Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-08
A FEW FUNNY FIGURES
Compiled by Mr.. Sayers to Refute
Charges of Extravaganza
MADE AGAINST THIS CONGRESS-.
TI-Speaker Reed Tears the Statement All
Up Into Ribbons.
NORE FIIIBUSTERIyG IN THE HOUSE,

WASHINGTON, May I'm view of the
fact that the regular annual appropriation
bills are now in such condition as to war
rant an estimate of the total expenditure
which will be authorized at the present
session of Congress, Mr.. Sayers, of Texas,
q prominent member of the Appropriations
Committee, in conjunction with the clerk
OF the committee, has prepared for the use
of the Speaker a statement of the appro-
priations made by these bills Mr. Savers
to-day made the following explanation of
this statement
The appropriations at the first session OF
the Fitty-hrSt Congress aggregated S492 95l,-
o9S This did not include an appropriation
for sugar bounty-S10, 900 OO0-and for de-
pendent pensions-s3G 81, ,GO5-making the
sum of s46,377, COS. which the present Con-
Eress must provide for because of laws
which were enacted during the first session
OF the Fifty-first Congress Our estimate OF
the appropriations to be made at the pres
ent session OF Congress is s4s5, 499. None
Of the regular appropriation bills have be-
come laws. and but two urgent deficiency
biGs, amounting to Sl,6S0, ,355 have passed:
and il may he assumed that this total may
be increased or diminished before the sew
eral bills become laws.
Liberal Allowance Made.
In making the estimate 1 believe l have
made liberal allowance for all proper ex-
penditures. The appropriations at the short
session Of the last Congress amounted to
sj4l, 60. 1t will be borne in mind that |
there was no river and harbor bill passed |
during that session, while the pending river |
and harbor hill involves an appropriation,
reported to the House. of 2l.290 975. My |
reason for a 'opting as basis of comparison |
with the expenditures of this Congress the |
appropriations made at the short session of |
the Fifty-frst Congress is that it became |
necessary, then as now, to appropriate S46- |
S67. COS on account of pensions and sugar |
bounty which were not provided for in the |
appropriations or the first session OF the last |
Congress.
SupposinC the appropriations of the short |
session OF the present Congress do not ex-
ceed those OF the present session proper
uonately, they viii aggregate, excluding the |
riverand harbor bill, ,S460, $40, ,4a9, as compared
with the appropriations of the short session |
Of the Fiity-frst Congress, aggregating $5N..
e. ,fs2. being difference of more than $50 O00-
90 IN favor o the last session of the present |
congress. The total appropriations of tho |
Fitty-first Congress were Sl,O0s,0 goo. and this
statement which 1 have prepared shows
that the total app opriations to be made by |
the present Congress will be less by about /
s63,OJOCOO than those of the Fifty-frst Con-
Eress.
The estimate of revenue for the next ffs-
cal year. submitted by the Secretary of the
Grea sury, is 455,0Oa0O0, which will mean
CclclencT IN revenue, as compared with ex-
penditures. of about $50. O00. 600. The esti-
mate Of our appropriations tor this session
SIS so. .499-lnclunes a provision for the
sinking Iund of $4,000 o00 OF course in
view Of The expected deficiency in revenue |
the operations of the law relative to the |
sinking fund must be suspended during the
next year, as it has been already during the
present year, to the extent OF about SlO,-
Op0 100.
Ex-Speaker Reed on the Statement,
Mr.. Reed commented on the above state
ment in his Characteristic manner, as fol-
lows:
All the above estimates are as misleading
rs Democratic platform. They cover only
I he Items passed upon by the House. and
are arrived at hy ninching the honest e1-
penQltures OF the Government in such a
fashion as makes ever Democrats smile |
among themselves, for they knew that the
Senate must increase them or starve the |
Government. The Senate is a coordinate |
branch and not to be ignored, happily for
the country. ter the needs of the ooun- .
try are really provided for-that is, after the
bills have really passed, with the sanction
o. both Houses-when that time comes we |
shall know where we are. Until then
nor Sayers should not put forth any
Euesses he may want to make but
Che public should not mistake them for |
facts. The illusion which it is sought to !
create Is very old. One of the commouest
devices OF Democracy for years has been to !
pinch the appropriations in the House on
lsece>saries, and then make an outcry if the {
Senate does its duty. This interlude before
the appropriations are all actually made is 6
now belng employed to give the country Il
false idea Of economy. In the end, when
we get through, everybody will see that this
is a great country and that even the parsi- !
m0ny Except as to lndiana) OF Mr.. Holman !
cannot lessen the expenses of q rap 7
idly growing country. In fact, this /
action Of Governor Savers is but I
an effort TO prevent the country from
seeing the hollowness of the attacks on the
llliou Congress which the present Congress i
las to follow. whether it will or no, You '
will notice also, that the comparison should
have been with corresponding session, and
pot with Il different one. i admit that
c cures won't lie, and that Governor Sayers
W on lie, but do insist that the combina-
ton Is inaccurate. One by one the roses
adr, and one by one the pretenses OF the {
-NWpaign OF 1850 pass away. The pretense
I economy can lie saved by no such propo- {
-ItiUu as this.