Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-21

ed during Republican rule. and, worse than all,
the Commissioner, while claiming credit for cut
ting down expenses and looping on the neaus OF
hundreds Of officials, demands with emphaSls
than ne expended last year, more than his ke-
publican predecessor expended the year before
that and within a fraction Of the large sum ap-
prOpriAted when the dismissed otleials were IN
plaee under his predecessor and himself.
= . There can be no reasonable pur-
pose I'm having this sum laidup tohis order. Inc
reason assigned Is to provide against eontln-
gencieS. the happening of which he mas no right
Ia anticipate; and certainly this House mas no
right to appropriate TO meet such e0nungeneles
we have not the remOtest idea that the con-
ingencies can or viii happen.
Eyen II n contingencies apprehended should
occur there will be no special activity IN the dls-
tiling business until the fall Of the year; IL IS AZ
that time, If at all, when additional gaugers anu
stOrekeepers will be needed. We will come here
again next winter; If the appropriation now
made should by that time prove deficient nn
should appear that we nave mPoseH ,ha S,TTI
a limitation. have failed to appropriate tne IuI
amount required, We can then pass an approPIi"
ton to remedy the deficiency. -
Now. / think every gentleman in TINS houSe
understands this matter. II IS a PLAIN, Simple
prnnosftinn. The Commissioner of Internal Rev
emu shows that foe this work he expended Ihst
wear in round number Sl,Sl9GOO we aSIee 70
snpropriate 100000 being $1,000 more than ne
eypanded during the last year. II seems 10 me
MS bonId be sufficient. The Republican adj
miniStratiOn expended Sl.96S,OOO; but since that
time nine hundred officials, many of whom were
paid by the Government have been dispenser
with.
We all realize the objection TO these indefinite
lamentations. In other wOrdS, we have Judged
h wise not to make appropriations IN the dark.
Now. there are only four classes OF officials 10 Dc
maid under this Observation-Disclosures, StorekeeP-
eS gaugerS, and inspectors; the rest OF the
money is for miscellaneous purposes, Mhat
guide have you in the appropriation You MAKE
except the previous expenditures
Congressman RANDALL, who is noted
for his sound views on important questions,
took a similar view, and by the applause
he received, it is evident that he struck a
responsive chord among the Democrats OF
the House, He said, among other things /:
Mr.. Speaker. the adoption. by the House of the
motion of the gentleman from Illinois Mr.. TOWN.
Information in possession Of the House. itSadop-
fiOn would give in this appropriation bill more
money than either the House or the senate con,
SiderS necessary. 10 would give about SDO,OO
more than was expended for the same service
last year by the very officer Whos likely 10 eN-
pend il during the current year.
Why ANYBODY on either side Of this House
should want unnecessarily 10 add S50,UOO 10 the
aggregate of this years appropriations am AZ Il
los to conceive. cOinnlItee IN thT nrsL ~
gave what was asked, but on fuller lniOr-
nation from the Commissioner OF Internal ReNc-
nue. the amount was reduced in this House SlSI-
900. We have been further advised that while
the Semitic increased the amount To the original
estimate. vet that body Is now ready to make a
reduction. But the motion of the gentleman
f7om Illinois will stop the senate and the House
from placing the amount where, by the concur
rent proceedings OF the House, It ought TO be
-
saw more. that l do not think ne
placCs the administration under which he
holds Office i'm u right attitude when he seeks 10
get more money for the coming year than ne eN-
6snded last year. Applause on the Democratic
Sidc.1 And further | say to the House that ne
ought not 10 have the opportunity OF eNpending
mnre money than he employed last year. IL
there should Dc an excess OF expenditure over
appropriation. and such a contingency arises,
then | will be ready to meet il in some way. But
any one on either side of the House should
want to give more money than Is Shnwn 10 De nee
rSSary for the collection OF the internal revenue
I am at "A loss to know, in view OF the TACT that
this very officer with this $4,000 less than you
prOpOSe % give hin for the current year collected
an increased amount OF revenue from these same
sources over the prior year.
Commissioner MILLER did well in the
reduction ofexpenSes last year, the amount
expended being Sl14,429 less than was
spent the preceding year by the Republi-
cans. But why he should ask for such 4
large increase this year he fails to make
plain to the House or to his party, and it
certainly would have showed better for
himself and his department had his de-
mands been = little more modest. The
Democratic party is ledg edtOretrenchmen
and reform, and they intend to have it, rs
the action of the House on this amendment
shows.
Mr. MILLER has also done well in weed
ing out so many unnecessary officials that
were under Republican rule only an incu-
bus upon the Treasury. But if he would
pluck ont a few more and put capable DEM
ocrats in their places the service might still
become more efficient. We know it is
said that changes can not be made any
faster without iniuring the efficiency Ofthe
service, but this car hardly be true, since
there are in the Democratic party able
Democrats upon a thousand hills and the
valleys literally swarm with them. 1t was
said that the efficiency of the service would
be impaired when Commissioner MILLER
was appointed in place of q Republican.
But in his first year he far surpassed his
predecessor in the economy of his admin
istratiOn. Let us then have more Demo
Gratis. We merely offer this rs \ sugges-
ton to Commissioner MILLER.