The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-25
HARRISON AND THE CASH
LEGITIMATE BILLS HUNG UP AND
THE FUNDS PERVERTED.

Many Big Expenditures Permitted by
the President Without the Authority
ofthe Law-ChecKs Issued For Lesiti-
mate Bills When There is No Money
on Hand to Make Them Good,
WASHINGTON, April 24.-The manner in
which the public money is being used by
the administration is causing much criti-
cism in the House. The charge is made by
democrats who have watched the treasury
operations, that while legitimate bills are
"hung up" and claimants for actual work
done are kept waiting for their money, the
President is permitting big expenditures for
which he has not the slightest authority of
law. The charge has been repeatedly made
and several times denied In guarded Ian
quage by the treasury officials that the re-
duced state OF the public funds has led
to a regular system Of delay in
approving legitimate bills and issuing the
warrants for their payment. It is an un-
disputed fact that the government for
months has not pretended hold the full
amount of cash against outstanding checks,
but has trusted to the good nature of the
stockholders not to present them too
rapidly.
PENSION PAYMENTS DELAYED.
The pension money is due the men who
shed their blood for the union within a few
days Of the beginning of each quarter, but
the drafts to pay it have been drawn little
by little during periods extending three
or four weeks beyond the time
when the money was due. This
has worked no special injury to the pen
sioners because the government has been
able TO pay the checks when they have
actually been presented, but it he's pursued
policy which would justify putting any
business into insolvency in trusting TO luck
that checks would not be presented, and so
leaving the sub-treasuries without the
requisite cash when the checks were actu-
ally issued.
RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY.
This condition Of things led Congressman
Butler Of Iowa TO offer a resolution, nearly
five weeks ago, calling upon the Secretary
of the Treasury for statement of the requi-
sitions on which the money was withheld
during February. No reply has reached
the House to that resolution, and some OF
the members are beginning to wonder IL
any reply will be transmitted. Mr. Dockery
Of Missouri said to the MORNING NEWS cor
respondent yesterday that he had just in
quired of the clerk regarding this resolution
and learned that no reply had been re-
ceived. I think | shall call the attention Of
the House to the matter very soou," he said,
If reply does not come in soon. 1t is
now nearly five weeks since the resolution
was adopted and l can see no reason for
such delay IL any reply is intended"
LOOKS LIKE a PLEA OF GUILTY.
1t would seem that il the charge of hold
g-TN a..
officials would be glad OF an opportunity to
prove its untruth in eu official manner,
They have shown no disposition to do this i,
however, and inquiry at the treasury de-
partment fails to disclose any satisfactory
reason for the delay. Meanwhile the Presi-
dent has drawn S25, 900 from the contingent
fund OF the state department to pay an in-
demnity to the kingdom of Italy. Mr..
Blaine's private secretary is making a tour
of the West Indies for his health at the ex-
pense of the fund. The President has
called an international conference on the
silver question without authority of con-
gress and Postmaster General Wanamaker
has held conference of postmasters.
TO CUT DOWN THE FUND.
"Will there be any attempt. in view of
the payment of the Italian indemnity out of
the contingent fund of the state depart
ment," the MORNING NEWS correspondent
asked Gov. Sayers of Texas, ito cut down
that fund when the diplomatic appropriation
bill comes before the Houseg"
YES" was the reply, ~ think there will.
II they have money enough to pay
such claims, 1 think tho amount
eau well ba cut down,
Certainly the subject will be mentioned on
the floor of the House and some severe
CRITICISMS made upon the action Of the adj
Lm1lnistrstlon. Why, Postmaster General
"anamaker got together a lot of post-
masters here and paid their expenses, as he
says In letter to the House, out of the ap-
preparation for miscellaneous and incidenta
Items for first and second class postofTices. "