The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-06-11

Offices without some limit I do not
Know In this case how many they ought
have some idea OF tho number of Deop!e
that viii be necessary 10 perform the
work. and the COMMITTEES should have
obtained such Information and made a
limit
Mr.. Hopkins DOGS not the gentleman
sition?
Mr.. McRae. 1t does: but if had
charge OF the bill. I would know more
about IL than II appears is known by the
gentleman In charge of it.
Mr. Hopkins. You say you do not
know the number required Now, do you
not believe that the Secretary of the
treasury Is better capable of determin-
ing that than a member of the House?
Mr.. McRae. He ought to he able to
tell the committee what the public SER
vice requires.
MIR. Hopkins. II might require five
men at one time and ten men at anoth
er. IL all depends upon the amount of
Mr.. Payne. I want to say to the gen
tleman from Arkansas that it is within
the discretion of the Secretary Of the
Treasury as to how many officials ne
will appoint at nearly every SUPPORT in
the United States-where there are sub
ports of entry. ! know 1t is so in my
district. and under one Administration
other. without any change of law, and IL
was found to be lawful in each case. II
depends entirely upon the Administration
and IL IL a matter that you can not fix
n hard and fast rule about, especially in
regard to this country. as we have to &c
there and try and find out what is nee
essary..
Mr. McRae. Does the gentleman mean
to tell me that at all the ports of the
United States the Secretary of the Treas
ury has power to employ. without limit
such officials as he may see fit?
Mr.. Payne. Well. I did not say quite
that much. A part Of the ports of the
United States he has the power to ap
Ipoint deputies and inspectors and with
out limit. so far as practical observations
have been concerned. In some ports il
my own district. SUPPORTS. one Secretary
Iof the Treasury would sometimes allow
more than another.
| NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.
/ Mr.. McRae. I DO not want any statut,
lpassed that has not the number fixed. O
course I am not familiar with the re
Iquirements of this case, but / would no
give this unlimited power to an execu
tive officer in any permanent statute
like this. We should not at this time
when Congress Is just about to adjourn
a resolution having already been passed
TO adjourn, in a Presidential year, give
an executive department the right to fl,
the number of officers. The temptation
Is too great. I think IL Is without prec
edent. so far as I know, and unless tn
gentleman will suggest some number.
Will move to insert mot exceeding fiv
IN number
Mr.. Payne. Mr.. Speaker, I will smpl
say this. before moving the previou
question on the amendment and the bill
that II IL impossible to fix the numbe
In n matter OF this kind: otherwise / vii
have no objection. We do not know hoy
many men are needed. This bill wa
carefully considered two years ago b.
the Committee on Ways and Means o
the House and adopted. similar pro
vision was adopted I'm the Senate on tn
Porto Rican bill, II my recollection
right, when IL came from the Senate
Therefore move the previous question
on the bill and amendment.
The Speaker. The gentleman rom Ar
kansas offers the amendment which tn
clerk will read.
The clerk read as follows:
Insert after the word collectors /
line s. the words not exceeding five 1
number"
Mr.. Payne. The gentleman does no
mean tho.
AMENDMENT TO NUMBER.
Mr. McRae. 1 have not a copy of tn
bill. and have not been able to get on.
so to see the proper place to inser
the amendment I want to limit the OF
fcsrs not named.
The clerk read as follows:
80 that Il will read, and such deput
collectors. not exceeding FIVE in nun
ber'"
The Speaker. Upon the bill and amend
mcnt the gentleman from New York ask
the previous question.
Mr. Williams of Mississippi. Befor
that question 10 put Mr.. Speaker,
course the House wants to understan