Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-14
lBlrIlon Dolla1 Record.

8fIli0D O0llax Record
: The appropriations massa by the FIFTY
Third congress are estimated at SEQ, "a. $50.
It is the second billion dollar congress
which the Democratic party has controlled
since the phrase was invented during the
campaign Of 1890, when the Republican
congress was denounced for wanton ex-
travagance. It has not reached the high
level Of expenditure of the Fifty-second
congress, which appropriated 8, 027, 104, 5S7
for all purposes; but 1t has exceeded the
record of the Fifty-f1rst Congress by
Sl,SoS, 707, according to current estimates.
If an average be struck between the Fifty
second and Fifty third congress it will be
81, DOS. 664 918, or $50, 24S, 1886 in advance Of
the record of the last Republican congress-
The same Democracy which libelled the
Fifty first congress has been convicted OF
reckless proeigality in national e1pendi-
lures.
Poor Mr.. Holman, who has been driven
into retirement and obscurity by the last
stroke of Speaker Crisp's gavel, was q
commanding figure on the Democratic
stage four years ago, and loud and shrill
were his tones. Those were the days when
the country was congratulated by Demo-
cratic orators upon its delivery from the
ruinous speculations of billion-dollar
congress, and when Mr.. Holman was
pointed out as the coming economist. who
would reduce the appropriations at least
500, 100000. and probably $15o, OO0.000.
How the changes were rung upon the
spendthrift ''billion dollar congress!
How hollow is the sound of tho menda-
cious phrase now, when two successive
Democratic houses have surpassed the ex-
penditures of tho last Republican con-
gress!
The Fifty first congress at least had this
ground of justification for generous appro-
priations: The national treasury was
trimming full and the country could
afford expenditures on a large scale. Mr..
Holman and his associates during the
last four years have not been able to
plead this defence. The process of debt
paying has been behind the expenditures;
the surplus has been converted into de-
fciency, and there have been several
large additions to the national debt. The
Democrats were not only under moral OBJ
legations to carry out their retrenchment
pledges. but they were also confronted
with an imperative necessity for the prac
tice of economy. They have been utterly
unable to resist the cravings of an insatiaA
BILE appetite. They have expended during
the last two congressional terms an aver
age of $50, PAS, 1886 more than the last Re
publican congress, and have done it when
they did not have surplus in the treas
ury, but were plunging the country deeply
into debt.
The ''biIlion-dollar congress" was
ltock joke, which had a great run in the
campaigns of 1890 and 1892 1t could al.
ways be depended upon to set q Demo
cratic audience on the roar. 1t rivalled in
popularity the campaign lies about "Mc
Klnley prices and 'the Republican car
Now that the Democratic party aas been
convicted Of ruinous prodigality, this cam
paign issue has been withdrawn for re-
pairs Mr.. Holman and the other Cheal
John statesmen can take it with them
into the retirement of the backwoods and
mediate in seclusion upon the ephemeral
character of political claptrap. - New
York Tribune.