The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-30
GROWTH OF EXTRAVAGANZA.
4 SYSTEM THAT HAS HELPED TO SWELL
UNCLE SAM'S EIPENsES

UNUW Ill VI IA1lSA AuANOEs
xsYsTEM 1HATHAs HELPED TO SWELL
UNCLE SAA's ExPkNsES.
Y,rht House Committees shape the Appro-
printions, n Work that One CoUmittee
Used TO Pcrform-Divfded Responsibility
and FriGhtrul Increase In Expenditures.
WASHINGTON. Dec 29.-The Democratic ma
jority OF the House Committee on Rules have
not fully decided yet what plan they will pro-
pose to the House for the disposition Of tho
appropriation bills among committees, but It
is believed that they will be ready to mako
report soon after Congress reconvenes. To aid
them in their deliberations they have caused
to be prepared by J. @. Courts. Clerk OF tho
House Committee on Appropriations. a sta
tistical table showing tho history OF Govern.
nent appropriations for eighteen years.
During this time. it 40 happens, the money
bills were prepared successfully By one COM
mttec then by three committees. and finally
by eight different committees. The exhibit
this produced Is q most interesting and won
dcrful affair In tie way. and affords absolutely
convincing proof OF the contention repeatedly
urged by many leading economists among
Democrats and Republicans alike that tho dis
tributlon Of the money bills among many COM
mittees inevitably begets extravaganza and
wasterlness.
The eighteen years covered by the history
ore divided for convenience Of treatment and
analysis into three periods OF six years eaoh
The first period embraces tho appropriations
provided by threo successive Congresses. the
Forty-thrd. tho Forty-fourth. and the Forty
NTH for tho service OF the fiscal years 1875
1876. 1877 1873. 1879. and 1880. whom all the
appropriation bills wero reported from one
committee OF the House. The second period
Congresses, the Forty-sixth. Forty-seventh.
and Forty eighth. providing for tho fiscal years
1881. 1892. 1882. 1884. 1885. and 1885, during
which all tho bills except two. tho Agricultu-
ral bill and tho River and Harbor bill. were
reported by tho Committee on Appropri-
atoms: and tho third and last xperiod
extends from the Forty-ninth Congress- to
tho Flfty-frst inclusive. and covers appropria-
tions made for the fiscal years 1887 to 1902
inclusive. when the various appropriation
bills were scattered among eight different
committees without unity Of responsibility or
harmony OF method or action.
The appropriations known as permanent"
for the payment Of interest on tho public debt.
sinking fund. and kindred matters, do not
come within the reach Of Congress. and are
not therefore considered as q part of the ap-
propriations now under discussion.
The result shown In the table is somewhat
startling. The appropriations made by Con-
gross during tho FIRST period. for the years
1S7o-1S8O inclusive. foot up o total Of $1.O26.-
1856, 900. which would give IN average Of
$171.147.656 for each Of the six years Ex-
elusive OF pensions. the regular annual appro-
printions for the whole Of that term amounted
to 1922. 234. 665. or 137.2O5.777 per year.
The sum Of the regular annual appropria-
lions for the next period Of six years. from
1881 to 1883 inclusive. Was 81. 352, 3S4, 812 or
o1 e. ses sSd eysr tS n,
ilrst period: and an average annual increase OF
over ss yearly s5susat I
the calculation iSE the purposes 81 the exhibit:
The total expenditure during the second period
siss Z ssssss 81 q that y sSs Psscsdins
IL: ss 81; 1sss e
;ss i
sh p saf osss
SsS5y SysHse If e s SsSs'sn 81
sss ar sn sss
stastlins lfEuEss provo anything, beyond ne
psss Hsh
growth and deyelopnsnt q the ,9G S, the
comriiers q the s.atistiGaI e1nipif 1esortfSea s
Si their caloulHti9ns in this line throw much
light on the whole subject and demonstrsss
10Th canno. s. 50 explained ,aXsy TEX Tai:
q teoS bs ts7ss5oe r. pst csSiss 9! .peas i
b a7Gr T III sssons ps4s sSes The
erage pppulation Of the sssgun,t,y zo Is rs, as,
cSaneddt to have 6esn evs nS
pensions So: an increase; exclusive Of p eS:
Tires committees CHARGED With the prep rep
s sis wore Scattered In among eight sommt
the tS in the Che last Befaat GSn
national f population was tDtb7. s!S, the, Ter
cnrts Of to s2 e. Sha
. Ssf n ssSsY1 ST% tGs
s xs Il 81 III ss tSs ssts
preparation bills began. and tho additional
apparent annual increase In appropriations.
ssss'si .t the 'ns12a' ss'''S
81 saS .Rsa G IL s.Rp ns # ia svel
ga sasa islYs @ S.rsssy
appropriations. exclusive Of pensions for those |
fiscal years to l3O.4O7,3O7 as compared
$Zll .5l,.:D5 for the fiscal years 1887 to 1892. |
AMI shows u .per capita annual increase for the |
aIr oys thS pe%a 81 Us
2Si.S77 for the period OF SIX. years.
Taxing up tho various bills one by, one dur |
ysIs separately. the only ones showing |
any decrease .Per a capita Ain, y, the iast
Army. tho Diplomatic and Consular the togis- |
lMtye and the sandry civil bile, H F d the
period the army had Just been reduced to the |
rrac. footing. and, there were host Of
outlying DOS, posts ALI al over the far ., West
Willie tho sy.tsm Of Transportation BY
then In vogue ,v wss
rond transportation Of to-day Conso-
Guenily. with great shrinkage IN the number
lessening OF the cost Of transporting and sub
sisting the troops, the amounts Of the Army