New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-25
RAD CIVIL SUNDRY BILL.
ST, HOLMAN BREAKS ALL
RECORDS.
nj TRIES TO MEASURE THE REoJI REMENTs or
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WITH
HIS FIvE-oENT GAUGE. AND MAKES
\ MESS OF THINGS.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TIiBUSE.1


Washington Jan. 24.-Io-day one Of the
two DAYS set apart by the House for the consdera
zion of the Torrcy Bankruptcy bill. but Chairman
Holman undertook TO, push that measure aside
tor the benefit of the Sundry Civil Appropriation
hill. which, at the beginning Of the session, he
announced was to he reported to the House and
nas.ed before the Holiday recess, but which was
mot brought in until January IS. On yea-and-
nav vote the chairman of the Appropriations Com
mttee was defeated by majority OF thirty in
total Of 244 votes The day was lost to the
friends Of the Bankruptcy bill, however. by the
adoption Of a motion to adjourn offered by Mr.
Allen of Mississippi. out of respect to the memory
n the late Associate Justice Lamar.
Chairman Holman is naturally anxious to get
IN. Sundry Civil bill through the House with as
little delay possible, for even ne seems to be
.onscious that careful study of some of its pro-
visions will lead many Representatives, irrespec-
tive of party. to oppose them. Probably more
imperfect and inadequate measure of the sort was
never framed and reported by any Appropriations
Committcc in the history of Congress, unless it
vas in the XLIVth Congress, when Judge Holman
,s. AZ the head of the Committee. In discussing
the pending bill General CogswcN, of Massachu-
setts who was member of the subcommittee
which framed il, called attention to a number OF
the provisions which, as he and every other mem
her of the Committee on Appropriations know,
are utterly inadequate. The amount recommended
for the pay of assistant custodlans and Janftors
for all public buildings outside of Washington is
$3.50 oo0 with which is coupled provision re-
ouirinc the Secretary of the Treasury so to appor
ton the amount to prevent deficiency there
in" As Economist" Holman knows there is
necessarily yearly increase in the expenditures
m this account due TO the completion and occu-
nation Of new buildings and the natural increase
of public business. The estimates for next year
amounted TO S945,s7o: the regular appropriation
for the current year was S5sO,OOO, and the De
fciency bill reported last week carries an item of
s75. 600. making the total required for this year
Ss55,OO0.
For fuel lights and water for public buildings
the amount carried in the Sundry Civil bill is
$500 900 which is an increase of $4,000 over
the regular appropriation for the current fiscal
year but that amount has been found inadequate
and the Appropriations Committee only last week
recommended deficiency appropriation OF $780,
900. making total Of Ss5o,o00 or $4,000 more
than the amount recommended for next year
This also is an item in which there is natural
and necessary increase from year to year
Probably the most unjust feature of the bill. az
General Cogswell pointed OUT in bis Speech s that
which relates 10 the payment Of claims for back
nav etc. due u volunteers and their widows and
legal Ieirs on account Of services during the war
Of Rebellion. These claims are on account OF ser
vices rendered twenty-seven TO thirty years ago.
and are due under acts Of Congress Ihey are pala
or ought 10 he paid as soon as adjusted ana ceru-
fed BY the accounting officers Of the Treasury De
uartment. The individual claims are small-proba-
NV averaging less than $500 each-but the claim
ants as a rule are persons 10 whom delay OF
s,ehtccn months after tho adjustment OF their
claims which have been pending for 80 many
veau means serious hardship-and such delay IN
the case Of thousands of claimants Is always
caused by failure to make adequate approprla-
tons
Recognizing these facts as we'll rs the justice
OF the claims. the List Congress made an IN
definite appropriation of so much as may be
necessary" for their payment from time TO time
as the claims were adjusted. This was just and
sensible legislation, because there was no danger
that money would be expended in an improper or
extravagaht manner. In striking contrast to the
wise action Of the last Congress is that which
Economist" Holman proposes to the present one
n take The Sundry Civil bill now pending ap-
proprate. only $3.50 900 for the payment Of claims
which NAV be certified by the accounting officers
of the Treasury Dc!N.mrnt on account Of back
nav. bounty. Communication Of rations to prisoners
Of war in rebel States, etc, during the NEXT
fiscal year That is the same ss the regular
approrriation for the current fiscal year, IN ad-
dition 10 which the sum of $355,ooo is included
in the Deficiency bill, which was reported from
Economist lolman's committee only two days
after he reported the Sundry Civil bill. The total
amount actually required for this year. there
fore. is S1,lO5,ooO 1t was estimated by the
Secretary of the Treasury that $35o0oo would
be sufficient 10 pay the claims which Will be
certified during the next fiscal year, and that esti-
mate has been deliberately reduced 100000 by
the majority Of the Appropriations COMMITTEE
winch knows as we'll to-day as it Will know next
winter that the money will have to be Noted
and that the delay will work injustice ana
cause distress among several thousand persons
whose claims are just and who have been walt
ing more than a quarter OF a century to nave
them adjusted and paid.
Tho treatment which the Coast and Gcodetic
Survey has received at the hands OF Economist
Holman Is wholly unjustfable. The original es-
innate for next year amounted to $5c2,5Oo, winch
was much less than any estimate for many wears
Ex-Governor Sayers, of Texas, who was acung
chairman Of the subcommittee on tho Sundry
Civil bill, in December prevailed upon Superih-
tendent Mendenhall TO cut this estimate down to
about the amount Appropriated for the current
fiscal year-S4s5, O00-although this reduction
would cripple the necessary operations of the
service 10 some extent But this did not satisfy
the economical" chairman Of the subcommittee
and Mr.. Mendcnhall was astounded month later
by the recent Of a letter from Judge Holman re-
Qucsting him 10 submit revised estimate MAKING
q further reduction of $4,000 This he decinea
to d. and in q terse and cogent ietter VIII"
would have convinced anybody except s'aoe'-
man of the Holman type he gave the reasons Tor
his refusal. Among other things superintendent
MendonbaII declared that Ito make such rcduc-
ton woul result in the practical disruption OF a
technical corrs, most members of which have uc
voted their lives to the service OF the Government
end all OF whom are possessed of technical know,