Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-07-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From onr r"gHiat cnrreslondent-)
WaSHING .OX .iuly ~ 1SS(

/ Congress has been wrangling al
week over the money bills which
provide for running government
during the next fiscal year. The
subject sounds like a dry one, bu
the congressional debates have mo-
been dull. Appropriation bills al
ways provoke much disagreement and
afford n opportunity for discussing
the comparative extravaganza and
economy of the two parties.
The nation's balance sheet has
! just been drawn up again. The
governments hookkccpers have
footed up their accounts for the tis-
cal year thai came to an end on June
30th., and the figures are even more
satisfactory than could have been
expected. The receipts exceeded
the expenditures by $50, ,528, ,5i6.
The receipts and expenditures for
the fiscal year compared with the
last proceeding one, show an IN
crease of revenue of about
S12 800, 900 and q decrease In
the expenditures Of about S14 ,500,-
900. Customs receipts are some
81, ,00O,00 better, internal revenue
1900, 900 and miscellaneous some
So, 100000. The ordinary expenses
are $22, 400, 900 less than last year,
interest is nearly 81 600, 200 less and
pensions are $4,000, 900 more.
Yes, during the year just closed
the pension office issued 81 APP pen
sion certificates, q larger number by
6,721 than ever were issued in any
previous year. And when it is re-
membered that this immense work
has been performed with force of
clerks less by over 1C0 than for the
3 previous years, there seems to be
sufficient reason for congratulating
the present commissioner of pen
sions, Gen. Black upon retrench-
ment in his office.
At recent cabinet meeting the |
question of how many telephones
were IN use at the several executive |
of the government in
this city came up. The president |
asked each secretary how many
the department over which he pre-
sided used. The attorney general
said two. Secretary Lamar gave
what he thought was his number,
and so on around. They made up
about fifty altogether. The presl-
lent asked them to look into the
natter and report at the morning
Meeting. They did and Attorney
5eneral Garland was the only one
Who had made correct return. The
otal. was one hundred and fifty. The
sverage cost of each telephone-be-
cause the departments have num-
Der of special wires, is 500 year.
Thus for telephonic service for
he departments in this city alone,
he government pays nearly $4,000
| year. This was thought to be too
ugh by the cabinet officers and re-
renchment in this line begun. Fif-
,een. telephones have already been
aiken out of the treasury depart
nent, leaving only one on each floor.
The salaries of government clerks
come out of the legislative, execu-
i've and judicial appropriation bill.
The failure of congress to pass it by
he close of the old fiscal year caused
IN unusual outlook for the new. The
opened on trust July ],
t being against the law to make any
contracts for services IN excess of
appropriations. $50 you are with
out pay" was the remark made to
! government clerk, ''that must be
uncomfortable He showed no
anxiety on the subject however.
Said he, "the pay of members of
is. provided for in this ap
bill just the same as NINE
s. So you see am all right. Every
will see that l am pro-
yided for in time.
It was Senator Riddieberger who
the bill to reduce the sal
aries 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 depart
ments. There is no trouble at all
in getting more politicians for these
places, but it has been the presi-
lent's idea to get good business
men. Such men come here occa-
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 office in private life of
exactly double what he receives in
his present official position. He is
by the way, the ablest
treasurer that has filed that office
since it was first created.
Secretary Lamar recently asked a
business man to hunt him up
a good business man for chief clerk
Of the interior department. How
much can you pay such a manF in
auired the capitalist, who himself.
employs about four hundred men.