The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-05-10
PLANNED TO SAVE
S250,OOO 4 YEAR
LACEY TRIES TO CUT OFF A
LAND OFFICE GRAFT.
IS oUrvorED IN COMMITTEE.
VIII Persevere and Garry the Matter
to the Floor Of the House In
the interests Of
Economy.


Washington, d. c., May IAN OPP
portunity presented to congress to
save s250,000 year by abolishing the
local land offices has been turned
down by committees OF both branches
Of congress. 1t long ago met its fate
in the senate committee, and today
the measure died IN the house com
mittee in spite Of several attempts by
Chairman Lacey of Iowa to save its
life. 1t is so seldom that sucn prop
osition comes from a government de-
partment that the committees seemed
hardly able to comprehend it, The rec
ommendation was contained In the
last annual report Of Secretary Hitch
cock, who Endorsed the recommends
ton of Mr.. Richards, commissioner
Of the general land once, who had
found that the Office OF register was
utterly unnecessary for the proper
transaction of public business. There
are appointments to be made, howey-
er, in local land Offices, and represent
atives from western states in winch
are located public LANDS were loath
to give up this patronage.
Chairman Lacey,wh had introduced
the bill, was anxious to get it on the
calendar, but met with defeat. The
bill is likely to be attached to the sun
dry civil appropriation bill, and, if
ruled out on point of order, brought
back into the house under a special
rule.
Would Be Saving.
1t was naiyely explained this after
noon by member of the house com
mittee on public lands, that where
member of the house has one register
IL ofice, % senator has two, so that
there was little probability of any leg
islation abolishing this Office. Mr..
Richards, commissioner of the general
land office, appeared before the house
committee several weeks ago. He
said that by abonshing the office OF
register the government could save
100000 to $250,00 year. There
were at that time ABOUT los registers.
In twenty-five Of these Offices there
are no clerks. Some o. the members
of the committee thought that where
there was an office without clerk
one would be required if the register
we're dropped out. This was conceded
by Mr.. Richards. In the other eighty
Offices. they claimed there were no
more clerks than were needed, and If
the register were dropped it would be
necessary to appoint another clerk;
therefore, little would be saved by
abolishing the register. Mr.. Richards
submitted to the committee today a
statement showing that careful esti-
mate of the amount to be saved, TAX
ing into consideration the employment
of additional clerks, in place of regis
tiers, would be $4,000 for the first
year.
The committee amended the bill to
pfovide that the registers should ap-
point not only the chief clerk, but all
other clerks in local offices, thus get
ting around the civil service law. The
question then came up Of reporting
the bill for passage. This was defeat
ed when put to the committee. A ma
jority voted against favorable re.
port, but there was no roll call. Chair
man Lacey determined to get the bill
on the calendar if possible, then
moved that the bill be reported ad-
yersely. On this there was roll call
the motion being lost by vote Of 8
to s.
Major Lacey, however, will persist
IN his efforts, and will carry the bill
to the floor of the house If possible.