Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-09-29

sAoh VI 10 di ONtE EIOWtTluR ttStl-
mony, not only to the growth of the
country. but TO the integrity and econ
omy of the committee on appropria-
tions, Of which Mr. Cannon was the
head. The debate in the senate of July
~ shows moreover that the $5lO, ,000,-
600 appropriated have not reached the
needs of the country. Mr.. Allen. Of
Washington. shows that a lighthouse
has been thrown ont which should have
been built, on spot which has already
cost the country the lives of many men,
and Mr.. Allison shows that one item at
least of large amount has been lessened
on the demand of the house by>the sim
pie expedient of cutting off one e-half.
with the understanding that it shall go
on the next years deficiency bill. or
one item Senator Isham G.. Harris,
Democratic senator, in fact the real
Democratic leader of the senate, puts
tersely his opinion, and that opinion will
illuminate many other items not dis
cussed. want to call your readers at
tention TO this staple fact, even at the
expense Of reiteration and of being tire
some. We expended $i62 .o00. 900 the
first session Of the Fifty-first congress.
We were abused most roundly therefor.
The lowest figures any Democrat can
now make for his congress is $50 .O0O.-
600. These figures are nndisputed. The
moral is indisputable
1t does sometimes seem great pity
that we haven't. we Republicans, the
of WV,
have no energy Of Characterization
Abusing. rs the Democrats have, in the
widest language, the appropriation Of
$iGo o,000.0oO. aud then appropriating
SJlo,o0O,Oo0 themselves. means two
things. IL means that in the last cam
paign the Democracy was inaccurate.
and that IN the present house they have
been detected. II we We're in their place
and they IN ours fear their language
would be more adequate
But If the Democracy have adopted
what one Of their own men calls a "pop-
gun system Of tariff reform. their com
mlttee on war claims have started "A
Gatling gun system Of war claims. Il
Is true that the house itself has 80 far
acted on but few of Them but these few
show the mauy will finally be treate,!.
4 house which has voted to lift the in
cubus Of the statute " limitations from
Slbley's case, 50 as 10 allow the heirs If
an officer VINO left the United State,
army TO join the Confederates to collect
royalty on tents use,l in the very war he
helped TO wage. has shown itself capa-
bic OF infinite power Of sapping tn.
treasury. The committee on war claims
has reported in favor Of more than
$i0, 900. 900 worth of claims for dauls..e,
cause'l by the devastation Of the war
II there is anything settled in law il L.
tina. no nation ever undertakes to repair
the damages Of war. Where the acci-
dent Of destruction falls. there it rests.
But there is grave danger at this very
moment that we shall at this late dav to
caJoled into vast payments In that be-
half. These claims come 10 us under
the sanction IF religious societies, to nav
for rent Of churches, to pay for damages
to schools and colleges. Each is for a
small amount, but the aggregate will
appall the country. In the Forty-fifth
congress, after u pitched battle over
William and Mary college. such claims
were sent 70 the rear. Today, in addi-
tion to the So. 900 600 already reported
by the committee on war claims. $toO,-
900, 900, and perhaps $600, 600 900, OF
such claims have been referred to the
court Of claims.
Ii Mr.. Holman and his band OF econo-
mists had given half as much attention
to this proposed drain on the treasury
as they have TO the refusing Of what
they knew they must consent to, We
should today have a safer surplus in the
treasury. even if We had less campaign
talk.
The close Of this session Of the house
seems likely to he worthy Of its begin
ming. After IL full and free debate the
house, by a majority Of dozen. deter-
mined 70 agree with the senate to make
the appropriation for the Chicago expo
sition which i: needed. Then commenced
the extraordinary spectacle Of a filibus-
ter begun by the chairman OF the com
mittee on appropriations in house
where has own pa.rtisans had majority
OF 40 votes. Such a scene il unusual,
think unique. in our history In order
to heighIen tie spectacular effect Gen
eral Wheeler was allowed to drag into
the house characterization of the
house by H. Hon Tom Watson, Of
Georgia . characterization when
could be male Of 10 other house ~
which Mr. '"At.on WAS allowed without
punishment - reiterate and reafiirm.
Mr.. Watson. though now OF the ALI
ance party. w..s chosen as a Georgia
Democrat.
part Of that characterization has
been made tie subject Of investigation
and must speak for itself All the rest
seems TO be a true bill Here is the de-
scription. omi,.Ihg the part under inves-
tgation:
The congress now sitting is one illus
tration. Pledged to reform, they have
not reformed. Pledged to economy, they
have not economized. Pledged to legis-
late, they have not legislated. Extrava-
gance has been the order of the day. Alb
schteeisIn WAS never SO pronounced. Lack
OF purpose was never SO clear. Lack Of
common business prudence never more
glaring. Useless employees crowd every
corridor. Useless expenditures pervade
every department"
After two weeks wasted in dilatory
motions, which the speaker should have
suppressed at once, the spectacle was
presented to the world of compromise
on the Chicago fair, dictated by the in
surgents to Democratic caucus. Even
then the Democracy were forced by