The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-16
ANOTHER BrLLIoN-po1AAR CONGRESS.

minor figures, the TACT has 10 be aumltted
| that the last Congress WAS more of Bill
lion Dollar Congress" than the one which
| preceded it. In fact, il was S3S, 404 S66.3S
more. The 51st Congress appropriated in
all $685., 417,1s3. The SD Congress appro-
priated 81 ,o26, s22,049.72, an increase of
/ SIl5,7O7.42 for each Congressional District
in the country.
Nor is it true ss has been alleged. that
! this increase was wholly the work Of the
Senate. The appropriation bills sent in
from the House aggregated 81, oo4, 17s.6 1479,
as they came from that body.
1t must be kept in mind, TOO, that the
51st Congress had to provide for large
deficiency transmitted to it from its prede-
cessor, while the SD Congress has be-
queathed about SIS, 526,621 for its successor
to provide for.
We do not condemn any Congress simply
because it is Billion-Dollar Congress"
for, as has been justly remarked, this is
billion-dollar country" The Governmental
income and expenditures of 65,000,000 peo-
pie must almost of necessity be on billion
dollar basis. We are only pointing out the
fact that the pot has been unjustifably de-
nouncing the kettle for its swarthy COM
p,exion
The leading men of both parties on the
Appropriation Committees of the Senate
and House have prepared public statements
pointing out some of the details of this mat
ter, and made such comparisons as seemed
to be to the advantage Of their respective
parties
Representative W. S. Holman, Chairman
of the House Committee on Appropriations,
says that the appropriations of the 51st
Congress aggregated $1,0S5. 6s6,s21, while
those of the SD aggregated s., o26, s22,o4s,
or S., S64,s71 less than these of its prede-
cessor. Deducting the appropriations made
for pensions and Deficiencies by each Con-
gress. the appropriations by the 51st Con-
gress amounted to STAT ,357, 1863, and those by
the SD reach $691, TBS, $50, or reduction
by the latter over the former in all appro-
priations, except for pensions, of $55,627,-
589. The regular appropriation bills, as
passed by the House at the session just
closed, make a reduction of $13, 883,732
under the estimates submitted by the Adj
ministration. The Senate increased the sums
carried by the bills $3.50. 72a, and the
bills, as they became laws, appropriated
So 32s, 500 less than the estimates, $12, 3l1,-
496 less than as they passed the Senate, and
s5,545, 232 more than as they passed the
House
passed by the 51st Congress should be
charged with 500, 000.000 estimated under
the Dependent Pension act of 1890; $780,
000, 600 for sugar bounty, 81 ,224 900 on &C.
count of the Worlds Fair, SIC, 500, 900 On
account of redemption of National Bank
notes, and other lesser sums aggregsting In
all 1854, 172.040 II these appropriations
had not been made, as required, the total
appropriations of the SD Congress would
have shown reduction of more that $163-
100000 below the appropriations made by
the 5ist Congress.
Representative Dockery, also q member of
the Hosse Committee on Appropriations.
asserts that the appropriations of the last
Congress, as compared with those Of the pre-
vi0us Congress, sho# that the aggregate Of
this Congress is 81 ,o2s s22 ,o4s72, as against
81, OBS 656, 92L2o, or decrease of 1854
s71.4s below the appropriations of the 51st
Congress.
On the other hand, Senator Allison. after
pointing out that the appropriations by the
last Congress exceeded by $50. 4o4, oee the
appropriations of its Republican predecessor,
says that each year there Is allowed nearly
900 for the sinking fund, which 10
included in the permanent annual appro-
priations. The sinking fund requires no
money, because it is paid from the surplus
revenue, and if there is no surplus it is not
paid. The real question for the people to
consider is whether the appropriations are
in excess Of the revenues of the Government,
and the Senator answers that by saying that
they are not when the sinking fund Is ex-
| Guided. With all these appropriations he
| finds that the revenues of the Government
are sufficient to meet them.
Representative ID. B. Henderson, Of Iowa,
after reciting the facts, says that if the SD
Congress seeks TO excuse itself by charging
it's extravaganza TO the legislation of the
51st Congress, then the latter Congress can
make similar claims against its Democratic
predecessor and the SD Congress, aggregate
ing over SOL ,0O0,00o.
Col Henderson says that the best way for
the incoming Administration to guard
againit deficit is by giving closer attention