New-York tribune., 1893-12-22

RECORD OF TIE DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS
Up TO DATE.
IN SPITE OF EXTEAvAGANT APPROPRIATIONS.
Deficiencies or OVER :. 100000 ARE
ALREADY ~ sIGHT-REPUBLICAN
PREDICTIONS FULFILLED.
(nY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TEIBUsE.l

Washington, Dec. 2l.-Athough the LID Con-
grcss has but fairly started upon It's active work.
the unusual spectacle Is presented Of one Deficiency
bill having been enacted into law, another DenS
in conference. and third under discussion IN the
House where all appropriation bills must originate
This condition. almost without n parallel In Con-
grcssional history, Is tho legitimate result Of the
course pursued by the Democratic majority in the
LID Congress. when 1t started upon its campaign
of "retrenchment and reform" and enlisted under
the banner Of Mr.. Holman. who. as chairman of
the Committee on Appropriations, made II his spe-
cla business to reduce the appropriations below
the aggregate Of those of the List Congress. The
battie-cry Of the LID Congress- cnuncated on the
floor OF the House time and again. was anything to
reduce the figures OF the appropriations OF what
they derlsvely termed the "BIllion-Dollar Con-
gross" but try as they might and cut as deep
as possible with Mr.. IIoman's knife. sharpened
TO the fines. kind of edge, the result so fondly
hoped for could not be accomplished.
To-day the words OF General Henderson, OF Iowa.
which greeted with derlsion and scorn when
spoken. have proven a prophecy end deficiencies
have come tramplng into the House this Con-
gresa. tripping the heels OF the other, so
fast have they followed. The List Congress. IA
mll.arly known as the Reed Congress-" mindful
OF the fact that this is 4 growing country, teem-
Ing with expanding and constantly increasing in
terests demanding Just and generous treatment
not penurous aims msgvIng-approprated n grand to-
tnl CT s9Ss il7.iS4 At the close OF the first ses-
sion Of the last Congress the appropriations reached
SJO7.GOosS a. and Mr.. Holman and his friends were
dismaysd 70 how dangerously near the con-
dcmned "blil'on-doliar" mark they were In their
sessions work.
The next session. with pruning knives newly
sharpene1 they engaged in the battle OF retrench,
mcnt with renewed vigOr and when the second
session had expired. Notwithstanding there was no
River and Ilarbor bin upon which to shoulder the
responsibility the appropriations aggregated Al9-
grand total OF {o7lo5i7 @, or Sss s6S7ssi s. in ex
cess Of the Republican "Bon-Dollar Congress-
This increase. large as It was. was only kept
within the mark 1t reached By pairing down the
the most noteworthy Of those cuts Gripping the
Customs and the operations OF many 0t the most
important public buildings by the lndlscrlmlnate
70 predict the unusual number OF deficiency bills
amounts 70 s2.32i.4sL
law on September last. and carried appropria
ton OF s3"opo. the most important Item being 500
ans IN IN 6nobar g6 and thu senafe in an amend,
ed form eight days later. but it is still in confer
ence one 81 the prinGipa Items OF n ms b ,r0I, c0r
The stoppagr of the pay OF employees in public
buildings United states judges ana other officials
protested to the Treasury Department with such
vehenence against this penurioUsncss that the com
mittcc compelled to heed the recommendation
Ng7.5Oj for the pay OF assistant custodians and
ianliors who had been dropped under tho previous
bil thus making the total the same as passed
under the Republican bill ot the prevous Congress
Although II known that the law had been
changed. giving clerks to members Of the House. no
provision was made for their payment In order
that the total OF the appropriations for that Con-
gress might be kept down much possible.
This bin also carried $pOGoo for these clerks be-
sides "A number Of smaller items. The Senate
added almost 5000. that the bill In conference
carries S,Gi.jNS
ported 70 the House last Friday. which carries
an appropriation OF sle' Ss The fact that me OBJ
not wait for the regular bills Of Itself shows that
the amounts ought 10 have been appropriated by
the last Congress There IL one Item OF S0)GO 10
make good a deficiency In collecting he revenue.
S.,;sb for the NIth Census. and S203WD for the
C;overnTnent Printing Office. The remaining large
item is s2poD 10 "nah" the present democratic
Commissioner Of Pensions 10 employ special exam
comm lsSioners paramount to 70 about the
country charging ,l soldiers with fraud and seek
INK some pretcNt under whcn. pending an investiga
ton pensions may be suspended ana the estimates
for the future decreased. This Is the sequel OF
the appropriations of the Lila Congress. and II has
come about jus. AS Republican leaders predicted.