The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-25
MAY GIVE TIPS ON
 EXPENSE ACCOUNT New Order of Comptroller of
 the Treasury NOT ENTIRELY NEW IDEA The Comptroller Has Sometimes More Power Than the Secretary "f the
 Trensury-Somc Instances
 of His Authority
NOT ENTIRELY NEW IDEA
By RODERICCK CLIFFORD

Washington, August 24-(Special)-The comptroller of the treasury, who has the l last say in the matter of paying out Un- cle Sams money and whose decision IS binding, recently handed down an opin- ion that employees of the government who travel on official business may tip walters sleeping car porters and similar help and the tips" will be O. kd in set ting accounts. The publication of the decision caused much comment in the newspapers, but inquiry at the treasury department disclosed the fact that there is nothing new in it.
 The government has always made all lowances for postage and fees, or tips
 to walters and sleeping car porters, said a veteran federal official. The rule va ries in some of the departments, but the general custom provides that the clerk who is assigned to travel may do as the head of the division does when traveilng on official business and not stint himself in the matter of legitimate expenditures Sometimes it happens that a clerk re- turning from a trip fails to make clear
 
 may disallow it, or send 1t to the comp troller for an opinion Whatever the comptroller may decide is the law
 Speaking of the power of the comp troller reminds me that only few years ago-it was while the Wilson tariff law was in effect-the comptroller of the treasury refused to authorize the pay tba annrnnriated for the sugar bounty. The claimants had to get decision from the United States su- preme court before the secretary Of the treasury could pay the bounty. Of course, | there have been times when a comptroller | has reconsidered and revised his opinion, when this was suggested by the secretary | of the treasury or the President.
 1 q remember one such an instance. It was during Grants administration. The claim related, believe, to advertising. There was a question as to the construc- ton of the law under which the adver- tising had been ordered. When 1t came before the comptroller he held that the money could not be paid. An appeal was taken to the President, who sent for the comptroller. The case was discussed, with no suggestion that a reconsideration of the facts might be productive of re- versal The President is reported to have | said at the conclusion of the talk that he would not ask the comptroller to change his decision, but he believed he
 could appoint comptroller who might | take a different view of the law under
 which the advertising had been ordered. Of course the claim was paid
 The next move on the part of the House | insurgents may be to secure rule that | will provide for record vote in the com
 mittee of the whole. All bills that in any
 way involve a charge on the treasury are
 considered in the committee of the whole. | When the House resolves itself into the committee of the whole the speaker va
 cates the chair and appoints a chairman. | Then the measure to be considered Is
 called up, and the debate proceeds in ac- | cordance with the agreement made In the House. The proceedings do not appear in the iournal that is, there are no roll calls and no record votes. If there were there would be many different tales to tell concerning the passage of bills.
 It was a common practice for years to kill the civil service law by knocking out the appropriation for its support in the committee of the whole; but when rec lord vote was demanded after the commit.