St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-28
TRACY SHIELDS GEAR REED.
Plausible Reasons for Increased
Force at Kittery Yard. 5

Il IGttSOAS 1OE 1ACItdSCS
Force at Kittery Yard.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27.-The secre-
tary of the navy sent to the house to-
day reply to the house resolution
adopted Aug. 5, directing him to inform
the house of the necessity Of increasing
the force employed at the Kittery navy
yard, near Portsmouth, N. H.. as or
deIed by the department.; whether the
interests of the public service require
the reconstruction of the buildings there
destroyed by fire, etc. In reply the Sec
rotary says that the necessity for the
increase in the working force in the
month of July was due to the fact that
the appropriations for the current fiscal
year became available July 1. OF
these appropriations, some were to
be applied to new work specific
ally directed by this act: others to new
could only be undertaken when the
funds for the new fiscal year became
available; others to complete work
partly completed, which had been
suspended owing to the exhaustion of
the appropriations. TO whichever class
the work belonged, it involved an in
crease of the force during the month of
July. In regard to the specific works
that subject of inquiry by the resolu-
ton, the department replies in each
case that they are needed, and explains
why. The resolution also requested
the secretary to inform the house
whether contemplated employment
of an increased rOrce at this yard at this
time is or is not intended to affect ap-
preaching congressional elections in
Maine, rather than to subserye the pub
lie interests. In reply to this, the sec
rotary says that this question calls upon
the department to explain its motives
in undertaking these particular works,
at this place, and at this time.
The statement of facts already given,
he says, shows that the six works
that are the subject of inquiry all were
urgently required by the eXigencies of
the service, and four had been specially
directed by congress. AS to the time
appointed to do the work, which hap
pens to be coincideDt with the approach
of legislation prevented any work be-
mate is such that it would have been
sheer negligence on the paIt of the de-
partment to have postponed it until the
middle Of September. In view, how
ever, of the character of the interroga-
tory, in which the house, in direct
terms, asks the head of an executive de-
partment whether he has OF has not
been guilty of gross abuse of power
in public administration, he says:
II deem it proper, in terms
equally direct, to deny that the
contemplated employment of such in
creased force at this navy yard is in
tended to affect the approaching election
in Maine, rather than to subserve the
public interests, or that any increase of
force at any time has been or will be
made by the navy department, under
the present administration, for the pur-
pose of influencing an approaching
election. or for the purpose of electing
OF defeating any particular candidate;
and have the honor to add that the
navy department, while pursuing stead
lily this policy. does not propose that
the progress of public work directed by
law. and by law committed to its charge,
shall be interrupted or postponed by
the occurrence of an election, or that it
shall be deferred from the performance
of what it believes to be its duty by
any fear that unjust and unfounded
suspicious may call in question the mo-
tive of its action"