Mr. ELANO. That of course, if it be adopted, takes away some serious objections that lie to this bill as originally presented. As 1st presented it seems to me the measure was a monstrous one. I do not say this by way of any disrespect to that class of officers in the Army denominated paymasters. But if you duly consider the reative importance of the service of this class of officers as compared with that of others, theirpay and their hazards, the measure, it seems to me, as originally introduced would be unjust and inequitable, to say the least. I have been asked to refer directly to the subject that comes before my committee every day. The ComClaims have had under consideration claims of men who have lost almost everything that they had in consequence of the war, and in such a way that the osses may be said to have been by the ravages of war, and by the order of this House such claims have been rejected. Now, sir, while the Government is staggering, as it is now, under aloud of debtashcavy as it can carry, while the nation is taxed to its utmost capacity, it seems to me we should introduce no measure which looks to so large an expenditure of money for any class of officers in the Army. But if we are to resort to measures for the relief of any class we certainly could not select a class that I consider as meritorious as these paymasters. We have man measures involving large sums before the case. Yesterday we passed a bill for the reimbursement of the State of Missouriinvolving an amount of nearly 7 million dollars. A little while ago we voted to pay the State of Pennsylvania $800,000 and there is hangin over us still the debts of the States, amounting to 5 or 600 millions, to which must be added the claims for bounties, looking, perhaps, to the expenditure of an equal amount. In view of all this, I think the House should ause before it adopts any measure which loo 1 to further and unnecessary expense. I do not know that my time is out, butIhave simply a word more to say. I desire to say that as this relief of these paymasters can be reached by legitimate legisation, let a report be made to the next session of this Congress by the properaccounting officer showing the condition of the accounts of these paymasters who have dealt fairly, but whose claims cannot be settled in strict conformity to the laws and regulations, and then with these cases before them, this committee can examine the claims and report to Congress properand legitimate action, and thus we can pay to honest paymasters all that is legitimately due them without imosin upon the people the taxation which t iis hi 1 proposes.