Evening star., 1897-05-01

the appropriations committee had the right
Of way. It was possible to use the appro-
prtatton bills to sidetrack other legislation
a,s and -, even TO to der.il II entirely. In 2 mem
gress. I think. Mr.. Randall said he had
Used the appropriation bills to prevent
what he considered unwise legislation, and
that ne had held back appropriation bills
Until the last hours Of the session of Con-
gress SO that any other legislation would
be blocked. Mr.. Randall was the predeces-
sor OF Mr. Holman as the chairman Of ap-
proprfattons. and Mr.. Holman's crusade for
economy. which made him famous, was q
SEQUEL OF a crusade which was begun by
Mr Randall for the democratic party, and
Defore him by Mr.. Garfield for the repub-
Mr.. Garfield said in 1872: 1.-The expend-
iture OF revenue forms the grand level from
which all heights and depths of legislative
action are measured, and Il the best test
OF the health. the wisdom and the virtue
ceivable form Of corruption or public wrong
that does not at last present itself at the
cashters desk and demand payment. The
legislature. therefore that stands at the
cashiers desk and watches with its Argus
eyes the demands for payment over the
counter Is most certain to see all the forms
OF public rascality. At that place, too, we
may feel the nations pulse; we may de-
fever or whether the currents of its life
are flowing with the steady throbbings OF
health"
Reducing Expenses.
Mr.. Garfield, as chairman of appropria-
tions, reduced the expenses of the govern
ment four and a half millions In the second
session Of the Forty-third Congress. In the
next Congress, which was the first demo-
cratic Congress since the war, Mr.. Randall
was at the head Of appropriations. and he
and his colleagues-among them Mr.. Hol-
ahDppf tf1cv f1<nrx 1cff1
more. There was rule of the House
which prevented the reduction Of salaries
by less than a two-thirds vote, but Mr..
Randall succeeded In introducing a
tion to appropriation bills by a majority
vote. Then occurred a complete review of
the government departments and looping
of OF expenses everywhere. Those who
Of Texas the other day to cut down all sal
aries paid by the government is almost
revolutionary do not know that a similar
proposition was made by Mr.. Randall, and
would have been adopted by Congress but
for the opposition Of the Senate. Mr.. Ran
dali proposed 10 per cent reduction In all
salaries of more than 81 300 a year. and q
reduction of the clerical force in the de-
partments by 20 per cent.
The result of the work of Mr.. Randall,
seconded by Mr.. Holman, was to cut down
the appropriations nearly thirty million
dollars. The amount recommended by
Randalps committee was $137, ,233 1856;
amount adopted by the House. $13S, 752. .343; !;
amount adopted by the Senate $15S, 26O, 500;
amount agreed to finally, STAT. 10 .O75:
amount recommended by the Secretary of
the Treasury, s203 O99, ,O25.
In the ensuing Congress Mr.. Randall was
Speaker, and Mr.. Holman as chairman of
appropriations cut down the government
expenses by another ten millions But in
later years many appropriation bills were
distributed among the other committees.
Mr. Holman was displaced as chairman of
appropriations. and the great objector in
his later years was but a shadow of the
figure he had been fifteen or twenty years
before. GEORGE GRANTHAM Balm.