Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-11
NOT QUITE A BILLION
Spent by the Fifty-First Congress
Says Senator Dingley.
ABOUT s3OO,OOO,OOO SHORT OF 1T.
American Tourists Ignore the Beauties Of
Yellowstone Park.
LIVELY DISSENsIONS IN WASHINGTON

resolution lnStructlng the Commlttee on lne
Quadro-Centennial to inquire into the de-
STABILITY of making an appropriation to
enable the National Guards of the various
States to hold an encampment at the
Worlds Fair. Referred.
The river and harbor bill was received
from the House and referred to the Commit
tee on Commerce. The conference report
on the urgent deficiency bill was presented
and agreed to.
A bill to establish the boundaries of yell
lowstone Park drew from Mr.. Vest some
strong remarks in regard to an unscrupulous
lobby which, he said, was maintained in
Washington for the purposes of obtaining
railroad charter through Yellowstone Park
and selling it TO the Northern Pacific He
openly asserted that this lobby in some
mysterious manner controlled the action of
the House, and would not allow this or any
other bill to pass it till the railroad charter
got through.
Mr. Vest said that he would submit to the
passage of the bill not because his judgment
approved of it, but because he could not
help himself He did not believe, how
ever, that the persistent and INSCRIPTIONS
lobby that had always opposed legislation
in the interest of the park would permit
the passage of the bill through the House of
REPRESENTATIVES The lobby that he re-
ferred to wanted railroad charter, author
izing the building of a railroad into the
park; and the passage of this bill segregat-
ing portion of it on the north would de-
feat that purpose.
A Park for the People.
In reference to a remark made by Mr.
Berry to the effect that the Yellowstone
Park was maintained for the benefit of rich
people only. Mr.. Vest asserted that there was
no like extent of travel anywhere as cheap
as a trip to the Yellowstone Park. Ameri-
can tourists spent $50, 600, 900 wear in
European travel; and, if the Yellowstone
Park were among the italian or Swiss Alps,
every American who went abroad would
visit it and would cross the ocean for that
purpose, but, as ID was an.American wonder,
Americans went away from il. The people
who visited the park were generally people
of moderate means, who could not afford
trip TO Europe.
Mr. Berry argued that the Government
ought not to be engaged in running parks or
in raising wild animals. Already, he said,
there is scandal abroad in regard to that
park. He would therefore not vote to en-
large the Yellowstone Park, but would vote
to abolish it.
Mr. German took part 10 the discussion
and criticised the motives of the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company in trying to keep
the monopoly of railroad traffic to the park
That company, he said, oughs to be con-
tent with all the privileges already granted
TO it. After discussion that lasted nearly
two hours the bill was passed-yeas, 80;
nays, 1S-and then the Senate proceeded to
executive business and when the doors were
reopened adjourned.
Not Billion-Dollar Congress.
MIR. Dingley, of Maine, created some sur
prise by stating that the much-abused bill
ion-dollar Congress was not entitled to the
name, for the expenditures authorized by it
would not exceed 500, 600, 900.
Mr.. Richardson, of Tennessee, made a
statement regarding the cost of the public
printing, and said that the amount expended
last wear was So, ,674, T59, of which S315, ,S94
had been rec lmmended by the Committee
or Printing, the remainder beILg that re-
quired under existing law. He ethought the
departments should be compelled to PRINT
only the routine circulars ETC., in the
branch establishments. 1t would never be
possible to secure any economy in public
printing unless certain restrictions were
made. The departments we're allowed too
much license.
The hour given to the Committee on Print
ing having expired, the House went into
committee of whole (Mr Lester, of Georgia,
in chair) on sundry civil appropriation
bill, general debate being limited to five
hours
Economy to Catch Votes
Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, stated that the
amount appropriated by the bill was So5,-
15I, ,7S7, against an estimate OF S35, 1S3, ,9j5,
and an appropriation for the current year
OF S3S, 1876, 1863.
Mr.. Cogswell, of Massachusetts. said
the bill was supposed to carry appropria-
tions for the sundry civil expenses of the
Government for the fiscal year 1893 If this
session should be the average length of a
long session, this bill was fully three months
in advance of its usual time. Whether it
was reported thus prematurely in
order to shut out appropriations
for expenditures which Congress might see
fit TO authorize and thus reduce the amount
the bill carried for party purposes pending
aPreSfdental election and insatter disregard |
of public interest, was Tor the majority of |
the committee reporting the bill to explain.
1t was claimed that the bill reduced the ex-
penditure: carried by the existing law some |
S13, ,000, 900. But this reduction had been |
made by refusing to the country the ap- |
preparations which were absolutely neces- |
sarr. Ii he were to put a motto at the |
heading of this bill it would be: mo saw |
inGs, but postponements; no economy, but |
increased expenditures in the end.'
The River and Hmrbor Bill Criticised,
Mr. Kerc, of Nebraska, in speaking
against any increase of the appropriations
carried by the bill, inveighed against the
extravaganza of the present House and
especially criticised the river and harbor
bill which passed yesterday. He had voted
for that bill, but he had done so only be-
cause he belived in internal improvements.
He did not know personally that there we're I
any steals contained in that measure, but he
had heard it rumored in the House and on
the streets that there were.
Mr.. Wilson, of Washington, argued that
the appropriation OF 100000 for the sur
vev OF the public lands was totally made
quate. He pleaded for free homes for the
people
After further discussion BY Messra.
Sweet and Herman against cutting down
the appropriation for the public land sur
veys, Mr. Dingley, of Maine, attacked the
bill as not conforming to the requirements
of law, and as paving the way to large
deficiency appropriations at the second ses-
sion.
In Defense of the Fifty-FIrst,
1--WE were now within two months of the
close of the present fiscal year for which
the billion-dollar Congress had appropri-
ated," said the gentleman, land it is pos
sible now to say-within a very. small
amount-what that Congress had expended.
What has it been? Has it been billion
dollars? No; almost $500, 600, 600 short of
billion dollars"
Mr. Dockery inquired whether the gen.
tleman meant to say that OF the s., ,O0S, ,0OO,-
600 appropriated by the last Congress but
500, 600, 600 would be expended before the
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