Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-10
TREASURY WATCH-DOGS.
How Buck KiIgore's Retrenehmpnt Tactics
Differ from Those of Holman of Indiana.
Kilgore on the Worlds Fair.
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

/ Correspondence Of the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, April 2 IF all the men
| in congress were disposed to be as watch
tul OF the expenditure Of public money
| as Col. Buck Kilgore, the government
could be run on far more ECONOMIC. sprin-
ciples than now exist. Kilgore has made
a record for himself during his 'congres-
sional career, and has defeated many
bad claims, and buried them beyond
resurrection. He divides with Holman
the honor Of the sobriquet, ''Watgh- dog
of the Treasury - but the referendum ent
practiced by the Texas congTessman5dif-
fers from that of the Indiana representa-
| tive, in being more national and broader
in character. AS an instance of this,
| Kilgore's remarks on the World 8 fair
bill are quoted verbatim. He said:
Mr.. Speaker have very little to say on the
pending bill and very little time in which to say
1t. The proviso at the end of the seventeenth
section should be stricken out entirely. 1t re-
cites that the government shall not be liable for
more than million five hundred thousand dol
lars, to be used to pay the World S fair COM
missioners, to erect buildings for the govern
ment exhibits, and to pay the expenses OF trans
porting and caring for such exhibits.
The gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Holman)
undertook to amend the section by reducing the
amount to 100000, but the amendment was
rejected.
This provlso is a delusion and snare It is
an imposition on the rouse and the country, and
ought TO be eliminated from the bill. IF the
friends OF the measure, the patriotic advocates
of a Worlds fair TO be held under the direction
of the United States government, were disposed
to deal fairly and candidly with The people they
would amend the proviso by striking out 81, 5OO,
900 and insert So 900 600 because it will cost the
government every cent of five millions OF the
peoples money TO discharge the obligations
which the government will incur if this bill be-
a | sUcl
ment for the reason 1 am unwilling that con-
greSs should appropriate single dollar of pub
lie money to pay for this Chicago show, this
picnic.
But the house seems determined to bind the
government TO participate in this exposition a
scheme to promote the business interests of the
people of great city at the expense of the tax
payers of the country. and it ought to be honest
enough and courageous enough to let the coun-
try know the amount OF money likely to be used
in that scheme. There is a pretenSe in this bill
TO limit the amount to million and a half dol
lars. At the same time every member of this
house knows that no such limitation can be i'm
posed by congress. The next congress. or this
congress at its next session, or during this ses-
sion can disregard this pretended limitation and
appropriate five millions any other sum of
money to carry out the purposes of the bill ii it
should become law.
Mr. MaSon-Mr. Speaker
Mr.. Kilgore-I cannot yield to the gentleman
from Illinois. l have very little time
Mr.. Mason-I want to ask the gentleman from
Texas one question.
Mr.. Kilgore-well, sir, will yield for just
Mr.. Mason Do you want to tx this bill or any
other bill so that any future congress shall not
extend the limit of the appropriation?
Mr. Kilgore-You propose in this bill TO fix
limit on congress. You say the government shall
not be liable for than 81 SOC, OOO and that is
what l now Directing to. You are not acting
in good faith with the people. You know that
no such limitation can be imposed on future
congresses by the proviso which have rected
II is so much waste paper, and ought to be
stricken out.
The bill prima fscie affords conclusive reasons
why such limit does not fix the maximum
amount of the money necessary to pay the ex
penses incurred by the government. The bill
authorizes the appointment Of los commissioners
and I06 alternate commissioners to be named in
thirty days after the law is passed, and to con-
tilue in Office till January /, 1885, q period of
seven years and six months about Their nav il
S. per day and transportation. Their per diem
amounts to $685.. Then there are other, and in
deea necessary, expenses of that august com
mission. 1t viii be compelled to have station
cry. fuel, rooms. clerks innunlerable and type
writer's. and am actually informed that type
writer is very expensive luxury. have never
been able 70 afford one myself. IGreat laugh
ter.
hope the house viii not consume too much of
nv limited time with laughter and applause
iRenewed laughter.l Taking everything into
consideration, the expenses of this commission
win not be less than SlOo or $500 per day, and
tins 20 continue in existence about seven and
one-hslf years, and they will always be on hand
to draw pay. II one dies, or resigns, or fails to
act, an alternate is provided for in the bill:
hence there will never be a vacancy in the COM
mission when It comes 10 drawing pay. We NAV
reasonably conclude that this commission alone
win cost the government 81, 50U, 900. Then the
bill appTopriates besides $500 900 for buildings in
which the government is expected to place its
exhibits, and S20, 00O for the transportation and
care of the government exhibits-an ostensibly
for patriotic purpose, really in fact in the in
terest of private speculation.
want, IN conclusion to repeat and emphasize
the declaration that ii this bin becomes law,
and the exposition is held at Chicago, as con-
templated by the bill, the people of the United
States will be out So, 000, 800 before il is done
with, possibly much more. But, indeed this is
net the worst feature of the measure.
Mr.. speaker-The gentiemau's time has ex-
PRED.
That's it, Z" said bald headed man in the
back of the hall. 'putitte 'em straight. Bring