Potosi journal., 1912-10-30
BLOCKED ALL WORK
tNCOMPETENCY OF DEMOCRATIC
HOUSE WAS THE CAUSE OF
GREAT LOSS.
INEFFICIENT AND COSTLY
Congressional Session Extended Until
September First Because the Ma
jority Delayed Passing Appropria-
tion Bills Necessary for Conducting
Public Business.

i he lncOmpeteIcy- NorSe-OE
the Democratic house OF representa-
tiYes VAS abHndantly demonstrated
il the session of congress which re-
Gently ended.
Take, for instance, the appropria-
tcn bills All the estimates, care
fully revised and pruned by President
Taft. We're submitted when congress
met on the first Monday il last De
cember, Congress did not adjourn un-
I'll nearly the first of September and it
was still passing appropriation bills in
its last hours.
This failure to pass the approprf
alton bills before the beginning OF the
fiscal year on the first of july seri.
onsly crippled the government i'll all
It's branches. The cost Of this IN
competency is incalculable. While 1t
cannot be estimated in dollars and
cents. 1t is known to have occasioned
serious, and in some instances, ire
parable loss. President Taft en-.
deavored to save the situation, call.
Ing the attention Of the house to the
mbarrassment and loss resulting
from the negligence Of the house In
providing money to run the govern
ment. The house, however, dawdleo
along and contented Itself with pass
Ing resolutions which extended last
years appropriations.
Owing to this makeshift manner OF
conducting governmental affairs. ii
was impossible for many divisions OF
the executive departments TO make
definite plans for their work OF or
ganlZe their forces for the coming
year, Other divisions were driven to
the necessity Of ordering a cessation
or suspension of most important in,
vestigations or lirigations until the
Democratic house finally decided what
it would do in the matter of appropri,
ations, Much of the government
work had TO be abandoned entirely
TO be more specific, Attorney Gen.
erai Nickersham was compelled to or
der a suspension Ii the prosecution OF
the cases against the sugar trust, the
steamship trust and the periodical
clearing house in New York, until II
suited the Democratic house 10 finally
and definitely pass the necessary ap'
propriation bills.
The pay Of United States district at
torneys, their assistants and clerks
vas not forthcoming in June because
of the inactiOn Of the Democratic
house and United States District At.
torney Wise, at New York, had to
Of a1or RI
Oh his own responsibility with 10
cal bank. Salaries and fees OF United
States marshals and their deputies
likewise could not be paid in June for
the same reason. This hardship on
tho government officials mentioned
was brought to the attention of the
Democratic chairman of the house
appropriations committee by the attor-
ney general, and of course the dis
couragement OF prompt, faithful and
efficient service was apparent TO ali
conversant with the situation.
The prosecution Of the steel trust
was halted both by reason OF the
failure OF the Democratic house to
pass the necessary appropriation bill!
and its attempt TO legislate out Of
service special counsel retained to
assist the attorney general.
On June II the attorney general
was compelled to notify the minority
house leader, Mr.. Mann. that action Of
the Democratic house made it neces-
eary to materially reduce the number
Of prosecutions intended to BE- con-
Quoted under the antitrust laws
Al attempt vas also made by the
Democratic house 10 cripple the work
Of the bureau for the Investigation Of
thC white slave traffic
The Democratic house originally
cut the appropriation for the Irctec-
ton Of the United States III its suits
affecting the Pacific railroads rom
s25 600 to $4,000, but after the de-
partment of justice protested aud
made it clear that the Democrats
would be playing into the hands Of
large mineral and oil land grabbers in
Southern California. who had con
spired to defraud the government, the
Democrats in the house restored the
appropriation TO $4,000
The foregoing shows the attitude
of the Democratic house towards only
one Of the executive departments of
the federal government, the depart
ment Of justice, and does not dis
close all the facts in relation to that
department and It's treatment by the
Democratic house, The effect OF
Democratic mal-administTation upon
government efficiency in other depart
ments was equally destructive.