While  the  secretary  is  waiting  to  foresee  contingencies,  we  are  prevented


OF  JOHN  SHERMAN.  155

by  a  party  majority  from  instituting  reform.  If  we  indicate  even  the  com
mencement  of  retrenchment,  or  point  out  abuses,  on  this  side  of  the  House,
we  are  at  once  assailed  by  members  of  the  committee  of  ways  and  means."

I  cited  the  abuses  and  usurpations  of  the  executive  depart
ments  in  diverting  specific  appropriations  to  purposes  not  au
thorized  bylaw.  I  said:  "The  theory  of  our  government  is,
that  a  specific  sum  shall  be  appropriated  by  a  law  originating
in  this  House,  for  a  specific  purpose,  and  within  a  given  fiscal
year.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  executive  to  use  that  sum,  and  no
more,  especially  for  that  purpose,  and  no  other,  and  within  the
time  fixed."

I  pointed  out  cases  where  the  departments  assumed  the
power  to  transfer  appropriations  made  for  one  purpose,  to  other
purposes  in  the  same  department.  Another  abuse  by  the  exec
utive  departments  was  the  habit  of  making  contracts  in  ad
vance  of  appropriations,  thus,  without  law,  compelling  Con
gress  to  sanction  them  or  violate  the  public  faith.  All  these
evils  have  since  been  remedied  by  restrictive  legislation.  The
habit  of  the  Senate  to  load  down  appropriation  bills  with  amend
ments  already  refused  by  the  House  of  Eepresentatives,  and
then  insist  that,  if  not  agreed  to,  the  bill  would  fail,  was  more
frequent  then  than  now,  but  under  the  practice  now  estab
lished  an  amendment  finally  disagreed  to  by  either  House  is
abandoned.
