New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-20
ALL AT SIZES AND SEVENS.
THAT IS THE CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN
THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
,,,co,,prrrxcy AT THE TOP LEADS TO DE-
,,o,n,y.r1oN IN TIE RANKs-THE SCAN
pAL GROWING INSTEAD OF OWN
nrrxo-A CONGRESSIONAL IN
,,rcrrGATION POSSIBLE

inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDuNEI
washington. May l9-If 1.-THE OF the co'np'a
and ,ritics,ns by men whose business mas JUNE" U.s.,
thcm into almost daily contact with '"e o'
$1,000 o,o,t aud methods OF the Treasury Dc?a'F
,,ort Tor n nuuocr Of years past are just Vi e"'
filled to any weight whatever, ahars are III
cced,ng!y bad shape ana are s'eau"! ,,,n
worsc Various causes are assigned ioi eA'' .,
conditions. which amount almost 10 oei'o ~,,is,.
-, rho service one OF these Is the constant SN.,'
-, o,.oe,on Of official responsibility III inc
~ ~ rho Secretary. In discussing this hs''e'
with a Tribune correspondent man VI ,os
nerience and keen observation WHOSE .n
| hrinya him into frequent contact WIN i'e"'1y
officials as 1t has done Tor more '''"
years past, said -, A.. ,ss,s,ont
ecretaTes alternately to duty as Aclng seI bss
carsed no end Of confusion There Is now aiw S
on Acting Secretary. whether the Seerptaiy That
s W carilse is frequently signing oiiica. pate
at desk Secretary at nns In an adjoining
one e Of i inc senng Official papers Acting Secretary
q the Treasury HqS neva6iy leads coson
ana proDaoy Pr s@raiesy IS Acting
worse Asa nit,er sa for certain period
Question: may be decided one way by rne '. and
wno Who happens be Acting Secretary n eSe
week may decide question ,h"I 70 not mention
tbs as Thing that might happen under .ne not
ent system but as nng tines ras la" The natural ard
E 1rJ results are confusion and uncertainty
amcng Subordinate officers Of the da Us
| dissatisfaction among persons WIZ H-''
With i. 49,, +, ,roo,or,
| .nothcr fruitful cause Of complaint Is irePue,''
and often apparently unnecessary hhi "i' e''o''D'
doav in the transaction Of the pubic business Nuo
-, yy,Icn IL IN. TO the Incompetence (Which IN turn
10 sometimes due 20 the inexperienced OF secretary
Car,ls,es subordinates. or 20 their reluctance u 80
sumo Official responsibility Heads Oh
are surrounded by chiefs OF divisions. '''aJo''S
Of whom owe their places to po'lusd'
a,1 are inexporlenced AMI ignorant OF tnsr H""''
,r,l.,. ,ositate and are reluctant 10 ceclce ques
.,ore with which they arc themselves UNI l'''''ai'
| aud as n rule they prefer TO ret'r sue" p",
nm Assistant Secretary or to Secretary 'At'e nm
| -, r,,,o- than trust the advice and judgment OF
| mon who are only clerks but whom ohs eApe''e"e
| ora training have made entirely competent u "e~'
| ,,n e,ch matters Every reference OF FueS''o"
IN an Assistant Secretary or 10 the Ac'i"s 49,,
,arv for the tine be.ng. or 10 the 9e0t ,'
o.ls means more deay-somctiines N'e'',,.' 80
| Tho milo Of unfinished business s'ea'"y ho"
IN ~ or, dosk and II not lnfroqGently hap
nrs mat 4 case Is pending 80 long bei're se''or'
.,o,,,on ls bcstowcd upon Il by the reVie"'hs o,
cor that Il becomes necessary 10 nav
| oo,cl and res,ated before action can be taken
| Another serious obstacle to successful ".'''',
ration and prompt decision and settlement Oh p"s,
' T., ~ ,,r,is,v or uncertainty that prevails
wong tho subordnat, officers and clerks VINO ""'
non to be holdover Republicans, or men VIM 90.
! strong Democratic partisans. THIS iee'Hs - 90
natural as It is strong. In view oil ''e pr 10.
| .,o, hv which chief Cork Carlisle s'gnal%eu No
| ,t,o,,on into that Office. Il was IN ehec' 'ia'
| "o,erv Republican and Mugwump ho!dover IN ''''S
| D,,ortmcnt Will be made to walk the PLANK oe
! fore the LIST day o. July. 1879 EXPERIENCE ".'
shown that his word is Law. as far as appointment.
| ord d,s,n,ssals are concerned. In Amos eN'''
| case and the number OF persons in the i'e"S'''
| Deoortment who do not fear that ne WIN a'e',,,
| >, 49,, o,,, hs threa; and believe that ne mas inc
| rover TO do It ia exceedingly small. lhey ha'e
| seen the power exercised 100 often "o' ~ -.
ueve IN IT'S existence In the disposition 10 use H.
r-,aer IN. circumstances. II Is too much 10 expect
| tina, thev Will attract attention TO themselves ~
! .or,,,oer,nv advice or suggestions that prooaDiy
| would not be well received T. proffefed.
rh.re "a another difficulty that deserves to De
| mentioned inasmuch as II is probably the worst
ono If a considerable number OF the same sort IL
- found in he Office OF the Controller OF the Treas
urv In which IL is asserted by well-intornned men
.to bav. dealings with the Government, oficiaI
,ncor,petcncv presides Under the plan OF Treas
urv REORGANIZATION adopted by the last congress-
! this has iecornc the most important ONCE IN the
Aepartment as far rs the settlement OF accounts
Of hubble officers and the adjudication OF Claims
| ...lns, tho Government concerned The once
~ second Controller was abolished. and It's IN
cu;nbent became Deputy controller ne u'e' so''e
time ago and th. vacancy has not YET peeh "'ieu'
r,hr controller himself 1t is asserted by men who
oryht 10 be competent to Judge. Is by no means
,,,,I IA the duties OF his Office. the management
Of which - severely criticised y similar state Oh
affairs Is said exist In several other bureaus u
3D., ler,rtment the head Of which seems to be
Mind % f.cts which indicate the necessity OF
nrompt and efficient action 70 prevent actual de-
norallzatlon In that most important branch OF the
pub,lo service \ man who Is thoroughly famiiiar
with many Of these facts. and who is not unfrend-
~, -, c.cr.,,rv Carlisle said yesterday to a Tribune
spondent:
Tn. truth Is that everything is at sizes anu se'I
ems and the Secretary does not sen 70 SioM H.
,bo,1 ~ n b, surprised to see an investigation ny
Gnnyress next winter, and 70 see IL nave 4 resu,
,b,f wound be exceedingly unpleasant 70 the Al
~ ton \ great many things have gone
wrorc in the Treasury Department IN the last TWO