The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-02
AN ECONOMICAL SpASM ON.
HFFEoT or cHEEsEPIRIHG ON BUsL-
NESS IN CONGRESS.

| wlsHINoTcS, Oc.. 1.-Tam Reeds Congress
had the strength Of It's convictions. There
was nothing hypocrltical about It witt
! full TREASURY Ia view IL made libcra
| appropriations. 1t did not skimp itself. anc
| it appropriated millions upon millions FOL
! rivera and harbors and for public buildings
1t authorized liberal contracts with American
vessels carrying the mails. 1t sympnthizet
with the indians to the extent OF many mil
| lions OF dollars Above all. It was liberal &c
its clerks and attendants. 1t gave itsel
nearly every facility to do business.
Mr.. Reed himself took personal interest III
the House wing OF the CAPITOL. He drove out
the tickors OF the Stock Exchange tho ginger.
bread sellers. the pie women. and tho dispens-
ers OF milk and lemonade. He allowed no
newsboy 10 the corridors. and drove candy
pullers and photographers into the streets.
Even old Clara, who had sold historic trinkets
and macerated currency from the days OF
Henry Clay and Daniel Webster down. appealed
in vain to his sympathies. Her stand was re-
moved. and she has been haunting the Capitol
ever since. 1t must be said, however. that tho
Republican method OF doing business was
greatly facilitated by the Speakers action in
counting quorum.
Apparently appalled, by tho CRY Of Billion
Congress. the Fifty-second Congress. with lat
Democratic majority, had an economical
spasm almost at its birth. Under the tutelage
OF Watchdog Holman 1t openly resolved to be
economical In everything. 1t barred legisla-
tive lanes to tho Treasury. and 1t promised to
pare the peoples cheese from LETT to right and
from right to left 1t tried to force itself to live
on bread and water. but the effort was a fail
ure. In defiance OF all presidents It refused to
make an appropriation to bury negro en-
ployce who had served the House faithfully
for many years. It wanted nearly half OF the
House committees to run their business with
out clerks. It aimed to cut down the inciden-
tai expenses OF the House wherever 1t could be
done. with hardly regard to it's necessities.
The great Com mittee on Appropriations Topped
of many an oxcresence In it's bills. and at
times by too free application Of the knife
did more harm than good.
While doing this work in the House. II gave
the Senate free rein. 1t assented to the pur-
chase Of the Maltby House. where each SEN
ator had o private room furnished at the ex-
pense OF the Government. 1t allowed every
Senate committee all the clerks and messen-
gers that were required. 1t allowed men en-
ployed in the Senate wing Of the Capitol moro
pay than men employed in the same duties in
tho House wing.
The result OF it's efforts is shown in the ap-
pearance of the two wings Of the Capitol On
tilation perfect, the corridors are broad and
Clean and the elevators are swift and in first
class order. The barber shop is free for the
use OF the Senators. and the restaurant is a
veritable dining parlor. The committee
rooms are carefully guarded. and everything
10 trim and neat
The contrast with the House wing is remark
able. As you enter the lower corridor beneath
the arch you find the windows closed and q
notable laok OF ventilation. On each side OF
the entrance are two little shanties. barring
light and Dir. One is for the use Of the House
carpenter. and another Is used for the storage
OF old mail bags and various truck. Broken
chairs and mutilated desks are piled along the
corridor. Stacks Of speeches awaiting mail
ing are there. and the corridor is dirty and be-
grlmed. Then the restaurant Is small and badly
ventilated. There are 1853 members OF the
House. each having clerk. and aside from
this probably at least 100 more persons EN-.
ployed in various duties. As there are not
will be seen how utterly impossible it is to
feed the members. taking no account OF the
been made for enlarGIng. the restaurant.
The. elevators are old-fashioned affairs.
moving with the slowness OF snaIls elm bing, a
members unlike the Senator's pay for their
shaves: although the BARRIERS receive an allow
however. is to pay them for their services as
laborers in scrubbing the halls and cleaning
days session. Rarely you find a messenger at
the door OF a com mittee room.
the Sgnass T " re electric Ghtf
Members entertaining their constituents at
eter at 100 degrees at times. find the electric
light suddenly shut hut 81 and gas light substi-
is h IN its to do s
while tho Senate Rreases the ways without |
stint and works without annoyance.
Ifty-second Congress was so transparent that
the House itself finally reyolted. IttooE the bit
I. !sS y ond haF R R
Efeducti9 'I IN the Army. Navy, sgndry Civil.
Of ana Other 9aan
bs were more than Offset By the Rper a1d
Harbor PLY alone. It made no appropriations
s sI, e;YSsI!si the S!iop dSsr sTpshsSs q
show Of economy. 1t had simply tod it's own
hands and let everything else go lree. To be |
sure much OF the money appropriated was duo
we're appropriations which had to be made un- |
der existing laws. The Holman resolution,
he House itself was afterward accused OF
hypocrisy.
The fiity-third Congress is already afflicted
with the same spasm OF economy. 1t hns al.
he committee Of the House. It does stills ths.with
ho records OF the commttees in past Con-
.resses before it. These records show that In
some cases committees have made very few
'ntly Leen fer better for the House to abolish
he committees entirely and set aside the
'ooms for other purposes. The Chnirmen OF
committees are indignant at the action OF the
House; and now have very little incentive to
carefully consider bills sont to their commit:
ees. The economical spnsm Is SO severe that
he House spent some days in discu ssing a
proposition to allow assistant clerks to COM
nittees that really needed them.
Under the law each member Ia entitled to n |
'lerk while the House Is in session. The law.
however. excerpts Chairman OF committees to
which clerks are assigned The object is to
orce the Chairmen OF such committees to per
onally utilize the services OF the committee
Jerks.
How this works is readily seen. The clerk
II the Ways and Means would have no time to
'at, drink, or sleep II he he acted az private
secretary to his Chairman. The snme may be-
aid OF the clerks TO tho Committees on Apnro-
,riattons. on Military Affairs on Claims. on
invalid Pensions. and many others.
But the economical spasm IL on. Whether
t will bear the same fruit as in the Fifty-sec-
md CONGRESS remains to be seen. lp the last
Who had Legitimate claims against the Gov