Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-03

In effect Senator villas, in yesterdays
speech. advanced the proposition that the
Secretary of the Treasury has the perfect
right to pay appropriations, in the language
Of the law, "out of any moneys In the
treasury. not otherwise appropriated" This.
he contended, means nothing more nor less
than that he Is authorized and, indeed.
commanded to pay out Of any funds that
may chance to be at hand. whether they
may have been originally intended for re-
sumption or redemption purposes. or what
not. They are moneys In the treasury. and
therefore liable to his order in meeting ap-
Preparations. There is an element Of danger
In this theory. Mr.. Villas practically as
serted that the Secretary of the Treasury
has the right to raise revenues for the
meeting of appropriations by the sale OF
bonds under the provisions of the acts OF
1875 or 1870. 1t Il but short step in logic
from this position to the belief that the Sec
Rotary has the right to anticipate appropri-
atoms that he knows are to be made by the
issue Of bonds for the alleged pur-
pose of maintaining the gold reserve. but
for the actual purpose of providing funds for
the Forthcoming drafts. What Is to pre-
vent the Secretary from drawing on the
reserve at pleasure. under. the stress OF cir
cumstances. and filing it up again with
bond money. only to be drawn upon again
for current payments? What reasoning can
stand in his way if once the right to issue
bonds for the indefinite purposes that his
bookkeeping may Indicate Is conceded?
This may be far from Mr.. Carlisle's view
Of the matter, or that Of the President, but
It VIII, nevertheless, be generally thought
to be their ideasif Mr.. Villas. their spokes-
man in the Senate, should be allowed to ad-
boa x1rffb fog
ton or contradiction from high sources.
There are democrats who will be inclined
to see in this apparently simple theory of
Mr.. Villas the threat of an assumed right
on the part of the Secretary to raise reve-
nue., despite the constitutional provision
that places this right in the hands Of Con-
gress, together with that Of making appro-
priations.
The popular sentiment Is undoubtedly
that In the emergency which has arisen
through congressional inaction the proposed
bond issue should, iu order to sustain the
credit Of the government, be defended and
justified. even IL the law be subjected to q
slight strain CT construction in attaining
this desirable result. But IL redemption
funds in the treasury can be used at the
pleasure Of the Secretary to meet current
expenses. and bonis can be issued and sold
at the pleasure of the Secretary to replen-
fish these redemption and current expenses
funds. 4 does seem as If an unlimited power
TO raise revenue might be exercised by the
Secretary. Notwithstanding that power is
reserved to Congress.
The public would like this particular bond
issue to be sustained an emergency case
In some way that would not involve the
serious permanent results that are appre-
hended- Or II would like Congress to be-
stir itself. to pronounce for or against the
secretary's bond issue Immediately. and II
the decision Is against the Secretary's
power then to authorize the bond issue
Itself simultaneously with the denial of
the secretary's right to raise money for
current expenses without the authority of
Congress.