The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-15
BLOW At EXTRAYAGANCE
STRUCK BY |NDIANIANS
IN THE LOWER HOUSE
Subordinate Government Officials
Must Pay for Carriages or
Use Shank's Mare.
FREE USE. OF VEHICLES
Limited to the President, His Sec
retary and Heads of the
Departments.
END PUT TO A SCANDAL
On Motion of c. B. Lands, Which
Was Supported by Represent
ative Hemenway.
END PUT TO A SCANDAL
special to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-Only the Pres
ident. his secretary and members of the
Cabinet will be provided with coachmen,
horses and carriages at government ex-
pense hereafter. Assistant secretaries and
bureau officers who desire such luxuries
must pay for them out of their own pock-
cts. An amendment to the legislative bill
offered by Representative Charles Lands
in the House to-day deals a body blow to
the time-honored custom of subordinate Of
ficers providing themselves with handsome
carriages and well-bred horses, the cost of
which has been borne by Uncle Sam. The
amendment reads:
Provided that no part of any money ap-
propriated by this act shall be available
for paying the expenses of horses and car
riages or drivers therefor for the personal
use of any officer provided for herein other
than the President of the United States,
heads of executive departments and the
secretary to the President
When the amendment was presented it
attracted considerable attention, and was
followed by debate In which Representa-
tives Hemenway. lands and several other
members participated. Chairman Hemen-
way explained that the committee on ap-
preparations had been aware for some time
that carriages had been purchased for bu-
reau officers without congressional author
ity, and he stated that he had made an
investigation to ascertain out of what ap-
preparation the funds had been taken. He
admitted that he had been unable to get
any satisfactory response to the inquiries
he made in this connection. He agreed
with Mr.. Lands that only Cabinet mem
bers were entitled to carriages, and he said
it gave him great pleasure to support the
amendment presented by his colleague.
MR.. LANDIs'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Lands said he saw no reason why
the government should maintain modern
equipped stables for subordinate officers He
expressed the opinion that if the present
condition of affairs continued a scandal
would follow. mo money used in this way
has been used with the sanction of Con-
gress," said Mr.. Lands. "and the abuse
is becoming so fragrant that 1 insist 1t is
time to put some limitation on the expendi-
ture. believe this will curb an abuse
that is an outrage on this house as il is an
outrage on the country" Mr. Lands said
If the horses and carriages now used by
government officials were lined up on Penn
sylYania avenue they would reach from the
Peace monument to the White House He
added that it would be only question of
time until all those on the government paw
roll, except senators and representatives
would be riding in carriages at the gov
ernments expense.
Mr.. GrosVenor called attention to the fact
that the speaker of the House. who he said
occupies an office second only in Importance
to any In the United States, was not pro-
vided a carriage. He said he knew the
present speaker would not approve a mea :.
ure providing him one, and for that reason
he would not propose such an amendment
at this time.
The Lands amendment was adopted and
great grief has come to many officials Fol
lowing so closely the order recurring q
half hour additional work every day in the
departments, the proceedings of the House
from this time forth will be watched by
government officials in fear and trembline
in anticipation of other calamities tC
come. Indiana Is taking a cOnspicuou:
part in the reform measures now beine
tives.
The House to-day passed the legislative
executive and judicial appropriation bill
carrying S29 711,70O and then adjourned
until Monday next. This is the second o
the big supply measures to pass the House
The House to-day, by a vote of SS to I72
refused to sustain the action of the com
mittee of the whole which yesterday adopt
ed an amendment striking out the para.
graph providing for the salaries and ex
penses of the Civil-service Commission
thus restoring the item TO the bill. Amend
ments adopted In committee Increasing il
one instance. the salaries of territorial of
hcers In New Mexico and Arizona and re-
ducing the salary of the director of the
census in another. met similar fate in the
House