National Republican., 1882-08-01
The Appronrintions.

poned? The regular appropriation bills
were heretofore regarded as business
that could not be postponed beyond the
4th of March of the odd years and the
30th of June of the even years. This
was because in the former case the ses-
sion closed with the 4th of March, and
in the latter case the appropriations ex-
pired with the 30th of June, and the ex-
penditure of unappropriated money is
forbidden by law. In 1879 the country
was excited by an attempt of the Demo-
Gratis in Congress to make the re-
peal of certain sections of law by
amendments to appropriation bills
the condition of voting supplies.
The vetoes of President Hayes and
the persistence of Congress caused
the appropriations to fail at the regu-
lar session, and an extra session had to
be convened. But the appropriations al
ready made continued until June so, and
no other serious consequences resulted
than came from refusal of necessary ap-
preparations to the Department of JUS
tice for the enforcement of the election
laws. This was great struggle between
two parties as to the enforcement OF
Federal election laws which the one party
had enacted while the other disputed
their constitutionality. That q refusal to
appropriate money except upon the con-
dition of changing laws was revolutionary
cannot be successfully disputed. There was
an occasion--1S7S we think-when it be.
came evident that the main appropria
tion bill would not pass by the 30th o.
June, and the two Houses passed a joint
resolution providing that during the first
ten days of the fiscal year it should be
lawful to expend an amount equal to such
a proportion of the amount appropriated
for the fiscal year then expiring as the
ten days bore to the whole year. This
was regarded as most undesirable, but
nevertheless, indispensable mode Of
keeping the wheels of government in
motion. There may have been prece-
dents for it; we do not rem ember. We
only know that there was general
feeling in Congre IS that it was not credit
able that such device had to be re-
sorted to. Congress has from December
till March in odd years, and from De-
cember till July in even years to deter
mine what amounts may be expended
during the following year, /. e., COM
mencing July !. The present Congress
has been in session now very nearly
eight months. The expenditures ol
money under last years appropriation
bills ceased on the 30th of June. This
is the 1st of August. For whole month
Congress has resorted to the oxten
sion, by joint resolutions, of the ap
preparation authorized by the ole
law, because it has been unable tc
pass a new one. The regular bill tc
appropriate money for the legislative
executive, ard judicial departments ha'
hung ti,e in conference committee ovel
dispute as to whether the Surgeon
General or the Adjutant- General shal
be the custodian of certain papers. ThC
deficiency bill, appropriating money tc
meet the obligations of last year in ex
cess Of the amounts then appropriated
is also jammed up in a deadlock on the
question of whethert the House will agre,
to appropriate money to pay the mileage
of Senators for attendance on the extri
session of last October The naval ap
preparation bill comes bristling will
provisions over which there vii
probably be a deadlock The sundry
civil appropriation bill is yet to bt
considered in the Senate. The back
ward condition Of the appropriations sug
gests the question asked at the beginning
of this article. Since the plan has beel
discovered Of extending the appropria
tions by joint resolution in amounts pro
portioned to those CT the previous year
will it be possible for Congress to pass ap
preparation bills for the different amount
made necessary by the annual change
in the affairs of the government? Wi
three hundred and seventy-one men Ii
able to settle disagreements over non-es
sentials, unless not to do so will throw tn
government off of the track?
THE present government of Egypt cor
sists of Il National Assembly {
three hundred members. Arab Pash
is only the general in commOn
of the Egyptian army. The add
| notiop Of tbn Ebaliva bic c,,