Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-05-11
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS
Deny That the Last Congress Appro-
priatsd St,OOO,OOO,OOO, !
BUT FAIL 10 BRING EVIDENCE TO
Prove What They Say--fhsy Aim to Create the
Impression That the Present Body is Not Prac-
tcing EconOmy--Quits a Debate on the
Sundry Civil Appropriation Bill

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 1O.-The
suhdry civil bill created quite stir in
the House today. II was explained
that the appropriation carried by
the bill is s13,OoO,0O0 less than
that carried by existing law. Mr..
Cogswell, OF Massachusetts. asserted
that the bin has been reported prema-
turely to shut out many needed appro-
priations and thus reduce the amount
carried by the bill for party purposes,
pending a presidential election,
Mr.. Dingley, OF Maine, created some
surprise by stating that the much
abused Billion Dollar Congress was not
entitled TO the name, for the expendi-
lures authorized by it would not exceed
500, 600, coo.
After the reference OF a few Senate
bills and the granting OF dozen leaves
Of absence, the House went into COM
mittee OF the whole (Mr. Lester, Of
Iowa, In the chair on the sundry civil
appropriation bill, general debate being
limited to FIVE hours.
Mr.. Holman, Of Indiana, stated that
the amount appropriated by the bill was
S25. .157, ,7S7. against an estimate Of $780,
1S3, ,955, and an appropriation for the
current year OF S3s, 295, 1868.
Mr.. Cogswell, of Massachusetts,, said
that the bill was supposed to carry ap-
preprlations for the sundry civil ex-
penseS Of the government for the fiscal
year 1898. II this session should be the
average length of long session this
bill was fully three months in advance
of its usual time. Whether it was re-
ported thus prematurely in order
to shut out appropriations for expendi-
lures which Congress might see fit TO
authorize, and thus reduce the amount
the bill carried, for party purposes pend
ing a Presidential election and in utter
disregard OF public Interest, was for the
majority Of the committee reporting the
bill to explain. 1t was claimed that the
bill reduced the expenditures carried by
the existing law some Sl3, 100000. But
this reduction had been made by refus-
ing TO the country the appropriations
which were absolutely necessary. II
he was TO put q motto at the heading Of
this bill, it would be:-NO saving but
poStponementS; no economy, but in
creased expenditures in the end.
MIR. Diugley, of Maine, attacked the
bill as not conforming TO the require
ments OF law and as paving the way to
large deficiency approximations at the
second session.
We are now within two months Of the
close of the present fiscal year for
which the Billion Dollar Congress had
appropriated, and it is impossible now
to say-within very small amount
what that Congress had expended.
What had it been? Had it been a
billion dollars? No; almost $500, 600, 900
short of billion dollars.
Mr.. Dockery inquired whether the
gentleman meant to say that if the bill
lion and eight million dollars appropri-
ated by the last Congress, but 500, 000.-
900 would be expended before the close
of the present fiscal year?
Mr.. Dingley denied in the first place
that any such amount had been appro-
priated, and in the second place asserted
that the expenditures of the Fifty-frst
Congress would not exceed $500, 600, 900.
The committee then rose, and the
House adjourned.