Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-03-12
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
Senator Allison Talks on the Big Ap-
preparations Made During This
Session.
Nearly Three Hundred Million Dollars
Are to be Given Out in
Pensions.
The Appropriations in the Fifty-firs
Session Are Sis, 100000 Greater
Than Ever Before.

WASHINGTON, March 9.-Senator ALI
son, chairman of the Senate appropria-
tions committee, has left for two weeks
trip tn ough the South. Before going he
talked over the country S annual and bien-
NAL expense bill as shown in the appropri-
ations male by the Congress which has
just ended. His long work at the head of
the appropriations committee has made
Senator Allison as familiar with every
detail of the Government balance sheet
as a me chant in his counting room is
with his own business. He knows where
the money comes from, where it goes, and
what it goes for.
Senator Allison does not echo the fear
heard in many quarters that the govern
ment is going to be bankrupt because of
the large appropriations. Reviewing the
situation he said: The running expenses
of the government are provided for from
year to year by more than dozen ap
preparation bills. They form the budget
by which from time to time we may tell
where we stand. l have read a good deal
within q few days comparing the work of
the Fiftieth Congress, which was Demo-
cratic in one branch with what has been
done by the Fifty first, which was Repub-
Gcan in both branches. The appropria-
lions O. the Fifty first Congress carry US
through the two years which will end
July /, 1872. / have also teen asked
what the verdict of the people Of the
West will be on the increased expendi-
lures, and larticularly what the farmers
will say. Here is the budget; let's begin
at the top of the alphabet and see. But
first let me say that the increase OF the
regular appropriations made by the Fifty
first Congress over the Fiftieth is approx
mately nearly SIS, 900, coo. For the two
years expenses of the government which
it had to provide for, the Fiftieth Congress
appropriated 1898, 065, 900. L do not in
Glide the permanent annual appropria-
tions in either of these statements, for
they amount to something more than
ST. 600, 600 in each case.
''But take the regular annual expense
bill as you may call it: that increase of
ST., 433, 600 looks like a big sum, and it
is, even from q big government like ours.
But let us see what it went for. Starting
alphabetically, as | sa d, we will take first
the agricultural appropriation bill. The
biennial bill is larger by SAL, 100 than it
was two years ago. But in the meantime
the department has been raised to the
rank of a Cabinet position. It's work
has been extended in many directions,
and ] believe the farmers of the country
are pretty well satisfied with what Uncle
Jerry Rusk has been doing for them.'
But how about the pensions . Senator.
''There you have the key to the whole
situation. You cannot legislate for the
veterans and not set aside money to pay
them. The Fiftieth Congress appropri-
ated in round numbers $1o6,517,
600 for pensions. We have had
to appropriate $2SS, $50 600. That
amount was carried in the regular
pension bills and in the deficiency bills
The preceding Congress had little over
ST. 900, coo pensioe defc ency to make up,
but it left a deficiency of more than $25,-
600, 600 to provide for, because the COM
missioner OF pensions did not ask the full
amount which it was known would be
needed. However, there it stands, an in
crease for pensions by the Fifty first Con-
gress over the Fiftieth of nearly $102, 000,-
600. The law which requires the great
appropriation of $2SS, 900 900 in two
years was enacted by a large ma GRITTY in
both Houses of Congress. Liberal pension
legislation had been advocated by both
political parties. Of the amount dis
bursed a large proportion goes to the
soldiers of the West SO that l Go not be-
lieve that will be the subject of one of the
complaints made in the West against the
expenditures authorized by the Fifty-frst
Congress"
''But where does the remainder of the
increase come from:''
well, here is the posto lice bill. Next
to the pensions that carries by far the
largest amount. There is nothing the
people of the country are SO much in
terested in as good mail service, and moth
ing demands the attention o. Congress
with greater force than that the growth
of the postal service should keep pace with
the growth Of the country. That taxes
money and will continue to take money.
The Fiftieth Congress set aside nearly
| 1927, 500, coo in it's postoffice appropriation
bills. We have made provision in the
Fifty first Congress for $50, 1873, 900.
The increase appears to be about So,
Go, 900, but / do not believe it viii
amount to that much, for the postal
revenues are also increasing. But even if
it does the money will be well spent"