Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-09
SENATOR ALDRlCH
He Talks Upon the Present Situa-
ton of the Treasury.
TIE FIRST DUTY TO ECONOMIZE
The Question of More Revenue
to Be Then Determined.
7 HE GOLD B AL A n G E
TIE FIRST DUTY TO ECONOMIZE
THE GOLD ALAN E

Senator Aldrich, who is prominent in all
discussions in the Senate relating to reve-
nue.. when asked by a representative of The
Star today for his views to what should
be done in the present emergency, said:
1.-THE situation far as estimated reve-
nues and expenditures for the next year are
concerned cannot be fully known until after
the Secretary of the Treasury's report is
received. The first and manifest duty of
Congress is to see to it that the expenses of
the government do not exceed Its receipts.
When We get beyond that all is doubt and
the subject of dispute.
THAT the treasury Is running behind is
a matter of common knowledge, and gen
orally accepted opinion fixes the amount of
deficit at about s30OOOOOO. Whatever the
amount may be Congress must legislate in
some way SO to correct the evil.
Economy in Expenditures.
Now as to legislation. There are some
things that this Congress may do, and
others that 1t cannot do. Our duty, as 1 see
it, is. first, to see about those things mani
testify within our power to accomplish. Re-
publican theories of the proper manner of
raising revenue are well understood. But
they canno. now be embodied into law. 1t
Is true we have a majority in the House.
We are two votes short of majority IN
the Senate and the President is a democrat.
Our fist step, therefore, must be in the di-
rection of greater economy In expenditures.
There should be TO division in regard to
the necessity for this. Democrats and re-
publicans alike must agree that if the gov
erEments revenues are deficient the safe
thing to do is to curtail expenses if this
can be done. business man who in SIM
liar circumstances would fail or refuse to
adopt such a policy would soon find his
affairs in the hands of receiver. So the
first duty of the appropriations committee
of either house will be to carefully examine
the estimates submitted by Secretary Car
Isle, whatever they may be, with the view
of ascertaining where reductions with due
regard to all interests, may be made l
think it altogether likely that we shall be
able to cut off a number of democratic ex-
travagances, and that it may be possible to
strike balance between the receipts and
expenditures. And if we can do that-if we
can reduce expenditures the requisite
amount without impairing any important
public Interest-we should not hesitate to do
VIII Not Solve the Question.
Gould the whole question. so far as the
existing difficulty and responsibility of this
Congress are concerned, be solved on that
Ene?
mo, would not care to say that 1 men
tion reduction Of expenditures as first
step. That, at least, would help matters
The last Congress reduced revenue, but did
not cut down expenditures. Liberal appro-
priations were made with knowledge that
a large deficit would certainly follow. This
in my Judgment, is at the bottom of nearly
all our troubles, and if we can correct this
we shall do great deal toward securing the
relief so urgently demanded"
But suppose it turns out that so large n
reduction cannot with safety be made and
that more revenue must be raised. How
should it be raised?'
As to More Revenue.
THAT will be matter for future party
consultation. AS you are aware we have
only forty-two votes in the Senate for the
support of any distinctive republican revc-
nue. measure--any measure to which the
party can definitely commit itself on the
eve of a presidential election That number
cannot be increased by any reorganization
OF committees, or by any mere willingness
on our part to assume responsibilities The
fact will remain that, after committees
Shall have acted, all measures will be in
the hands OF the Senate, and forty-two votes
Will not be sufficient for their adoption
However, We will cross that bridge when we
come to it, There is one thing beyond dis
pute, and that is that to the fullest extent of
its legislative power the republican party
must provide money enough for all legiti-
pate expenses of the government Then if
majority vote, composed of democrats and
popullSts, refuse assent in the Senate or If
the President interposes a veto, which is not
likely, the responsibility for results and en-
barrassments will not be ours"
About the Gold Balance.
But meanwhile, what is to keep gold in
the treasury"
Il do not care to go into that question
now. But with sufficient revenue, and
larger exports and smaller imports under
republican administration, we have had no
trouble with the gold reserve The green
backs were never menace-were never
used to the COVE nnents ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
our national policy was reversed. Put the
treasury back on a solvent basis, with the
adoption of a proper commercial policy.
ard most of the financial ills we are suffer-
ing from will disappear. The President has
undoubtedly attributed evils to the green
backs which must reasonably be charged
to other causes"
will the Presidents views be adopted
by Congress?
There is apparently no considerable SEN
timent in Congress favorable to the retire
ment of the greenbacks.'