The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-15
THE TREASURY INVESTIGATION.

THE TREASURY INVESTIGATION.
Democrats VIII Find No Deficit, but Not
Enough Money to Pay All Pension Claims.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. 14-Deficit or no def
icits that is the question which the ways
and means committee, aided by Secretary
Foster. will endeavor to make clear as to
the condition of the United States Treas
ury. The annual report of the Secretary of
the Treasury showed plainly enough. by
conclusive figures. the falsity of the Demo-
cratic cry of an existing deficit. Since
Secretary Fosters report has been pub
lished the cry about bankrupt treasury
and the disappearance of q surplus. which
four years ago the Democratic orators re-
garded as an evil. has ceased.
The ways and means committee will meet
on Friday to prepare series Of questions
to be submitted to the Secretary of the
Treasury. Democratic members of the
committee disavow any political motive In
this inquiry. They say that their only
purpose In framing the questions will be
to make plain to the mind of the layman
the technioalities which surround eli qucs-
tione of treasury bookkeeping. They ex-
pect. they say that Secretary Foster will
oordislly cooperate with them in this pur-
pose. Chairman Springer and bis political
associates on the committee do not, If their
utterances be sincere. expect to
find any existing deficit concealed
behind the figures of Secretary Fos-
ter's report They wish, however. to learn
whether the reports are true that certain
payments to naval contractors and to pen
sioners, and TO other persons entitled to
receive money from the government, have
been delayed beyon the time when they
are due, and, If 40. whether this delay was
caused By prospective If not an existing
deficiency in the treasury. eecretary Foster
visited the Capitol to-day. He held con-
ference with Senators Carlisle. Brioe and
Mcpherson. on the Democratic side, and
with several Republican Senators. TO whom
he personally confirmed the statement that
he had sent to the appropriations commit
tee predicting surplus of $40, 600. 600 In tho
treasury at the end of tho present fiscal
year. June 90. 1893.
It is of interest in Il Is connection to
know the fact. not before published, that
there are now on the completed fles of the
Pension Bureau the names Of siinost 200. QUO
veterans or their widows the proof of
whose claims is finished. and who could
be added to the pension rolls within q
week. These names have been upon the
completed files for months, and their num-
ber grows daily. The question of placing
them upon the pension rolls at ohce was
the subject of q special Cabinet meeting
the other day. This information was
brought out through visit made by Repre-
sentative Doane, of Ohio. to Assistant SEQ.
retary Bussey to-day. General Doane called
upon General Bussey to protess against
the present order of Secretary Noble pro-
hibitng the Commissioner of Pensions
from giving to members Of Congress. or
Incidentally. Mr.. Dosne stated to General
Bussey that IL was his opinion . grave po-
litical error was being committed by the
present administration Of the Interior De.
partment in not allowing at once the PEN
sion claims upon the completed files. "As
soon as the Democrats come into power"
said Mr.. Doane. ''they will allow the 2O0,OO
claims upon the completed flies, and then
claim the credit of the work done under
Republican administration.
General Bussey. in reply, stated to Mr..
Doane that the reason for the delayed final
action upon this vast body of completed
cases of qualified pensioners was the lack
of funds in the treasury. He stated that If
these cases had been finally acted upon,
and certificates issued as rapidly as the
cases had in fact been made complete, tho
treasury would months ago have been
bankrupt. General Bussey then added
that the subject had been carefully consid-
cred at special meeting Of the Cabinet
recently, and that after prolonged discus
sion no conclusion had been reached.
All this will be of great interest to
an army of expectant bensfciaries under
the pension laws, and will also become
known for the first time to members of the
ways and means committee when they read
this dispatch. That the members of the
appropriations committee of the House have
confidence in Secretary Fosters assurance
that there was no danger of deficit. was
shown by the fact that the first of the great
appropriation bills. the military bill. was
passed by the House to-day under the guild
t. n-< nf he,