The Portland daily press., 1888-08-29
SLUICEWAYS FOR POLITICAL REVENUE.
Senator Hale Tells of the Recent In
vestigatIon by His Committee.
A Democrat who Regards the Civil
Service Bill as a Curse.
Features of Some Lively Discussion
Among the Senators Yesterday.

in explanation of it, and in general defence
of the action of the Senate appropriation
committee and of the Senate itself, as con-
trasted with that of the House.
Senator Hale said that one by one the illu-
sions about the present administration had
faded; one by one its pretensions were ex-
ploded. The speech of the Senator from
Iowa had exploded the assumption that the
present administration was on economical
one. Almost every department If the gov
ernment cost the people more today than un-
der former administrations, and it was a for
tunate thing that the Senator from Iowa had
exposed one Of the shams and pretences un-
der which the administration was sailing.
There were other pretences and shams which
should be exposed. For time the admins
tratlon sailed under the pretence of being a
civil service administration. Never was
there an administration that made wholesale
removals like this, or that so prostituted its
offices TO the uses of party politics.
Never had there been in the history of the
government any such instance Of the power
OF an administration used to break down
malcOntents and pr0testants in its own par
ty. The testimony taken by the committee
of which he had the honor to be chairman,
in the State of Pennsylvania, showed that
every kind of discipline had been brought to
bear to break down the forces resisting the
administration in the person of Mr.. Randall.
Nothing that could be brought to bear in the
way of patronage, but what was bestowed to
pay men for deserting the standard of Ran
dali so that the administration might carry
that State. Post offices and custom houses
had been turned into sluiceways through
which might run contributions for partisan
purposes. Yet the President had i.sued a
new order that the civil service rules must
be enforced with greater strength and vigor
than before.
When the fishery treaty was rejected, the
President had come in with message as
Stunning some new grounds. The Senator
from Iowa had shown that the administra-
tion had expended So, ,000, 900 more than its
predecessor, and when this exposure should
reach the country, we might be treated to a
message from the President, declaring that
there must be more economy, holding, per-
haps, that less money ought to be paid for
pensions to soldiers and their wives and
children. Senator Hale concluded his re-
marks by citations from the list of public
building bills vetoed by Cleveland, mention
tioning those for Allentown and Youngs-
town, Ohio Sioux City, Iowa; Columbus,
Ga. Council Bluffs Iowa, and Bar Harbor
with one exception. these were large and
growing places in Northern Republican
States. Contrasted with these were bills
for buildings in Greenville, S: c.; Helena,
Ark, and other cities and towns with
not been vetoed by the President
Senator Beck said that, with the exception
Of two years, we had had a Democratic
House Of Representatives during all the time
covered by the statement submitted by Sem
ator Allison, which had taken very great
care that all administrations should be
economical. What had been spent since the
Democratic administration came into power
had been well expended, he thought, with
IN ar frro A..ffr
what had been done with the money. When
money had been spent for the navy, we had
got navy to show for it, Prior to this DEM
ocratic administration, hundreds of millions
had been spent, and we got nothing. We
1.-THE Democrats had no Star routes, no post
traderships, and no venality that we know
of. But we were spending annually 500, ,O00,-
600 for pensions, and, if the President had
not vetoed the dependent pension bill, about
which there was such howl, it would have
been S150000,000, or perhaps $200000,000.
Senator Allison said that the appropria-
tions for the four years of Republican ad-
ministration included in the list had been
only S25,000,000 below those of the last four
years.
Senator Beck said he observed that ar
rears OF pensions were running up under the
Arthur administration, but, he said, there
was $25,000,000 then that were not heard of
before. He referred to the Choctaw claim
OF 80, 200, the pOstoffice appropriation of
S6.500,0 900, the river and harbor bill of $12,-
100000, the deficiency bill and large appro-
prlations for army and navy experiments on
guns, etc. he argued that the proposed APP
propriations for the public library and the
postoffice for Washington and the enlarge
ment of the government printing office
which originated in Condress, were not
properly chargeable to the administration.
As to bublic buildings, he could cite four
Northern cities, New York, Pittsburg, Gin
cinnati and st. Louis, whose buildings cost
more than all the others appropriated this
year. Take $20,000.00 surplus and add to it
$12,00o,0OO from the river and harbor
and $S,OO0,0O0. from the deficiencies
aud that made s4OooO.o0o Of surplus
Then $50,000,0 of the sinking fund might
very well be added, and that would make
ninety millions of surplus, besides all that
was lying in the treasury now: There was
no need of being alarmed. We had about
$50 900 in bonds. Every bond bought di-
minished the interest paid from the perma-
nent annual appropriations which embraced
the interest on the public debt.
Senator salisbury declared that the Presi-
over the appropriations, and Congress alone
was chargeable with any extravaganza which
might exist
Senator Vest made citations from the list
OF apr opriations for public buildings from
1898 to 1885, stating that Maine had received
kansas, $619,1S7 for Alabama. and $514.0Oo
for Georgia If the Senator from Maine
could talk about the unequal distribution of
public money for public buildings, he [Sena-
tor Vest could commend that Senator's pub
lie audacity.
Senator Blackburn attacked Senator Hale
for dragging before the Senate, while pre-
tending to discuss an item in the appropria-
tion bill, testimony taken by committee
raised on his own resolution and of which he
was chairman, and of which he. Senator
Blackburn chanced to be member.
Senator Blackburn said the Senator from
Maine had raised mud singing committee
and started out to find this administration
responsible for Inconsistencies in the execu-
tlon OF the greatest and grandest political
abortion in his TSenator Blackburn'sJ judg-
ment that ever afflicted or cursed people in
the shape of civil service law. Senator
Blackburn then charged that the Senator
from Maine had taken testimony when the
full committee was not notified, and now
didn't dare to review the evidence and make
report.
Replying, Senator Hale said he would not
take the gentleman from Kentucky as his
model The testimony taken before the COM
mlttee was all printed, and he denied that he
had been taking testimony in secret. Every
particle taken before the committee had
been taken within open doors, and would all
be presented to the Senate, and the Senators
would have an opportunity to examine it,
The work was yet done by any manner
of means.
Senator Sherman reviewed the course of
trade since 1885 to show that the balance of
trade was now against us. Senator Beck de-
MED this.
The Senate adjourned without action.
Mr.. McKinIey's Trip.
Congressman Mckinley has returned from
his trip to Georgia. He was met by news
from his invalid wife that called him at once
to his home at Canton, Ohio. Mr.. Mckinley
had expected to go to Maine this week to
take part in the campaign, but the serious
illness of his wife will prevent. Mr.. McKin-
ley's visit to Atlanta was in every way sue
cess so far as increasing respect for the Re-
publican party and its doctrines was con-
cerned. 1t was feared by Southern people
here that Mckinley might make a serious
attack upon Southern methods of the Dem
ocracy in his speech, and the Democrats are
greatly gratiied at the moderate and conser-
vative tone of his address. 1t Is safe to say
that MI. Mckinley made for himself and his
party many friends as a result of his South
ern trip.
Pensions to Maine People.
The following Maine pensions have been
granted:
ORIGINAL, INVALID.
Benz. X. Foss Lee
Winslow II. Webber, Bangor.
Joseph @. Cotton navy Rockland,
Snas. l.: WoOdnan. navy, Ellsworth.