Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-02-19
EAGER TO GET WAY.
Consequently Congress !, Nov Maxi
ing Better Progress.
III ssldi.ss' Hons 10 Be Pu. Under Still
Ress Rigid Rules.

preparation bills havcslid aloag Although
they make enormous reductions in some
departments, the total beng nearly 80, Co.,
600 less than that OF last year, they go
through the house committee with scarcely
a squabble and so far seem TO be exciting
very little opposition anywhere. On three
Of them, however. there will be n very live
ly contest. The urgent deficiency bill-a
small affair. it is true-went through with
out ripple, and the Notifications and sun
dry civil bills are pretty nearly In shape to
suit both parties.
There is one bill. however, which has
stirred up quite a racket IN various places
where national homes for disabled soldiers
are located These are known in a general
way ~ the National home. and the seven
different buildings are known as the
branches. And the Milwaukee branch has
raised something like tempest in d teapot
over house bill sG75 as reported by the COM
mttee.
The professors declare that the bill strips
the board Of managers OF ill authority III
making accounts, rules, etc, and makes the
secretary OF war q sort OF despo.. IN fact,
it does not do that, but IL is still tolerably
searching bill.
More Rigid Rules.
The homes have always been under a
board OF managers composed of volunteer
officers in the old Union army, and this
board has practically done all its own audit
ing. This bill brings the entire soldiers
home business under the same rigid rules
as apply to other appropriations. The Off
Gals are put under heavy bonds to the
United States. so far as they are disburslng
officers. All the disbursements must be &C
counted for with the same strngcncy az
those in the army, and the general rule is
provided for that no money appropriated
for one purpose can be used for another.
The report of the board is to come to
congress through the secretary OF war, and
In general the board is strictly prohibited
from doing any OF those things which IL has
heretofore done at discretion. 1t was shown
to the committee that out OF an appropria-
ton OF s35, COO for outdoor relief OF soldiers
and for the incidentals of the board nearly
$4,000 had been spent on the salaries and
expenses OF the board, leaving but little
more than 81 900 for the main purpose spec
flied In the bill.
The committee, therefore, in the pending
bill made all appropriations for the boards
use very specific. 1t is Of course the most
natural thing in the world that the veterans
should watch this secretary and congress
with unusual care and perhaps with sus
picion. But the authors of the pending bill
claim that the veterans of the seven homes
will be none the worse for it, provided, OF
course, that the board is efficient.
Eager to Get Away.
The committees nave worked so acli'eis
that even the most pessiinisuc members
begin TO talk Oh IN carry auJourhiieht. W.
the universal testimony Oh hangers Oh aoo''
the capitol that they never 81" cohsrcss y
eager 10 get throushits WORK anu y. away
ana champ Clark says; o,u tn'nh we
should see the uoR aaysthrou9h. lese pe.'u
tiui wihdo"s' phe (, now .hiiih % pe,na
nome TO celebrate Tue tour'n Oh 'uiy' 'oi
every man FENCES are III more OF res
awful condition. ana every man KNOWS IL.
WINE there Is universal eaeerhess oi,
the part OF the majority 70 ger uoiie anu
get away, there IS surprising allierenc.
III opinions as 10 'he puo'ic seh,iineh'
which VIII nave 10 DC oeaie Win. IL zoe
not run on party INES ny any means very
many Hepuoiicoi's achhowieuse snae .he
sentiment LOT an income .aA anu ~. WE
Biahd silver piil ~ overwhelming III lHeii
dis.ricts' ana almost US many Deniocra.s
declare that both are very unpopular ID
theirs. III iact' from tne reports Oh mem
bcrs 1t looks very mucn as H. IA spite 81
PATRIOTISM, parties were becoming rapioy
more sectional, ana that the whoie nnai-
cial and revenue issue would become what
Hancock declared part OF IL 10 De local
question"
"in These Hard Times"
Added to the general and usual troubles
of congressman there is just now II new and
peculiar enc--namcly, n perfect avalanche
of tramps and beggars, which threatens to
make life n nuisance on some of the ave-
MUGS. One congressman says that in 10
minutes walk from his house to the capitol
he IL often stopped five or six times, and in
remote parts Of the city these fellows, going
in gangs. have become so threatening as to
alarm the ,imid. 1t is Indignantly charged
that other communities have shipped their
surplus mcndicants here, but the board of
charities think the visitation is merely the
result Of the somewhat mi,tler climate here
than in New York and Philadelphia and If
tho bountiful provision that has been made
for taking care of the city's poor.
Certain il Is that the condition has never
heen Cd had since 1880, when the lately
enumerated negroes from the two djoin-
ing states flocked here by tens Of thousands.