Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-05-11
IN THE HOUSE.
Protests Against The Democratic Sundry Civil
Appropriation Bill.

WA>HINGTus, May Io.-After the refer
ence of few Senate bills and the granting
of dozen leaves of absence, the House
accorded an hour to the committee on print
ing to call up measures already reported by
it. The hour having expired, the House
went into committee OF the whole on the
sundry civil appropriation bill, general de-
bate being limited TO FIVE hours.
Holman OF Indiana stated that the
amount appropriated By the bill was S2J,-
l57.757, against an estimate Of SO, Sd .9j5.
and the appropriation for the current wear
OF SIS, ,:i9;i.373.
Cogswell of Massachusetts said the bill
was supposed TO carry an appropriation for
the suniry civil expenses of the govern
ment for the fiscal year of ls93. If this
session be the average length of long ses-
sion, this bill was fully three months in adj
vance of the usual time. Whether il was
reported prematurelv to shut out the appro-
priations for the expenditures which Con
sress might see fit To authorize, and
thu. reduce the amount the bill
carried, for party purposes, pend
ing the Presidential election, and in
utter disregard of public interest. was for
the majority of the committee reporting the
bill 10 expenditures carried by the existing
law some Sl3000, 900. This reduction was
made by refusing to the country appropria-
tons absolutely necessary. The reduc-
tions in the bill in very many cases were
arbitrary and nnwarranted against the
opinions and estimates of those best ac-
quaintcd with the needs of the service in
the different departments, and the reduc-
tons could hardly be justified except on
the ground of dire party necessity.
KEN of Nebraska, speaking against any
increase of appropriations carried by the
bill, inyeighed against the extravaganza of
the present House, AMI especially criticised
the river and harbor bill passed yesterday
He did no. know personally that there were
any steals contained in that measure, al
though he heard it rumOred in the House
and ON the streets that there were. Several
members argued against cutting down the
appropriation for public land surveys.
Enloc criticised the appropriation for the
coast and goedetic survey.
DingleY said whatever this House might
do with the appropriation bills, il was now
dawning upon the Democratic majority that
the expenditures for the fiscal Years lS93
and 1891. far which this Congress must ap-
propriate now and at the next session.
would he necessarily as large as those for
the fiscal years 1881 and 1892. for which
the last Congress. the so-called Billion
Dollar Congress appropriated.
We are now within two months of the
close of the two wears for which the last
Congress appropriated. and it is now plain
that the expediturcs for two wears. paid by
taxation, will not he a ''biiion dollars" as
the other side recklessly charged, but only
seven hundred millions, S};lJ 900 900 for
1891 and s34j 900, 900 to $3.50. 900 900 for
lS92. including the interest on the war debt.
II will further appear that the increase of
expenditures of 1891 and 1892 over 1859
and 1890, outside of pensions, refunds and
unusual objects, is only S26 900 900, just
, about the same rs the increase of 1889 and
1880 over 1887 and 1883, under the Demo-
cratic House. Thus topples over the entire
''billion dollar" issue which the Democratic
leaders have been shouting over 80 Justify
the past year.
Notwithstanding the annual revenue has
been reduced 60 900 900. vet it is already
evident that the receipts for the present
fiscal year will meet all the current expen-
ditures and interest on the war debt and
leave balance of about seven or eight
millions to apply to the bank redemption fund
which has been used to reduce the princi-
pal of the. war department. And the
government will have at the end of the
fiscal year surplus of over S25 900 900
in addition to the balance of about S2j,-
900 900 in the hands of disbursing officers
to meet maturing obligations.
Dockery inquired whether the gentleman
meant to say of the billion and eight mil
lion dollars appropriated by the last Con
gress. that but 100000. 600 would be