
| have deserved censure.
Referring to the item S6,O00) for the re-
| pair OF the treasury building, he stated that
| there was leak In the roof, aud com
mented on the fact that roofs would leak
and iron would rust, even under this Dem
ocratic administration.
MIR. Hewitt, Of New York, remarked that
tbe treasury would not leak now.
Mr.. Cannon retorted that the Democrats
after incubating the eggs had found that
the treasury accounts had only been cent
short, and that had afterwards been found.
"Iurn the rascals out" suggested o DEM
ocrat.
Mr.. Cannon said that he would not talk
about that.
Mr.. Hewitt was not surprised that the
gentleman would not talk about 1t. 1t was
delicate subject.
Mr.. Cannon said that II was a subject
which he would let the Democrats talk
about. He was willing that the Demo-
cratic party should turn out anybody II had
the manhood TO turn out. He was willing
that 1t should turn out the 10000 Republl-
can oflceholders, but It should do II man
fully. 1t should say to them. "We won
honest men, but we won the race and you
must CO." lie was willing that honest
Republicans should be turned out and hon
est Democrats put in. He wanted nothing
but honesty, and he hated Hypocrisy In
even such little thing as the distribution
| OF office.
Mr.. Hewitt, of New York, called atten-
ton to the item Of appropriation TO enable
the Navy Department to pay existing obll-
| cations. He called attention to 1t, he said.
because ne thought that this practice
| whether carried on by the present or pre-
vious administrations) Of contracting obli-
| cations prior to the appropriation Of money
was reprehensible.
Mr.. Springer, of Illinois, was inclined to
think that the expenditure had been ille-
gal, but that II had been made by some
officials in the Navy Department who had
been there under the last administration.
Mr.. MoComas. Does that make II right?
Mr.. Springer. No, sir; 1t does not. l
want to show that II the administration is
| derelict in anything IL is In its sowness In
| turning the rascals out.
Mr.. McComas inquired whether the whole
| expenditure was not under the control of
the head OF the Navy Department.
Mr.. Springer replied that nominally Il
| was, but that the Secretary must necessarily
depend In all these matters on the advice
and recommendation of his subordinates.
He thought that these unworthy officials
| whom Secretary Whitney had Inherited
from his predecessor should be turned out
and honest Democrats put In.
Mr.. Cannon suggested that the Navy De-
partment was divided into bureaus, at the
head of each Of which was a naval officer.
He did not know the politics of these
officers, but he did know that the all
wise and reform President had the right to
take any one of them by the hair OF his
head and place him on duty elsewhere. II
there were dishonest rascals belonging to
the navy, the Secretary had violated his
duty In not getting rid Of them. The gen
tleman from Illinois (Mr. ,Springer) could
travel by one of two roads-either the
President and Secretary were dishonest, or
they were foolish and incompetent. Mr.
Cannon asked Mr. Hewitt, In all decency
Secretary OF the Navy, and their Mugwump
the other. from eternallv crying mornin%.
noon. and NIGHT, tiGreot S~i honest and
Wise am ~ e" ''' ""D
Mr.. Springer wished TO correct his col
league (Mr. Cannon). While 1t was true
some Of them were annointed Tor n Form of
Years II was said that The President sbnnid
have removed them as incompetent The
President had been removing some persons
he found incompetent, but it had been i'm
possible In the brief space OF one year to re-
move an inc ihSomPetent, dishonest, and
oa,"o ~, o pau5 mn1ni Nc nau lounu III
bn tboanota in 'rSnt he LAY y9o oi ou9.' a
-, a. Sannto SO, g., ~, so. si uouo,
~. tiiS Sona,o u his nominauons, auu
II would not be another year before he had
gone through all the departments, removed
the dishonest men and mt honest men In