Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-10
Ex-Controller Lawrence Attacks the
Dockery Law.
MEETING OF TIE STATISTICAL SOCIETY
The Chicago Strike Discussed by
Dr.. Nimmo.
FL s II ERIES ULLE T N

last night at the Columbian University.
There was fair attendance, considering
the rain storm that was raging. DIR. Jo-
seph Nimmo, jr., read careful paper on
the commercial aspects of the strike, which
he denominated as an Instruction against
the laws of the country. He described the
origin of the strike among the Pullman
wori<inSmen, and went on to give an esti-
mate of the values affected by the general
sympathetic strike that followed. The COM
merce affected, he said, amounted to about
S2,VOO.OOo,VO0 in the Chicago region annu-
ally, and to about s5.VOOUuO.OO0 a year in
the region west of Chicago. The entire
country from Hammond, ILL.,, to The Pa
cific coast was affected by the strike. Some
one In Chicago has inquired that the actual
loss 'aused by tie strike was about $751;
100000, of which a large proportion was IN
the form OF wages.
Dr. Nlmmo IId not believe that the mails
heed more protection from the government
than does the normal interstate traffic oil
the country. But the eXpedient of trying
10 iorce the railroad companies and the
puDnc 10 contribute to the success of the
original strike was decidedly immoral ana
contrary to the law OF laws. His own
opinion OF the law in the specific case OF
the right OF man to strike conceded with
the opinions delivered by Judges Grosscup
and Cooley, and later by Judge Harlan.
There could be no question of the individual
right 10 quit work, but there is no right to
De found to support the effort of the y. X.
u. to force the public to aid the insurrec-
ton, which demoralized all principles of
order and decency. DR.. Nimmo briefly
sketched the history of the railroads in
this country. to show that there has been
an evolution from the idea that prevailed
up to 1855, to have each road independent
There was, he said. djstaste on the part
Of the owners of the roads to functions, as
well as on the part of the public. Senti-
al nSt he
bridges across navigable streams He in
stanced that in the fifties ne went to Chi
cago and paid seven different fares travel
ing over as many separate roads, But the
necessities or the war broke into this
theory of railroading, and there has been a
gradual amalgamation until the independ-
ence OF the separate roads has disappeared
ana there Is instead great American rail-
road system. This system cannot be
threatened in one part without endangering
the Whole. and so the example of the great
strike or 1884 is valuable lesson to show
the need or quicker enforcement of the ma
tionai laws Dr. Nimmo gave some figures
to show that the condition of the railroad
men today Is far superior to that of the
past wages being higher and the cost of
living, he asserted, less He declared that
aggregated capital is today the greatest of
potentlalitleS Tor the good of mankind
National Supremacy.
during the discussion of this paper Judge
:" m. Lawrence, the president of the associa-
ton, said that the strike had demonstrated
stlll more forcibly than ever the supremacy Of
the general government over the state when
the laws OF the nation are concerned. He
reviewed the Cleveland-Altgeld correspond
ence, and said that the state had, in the
case in point, nothing to do with the mat
Ter. Out OF the great evil of the strike.
therefore, mas come one great good-in
demonstrate ting the superiority of the gem
eral government.
The association decided to present a CODY
of this paper to the President in the hone
message to Congress- which is
To contain some reference to the
strike.
The Dockery Law.
Judge Lawrence. who was first controller
of the treasury during the GarfieldHArthur
thengav utterance to some
very strong opinions concerning the recent
OF the department under the
new Dockery law. He said that during the
five years of his term he had closely OBJ
served the working of the nting sys-
TEN of the deps rtment, which had been in
vogue from the time the law was originally
drafted by Alexander Hamilton unul the
first day of the present month. He could
say in single sentence that he considered
that system.as near perfect as any human
device could be. He spoke briefly of the or
ganlzation inauSurated by Hamilton, who,
public money in the hands OF certain officers
known as disbursing agents, officers ap-
pointed by the Secretary of the Treasury,
To whom the law gave unlimited authority,
there was no other provision, to
make such selections. In addition to the ac-
counts of these officers, there are many
claims presented to the department, which
are referred to the various auditors, whose
work Is wisely divided into glasses. Tine
auditor passes upon the claim. and, per-
chance, allows it. 1t then goes to the proper
from whom, if allowed, il is sent
to the register of the treasury for certain
en- tries, and then back to the controller
who signs 4 warrant for the payment. AL
exanier Hamilton said that the controller
of the treasury was intended as a check
upon the Secretary, and he devised the plan
of having his decisions inviolate. Until
now his rulings have only been renewable
by the Supreme Court of the United States
LAS a protection against errors and
frauds" continued Judge Lawrence, there
v as devised this double system of account
ing. Every claim must go first to the
auditor and then to the controller, which
gave every possible protection to the gov
ernment. The system has worked absolute
ly we'll 1t is the marvel of the age that
with the vast disbursements of public mon
eys there have been SO few errors and
frauds. There is not an enterprise con-
Quoted in the whole world with one-fostieth
of the business in which there are SO few
frauds. II the treasury of the United States
were subject to the same rules of business
that prevail in Wall stl eet there would be
Of times much money mis-
spent every year. 1t now has the most
marvellous system of accounting ever de-
vised in the World, and 1t stands as a mon
ument worthy of the great and matchless
brain that planned it.
A Mystery.
when n system has stood unimpeached
for over a century 1t should not be changed
without the gravest consideration and de-
liberation. The commission appointed by
Congress was headed by Mr.. Dockery, a
gentleman whom 1 know most favorably.
This commission went to work with the
definite purpose of changing something,
whether there was need of change or not
1 cannot conceive how they wrought as
they did. They entirely abolished the con-
trollers all but one. When / say this l
should explain that under the old system
there were really five controllers-the first
and second, the commissioner of customs
the sixth auditor and the commissioner of
the land office. All of these officers had the
functions of a controller. The new law also
changes the functions of the one controller
left, and gives the auditors the final juris-
dictlon on all claims against the govern
ment, except when the claimant in case
of disallowance, appeals to the controller
Therefore, the controller now has jurisdic
ton only upon cases of rejected claims
The money is all allowed before it reaches
him The effect is that IL a disbursinp off,