Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-08-24
THE MORE THAN BILLION DOL
LAR CONGRESS-.

LAR CONGRESS.
Congressman Cannon of Illinois made
statement to the House, Monday, which
exposed the sophistry of the statements
which the Democratic leaders have given
out, in which they boast of pretended
economies. Mr.. Cannon showed that
the pretended economies have been Sc
cured, either by depriving the old SOL
diers of that which is justly their due,
or that they will appear in deficiencies
in the next session. Mr.. Cannon makes
the following striking point:
Mr.. Cleveland, by his estimates, asked
Congress to appropriate for the public
service, tor the coming fiscal year, in
cluding permanent appropriations, S520,-
632, $40, and Congress has appropriated
for such service S490,6 1863. This, in
round numbers, is $50, 100000 less than
the President asked for the public ser
vice. A large part of this $4,000, 900,
however, will be appropriated next win
ter by way of deficiencies.
The appropriations this year are
greater by S27, ,269, S5S than were those
made by the first session of the fifty-hrst,
or Reeds Congress-" The appro 2ria-
tons made this year are $2S, 1886, $3.50 less
than those made at the second session of
the last, or tifty-second Congress. The
Democrats controlled the House in both
the last congress and this. But this re-
duction is covered by the item for pen
sions alone. There was appropriated
this year for pensions 500, ,099, ,504, less
than was appropriated last year. 1t
will be noticed, therefore, that the appro-
priations this year, excepting pensions,
are greater than the appropriations made
last year by S263, ,515. The total appro-
priations for the Fifty-frst or "Reed's
Congress" two years, were S98S, All, 1885,
"a; those for the Fifty second or last Con-
gress, TWO years, were 81 ,027, 104, SAT, and
it is absolutely certain that, starting off
at $3.50, 900, 900, as we do, tor this year,
when the deficiencies are added next
winter to the regular appropriations
then to be made for the coming year, the
total appropriations will aggregate at
least 81 $50, 100000 for the Fifty-thiId
Congress, unless by unfriendly admins
tratlon further heavy reductions are
made in payment of pensions.
Mr.. Cannon makes this exhaustive
statement which he proves from the
Treasury records:
Notwithstanding the great distress
throughout the country, there have been
many increases in the salaries of Demo-
cratic officials, especially in the diplo-
matte and consular service. l specify
few of them. The salary of the First
Assistant Secretary of State is increased
from $500 to S45U0. The Minister to
Belgium, Mr.. Ewing of Illinois, the for
mer law partner of the President, is in
creased from $500 to $4,000. The
Ministers to Switzerland and Portugal,
MesSrI. Caruth and Broadhead, are in
creased from $4,000 to $1,000, respectively.
The Minister to Mexico, ex-Gov. Gray
of Indiana, who receives an annual
salary of $780, has the salary of his
Secretary of Legation increased from
$500 $2650. The Ministers to Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, for the first time are
allowed Secretaries of Legation at $500
each, while the Bureau of American Re-
publics, established under the auspices
OF Secretary Blaine to promote commerce
| and reciprocity-a real serVice-is cut
down from $50, 1000 to $4,000. The six
Auditors of the Treasury Department
are increased from $4,000 to $4,000 each.
The salaries of great many Consuls and
and other officials are largely increased,
but have not the time to enumerate
them, nor you the patience to hear them.
''All of these Democratic officials have
received their appointments under Mr..
Cleveland. For years they, declaimed,
in common with all other Democrats,
about the extraVagant salaries of officials,
and pledged that if they came into power
there should be economy and reform.
There is no excuse for the increase of
most of these salaries"