The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-05-12
FIFTY SECOND CONGRESS
THE RIVER AND HARB0R BILL ACTED
ON IN THE HOUSE.
Congressman Sayers Makes Comparison
Of the Present With the Billion Dol
lar Congress, and Shows Deficiency
from Latter to be Covered Now.
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, May delegate
Harvey of Oklahoma secured the pas
sage of bill donating to Oklahoma
City for school purposes the military
reservation at that point.
The House then went into commit
tee of the whole, Mr.. Hatch of Mis-
souri, in the chair, on the river and
harbor bill. A number of minor
amendments was adopted and then
Mr.. Blanchard of Louisiana offered an
amendment that in case authority
had been granted the secretary of
war should advertise for contracts for
certain works of river and harbor i'm
provements. If no bids were received
which were deemed advantageous to
the government, or if the secretary
should deem it best for the public in
terest, then materials may be pub
chased and the work done otherwise
than by contract. Agreed to-123 to
As. The committee then rose and re-
ported the bill to the House.
The rest of the day was spent fill
clustering, and finally the House ad-
journed.
WASHINGTON, May I'm view of
the fact that the regular annual ap-
priation bills are in such condition as
to warrant an estimate of the total
amount of the expenditure, which
will be authorized at the present ses-
sion of congress, Mr.. Sayers Of Texas
of the appropriations committee in
connection with the clerk Of the COM
mittee has prepared for the use of the
speaker statement of the appropria-
tions made by the various bills. Mr..
Sayers today made the following ex-
PLANTATION of this statement:
The appropriations at the first ses-
sion of fifty-first congress aggregated
$492, 961 ,O95. This did not include the
appropriation for the sugar bounty
and for dependent pensions, making
the sum of $3.50, 1857 sos which the
present congress must provide for
because of laws enacted during the
first session. Our estimate of the
appropriation to be made at the pres
emit session of congress is $485, 1926, 400.
But one of the regular app ropriation
bills became laws and but two of the
urgency deficiency bills amounting to
ST. ,068,305 passed and it may be
assumed its total may be increased or
diminished before the report on bills
became laws. In making the estimate
it seems 1 have made liberal allow
ance for all proper expenditures. The
appropriations at the short session of
| last congress amounted to $54l AL ,672.
It will be borne in mind that there
was no river and harbor bill passed
during that session, while the pending
river and harbor bill involves an APP
preparation as reported to the house of
So, 29O,275. My reason for adoption as
basis of comparison with expendit-
ures of this congress appropriations
made at the short session of the Fifty
first congress Is that it became neces-
sary before as now to appropriate
SAG, 1857 sos on account of pensions and
sugar bounty, which were not pro-
vided for in the appropriations of the
first session of the last congress. Sup
posing that the appropriations of the
short session of the present congress
do not exceed those of the last pro-
portionally they will aggregate. ex-
GLIDING river and harbor bills, $780,
$40. 400, as compared with appr0pria-
tions of the short session of the Fifty
first congress, aggregating $541, 141,-
672, being difference of more
than S80,000,000 in favor of the
| - &c ha Yraonnt
The total appropriations of the Fifty
first congress was 81 ,008, 000,O0O, and
this statement shows total appropria-
lions to be made by the present con-
gress to be less by about $4,000, 900
than those of the Fifty-first congress.
The estimates Of revenue for the next
fiscal year is $455, 100000, which means
a deficiency in revenue compared with
expenditures of about $50, 900, 900. The
estimate of our appropriations for this
session is $485, 800, 400 include provis-
ions for sinking fund of $4,000, 900.
OF course, in view of the expected de-
ficiency in revenue the sinking fund
must be suspended during the next
year, as it has been already during the
present year, to the extent of about
$19,000,000.
THE SILVER MEN.
WASHINGTON, May THE silver
question threatens to- come up again
as a subject of present Legislative in
terest. The silver men are not dis
posed to accept defeat and there are
again in circulation petitions urging
the rules committee to bring out an
order to fix the time to vote on the
free coinage bill. Ninety-nine names
altogether have been secured, so that
124 names may yet be obtained, lib
being majority of the Democratic.