The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-14
APPROPRIATION BILLS.
The Senate Committee Has Been
Very Busy of Late.
WHAT HE WILL AND WILL NOT DO
objector Holman. the Watch Dog Of the
Treasury Taiks-An Amendment Pro-
hibiting the Draping of Public Build
ings In Mourning.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Senate
committee on appropriations for the past
week has been busily engaged on the sum
dry civil bill. This il one of the most i'm
portant bill before Congress, as it CON-
tains items OF interest to every branch OF
the government. Notwithstanding the
large aggregate, increased by $4,000, 900,
TO carry out the river and harbor con-
tracts, the bill will of necessity be much
enlarged in amount owing TO the cutting
of appropriations down by Holman and
his committee below the actual require
ments OF the government service. There
may be delay in this bill, rs Mr.. Holman
has intimated that he will not consent To
the Senate committee loading II down with
all sorts OF schemes carrying appropria-
tions in hopes of forcing them through
on the last days OF the session.
The action OF the House in incorporat-
Ing in the legislative, executive and judicial
appropriation bill large number OF
amendments which are entirely out OF
place and not called for by the chiefs OF
the executive departments, will probably
be stricken out by the Senate commit
tee One OF the most obnoxious of these
is that requiring clerks and employees in
the several departments to work eight
hours. IL has never been done, although
frequent attempts have been made in this
direction. Holman and few
Other Backwoods Statesmen
secured its adoption. He and his friends
say that the Democrats are willing to
work eight hours il they are fortunate
enough to secure places under the new
administration. His idea is that by in
creasing the hours OF labor and reorgan-
izing the department clerical force there
m hn InR .Nf
penses in running these branches OF the
service.
Mr.. Holman says that IL Is his pupose in
the next Congress To enter into thor
ough investigation of the workings OF all
the departments, with view to a com
plete reorganization and a reduction OF
the force. He thinks that clerical service
OF the government could be more eff
GENTLY performed by wedding out about
twenty five per cent. of those now i'm
Office and who are supernumeraries, and
some OF whom do not perform sixty min
utes labor during the present official
hours.
There il also much grumbling concern
Ing another amendment in the legislative
bill which limits the annual leave OF alb
sence TO each clerk to fifteen instead OF
thirty days as under existing laws.
The adoption of another amendment
prohiting In the future the draping OF
public buildings in mourning whenever
a former secretary dies is generally com
mended. During the present administra-
tion there has hardly been a month when
some one OF the buildings has not been |
draped, and frequently, as ut present, all |
OF them. This presents a very somore ap- |
pearance.
IL was owing to this fact that the
amendment was proposed and adopted. |
These decoratAns also involve a very |
large and useless expense. The prices |
paid are exhorbitant and frequently il |
Is necessary to send to New York and |
Boston to secure supply.