St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-14
TOLD PLAIN TRUTHS.
Senator German Reviews Ma
tional Expenses in a Lib
eral Spirit.
Democrats PoWerleSS to Cut
Down and Economic at
Present.
The Big Surplus Has Vanished
and Revenues Are lot
Sufficient.
House Day Wasted by Repub-
lican FilibuSterS--OakeS
on the Stand.

WASHINGTON, May 1S.-The river
and harbor bill was reported back from
the senate committee on commerce 10
dav with amendments. The regular
consideration of the naval bill was re-
sumed at the point where the IN
crease of the navy is provided for
The bill as It came from the house pro-
yides for one armOred cruiser OF about
5000 tons displacement. to cost (eNelu-
slve of armamenO not more than $500
600. The amendment rs reported from
the senate committee on appropriations
provides lin additiOn) for one Sea-go!ng
eoast-line battleship of about 5000 tons
and to cost not to exceed 81, 100000; one
harbor defense dOuble-turret ship of
the monitor type of about 900 tons.
and to cost not exceeding S3,OCO,OOO;
four light-draft gunb0ats of 800 to 1900
tons displacement and to cost not eX-
ceeding S450,O00 each; and six torpedo
boats at a cost not exceeding $4,000
each.
Mr.. Mcpherson, from the naval COM
mittee, offered an amendment TO the
senate amendment, providing for three
harbOr defense double turret ships of
the Monitor type. instead of one ship,
but later modified his amendment so as
to strike out the house provision for one
armored cruiser and the senate pro-
vision for the sea-gOing coast line bat
tleship, and for one harbor defense
double turret ship of the Monitor type.
German on Expenditures.
Mr.. German spoke of the great adj
vance made in recent years in eStab-
fishing steel shipbuilding plants in this
country. so that now. he said, great
steel war vessels could be built here
for within per cent of the cost of
building them OH the Clyde. That
progress had been made under the
policy of building up a new navy in
augurated under the last administration.
He was therefore prepared to vote for
propOrtiOnate increase of the navy un-
der the present or next administration.
Since the introduction of Mr.. Whitney
into the office of secretary of navy 10
the present moment there had not been
a breath of suspicion as to the eco
nOmical and wise expenditure of every
dollar placed under the control Of those
two administrations.
He knew that the financial problem
was a serious one. Congress was beng
criticised in the pablo press and else
where for the great amount of money
expended, and he thought it could be
demonstrated that the expenditures of
the government exceeded the revenues.
The point had been reached when the
expenditures would exceed the rev.
enues by twenty or Nenty-fve mill
ions. An expenditure of Sj00,000,000 4
year was immense, and yet that sum
would be less than the amount that
would be appropriated at this session.
These expenditures had grown from
year TO year, and now economy and
careful appropriation would have to be
the order of the day.
Swollen Beyond Dreams.
The pension system had been swollen
beyond the dream of any man i'll con-
greSs. 1t was fixed. He knew of no
way by which it could be now reduced.
He knew that there had been great eX-
pectatiOnS that there would be a de-
crease of from fifty to one hundred mill
ions at this session. But the answer
land aperfect answer to that was that
the laws now on the statute book made
this large expenditure absolutely nee
esSary. if the great works of the gov
eminent were not stopped and the steel
industries of the country paralyZed.
He, for one, was not prepared now, or
at any time until the country should
have navy to be proud of. to let the
cry of economy prevent him from vot-
ing for proper appropriation for it.
CMr. German presented q table SHOW
Ir1rr In Of not fnr
several congresses. and said there had
been an increase every year, no matter
what administration had been in power.
"And," he continued, las the country
grows, and you 20 on with the conStruc
ton OF your navy and open the harbOrS
and deepen the rivers and make great
guns for the army and navy. these eX-
penditures must increase. The senator
from Mississippi (Mr. George asks how
can they be reduced. They can be re-
duced when we reach the point (Which
will be within year or two of stopping
further construction of the navy: when
you have on hand guns enough to place
in the forts; when you have enough tor
pedo boats to look after harbOrs, and
when you stop your appropriations for
rivers and harbOrS. When you come to
pensions, the expenditures for them,
outrageous as it was to increase them
10 such all extent, must continue until
time operates to reduce them. Both
sides Of. the chamber must face these
Stubborn Facts.
The senator from Texas (Mr. Mills
has reminded me that the treasury
would be without money today but for
the fact that it has taken the money set
aside under a Democratic adminlStra-
lion for the redemption of national
bank notes and for the sinking fund.
As the surplus is a thing of the past,
how can the matter be bettered? There
Is not a Democrat, and hope but few
Republicans. who do not know that it
Fan be bettered when the Democratic
party comes into power and remodelS
the revenue laws. But this cannot be
done now. 1t can be done only by tell
Ing the people the truth. We are
poWerlesS now. in this congress, to give
relief from eXtravagant appropriations,
Dr from unjust tax laws. The relief
Fan come only when we shall have
every branch of the government.
As anxious as am for economy. and
as firmly as my party believes In econ
Dmy, do not understand its history if |
supposed that it would be an obstacle,
dO-nothlng, or would paralyZe the
government by striking it at vital
points. understand my party to mean.
by economy aAd retrenchment, that it
Is in favor of every proposition that
looks to the development and glory of
this great country.
After further debate, and without