Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-01

known as the great objector'' because Of his
habit OF interpreting objections to the considera-
ton OF legislation which he does not approve
wherever objections will prevent its considera-
ton. new word has been coined within the
last year by the great newspapers of the coun-
try-"Holmanism." It is synonymous with
"chceseparing." which is the subject Of SO
much criticism by the editors Of republican
newspapers when matters Of public expendi-
ture are under consideration in a democratic
House. No man has been more widely praised
| for his honesty more condemned for
''parsimony" than Mr.. Holman. The climax
OF criticism was reached when Ford's Theater
collapsed recently, killing q number of the en-
ployes and wounding many Others The cry
went up from all parts OF the country that the
niggardiness OF Congress in failing to make
proper appropriations for public buildings was
responsible for this. 1t was the natural result
OF 'Holmanism," it wns said. called on MIR.
Holman while these criticisms still filled the air
to ask him to tell ME just what 'Holmanism"
Is. and incidentally to give me description of
| the methods by which appropriations are made
l wished to ask him, in view of the fact that the
democratic House had voted such en- ormous ap-
preparations in the last Congress, whether he
believed that the next Congress would make
any retrenchment. and how a reduction in the
| expenditures could be made.
PLEASANT MAN TO INTERVIEW.
Mr.. Holman is an extremely pleasant man to
interview. A man who has served twenty-eight
years in the House Of Representatives, and has
been as conspicuous Mr.. Holman, has had
many experiences with the interviewer Usu-
ally they mellow him. They have not soured
Mr. Holman in spine Of the newspaper abuse
that he has suffered. He not only expresses
his opinions on public questions freely, but he
has fund Of anecdUte with which he enlivens
his conversation, which makes it vastly inter-
esting.
In appearance Mr.. Holman is spare, with a
| rather thin face, whose chin aud cheeks are
covered with close-trimmed beard, now
almost white He looks almost his seventy years.
| but his activity Is that OF q man Of fifty He
dresses in black broadcloth. wears a standing
collar and a narrow black tie. He chews to-
bacco as he talks, and likes to change his posi-
ton about once minute.
In the first place." said Judge Holman,
''you must remember that the appropriation
committee does not have charge OF all of the
appropriation bills 1t has control of only the
District Of Columbia bill, the bill making ap-
preparations for the expenses Of the depart
ments and OF Congress that which is known as
the legislative, executive and judicial appro-
priation bill, the deficiency BILL which includes
what is left over Of all the appropriation bills.
and the fortfication bill. the pension bill and
the sundry civil bill. The sundry civil bill
used to be a bill of small importance, but it has
grown to be the most impor tant of all the ap-
preparation bills. Well. these bills are made
up from estimates sent to the House by the
, Secretary Of the Treasury coming from all
Of the departments. You may say that
almost without exception the bills as re-
ported to the House contain nothing that
il not in the estimates sent to the House by the
Secretary OF the Treasury. The estimates are
| made up from estimates sent to the Treasury
Department by the heads OF the different de-
partmeuts in accordance with the law. The
law provides that these estimates shall be sent
| the Secfetary nv Oct I
. Usually the months of November and Decem-
Der are given to the review of these estimat ties
in the Treasury Department. This year. as
an extra session is to be held it will be differ
ent. But you can say that that is the rule
The Secretary Of the Treasury goes through the
estimates. including those of his own depart
ment. ana cuts them down. l think that Sec
rotary Foster cut down the estimates for the
year 1S94-the appropriations made by Con
gress at its last session-fully % per cent-well,
. say 20 per cent.
ALWAYS CUT DOWN GREAT DEAL.
But they are always Gu: down great deal.
When they come to the appropriation com.
mittee the estimates are distributed to sub
committees of five. and of the subcommittee on
the sundry civil bill the chairman OF the appro-
pration committee is always member These
subcommittee spend from two or three weeks
to two or three months considering the items
Of the BILL and very frequently they exercise
heads OF bureaus before them. But il they are
familiar with the work they have n pretty good
idea where reductions can be made. For these
hearings there may not be more than three
members Of the subcommittee present When
the bill is reported back to the full committee
though. there is almost invariably full meet
ing. 1t Is rare that member Of the committee
Is absent. Iou know they said OF the Indian
bill. that it was never considered in full COM
mittee in the last Congressman it was re-
| NO Tod 70 ha H.. L.
, subcommittee. But the committee on appro-
, priations always considers the bills on which it
has to pass in full committee. The bill is usually
reported to the House rs it came from the sub
committee and the chairman of the subcom-
mittee presents the report. He may have been
in the minority when the bill was voted on in
committee, but he presents it to the House and
, has charge Of it. Therefore he may not advo-
cate every item in it, but remain passive on
some and may even vote against them For
Z example, was opposed to certain appropria-
tions in the surdry civil bill which l reported
| to the last House-the artificial limb appropri-
alton was one Of them-and remained passive
when those appropriations considered
) and when the vote was taken on them l voted
! against them. II Will often happen, too, that
the member who reported the bill to the House
will make report from the conference between
the two houses which he does not entirely ap-
! prove. Thus the member in charge of the bill
is constantly in danger of being placed in a
must be done. however, to put the appropria-
ton bill through. Concessions must be made
and a compromise reached; and the member in
charge of the bill may have to agree to certain
paragraphs which he does not approve
Still he usually has an opportunity to
explain his position on the floor Of the House.
These concessions are necessary because it
would be public calamity to have one of the
. important appropriation bills fail. The sundry
civil bill, for example. would never have gone
through in the form in which it was passed in
the last House if it had not been for the danger
that it would fail altogether and make extra
session Of Congress necessary. 1t would have
been a great danger to the country-not from
a partisan but from public view point-to
have had Congress called together here in
April or May, and it would have been neces-
sary to call special session if the sundry civil
bill had failed. That is one Of the results Of
the extraordinary growth Of that bill. 1 have
known the sundry civil bill to be laid on the
table and not to pass at all at time when it
carried only $1,000, 000.- 1t included then no
appropriation that We could not get along
without, If necessary. Now it covers the life
saving service and the soldiers homes and
other branches OF the public service, which
would have to suspend if the appropriation
was not made"
BILLS THAT MIGHT FAIL WITHOUT INJURY.
"Are there any Of tho appropriation bills that
could be defeated without necessitating an
extra session of Congress?" asked.