The Portland daily press., 1896-12-29
AN ASTONISHING DOCUMENT.
Mr.. DingIey's Criticism of Secretary Car
isles Report.

NeW 1OrK, Decem Der So.-A washing
ton despatch to the Tribune says:
"What do you think of the last report
of the Secretary of the Treasury?' asked
Tribune correspondent yesterday In
conversation with CHAIRMAN Dingley OF
the committee on ways and means.
"WelL / regard it as ap astonishing
document in several particulars. The
secretary still clings to the opinion that
our financial difficulties are entirely
due to faults in oCr currency system and
not at all to lack of sufficient revenues
to pay the current expenses of the gov
ernment, an opinion, which, as am in
formed, ia not shared by other treasury
officials who formerly held similar views
and one which / am sure is not shared
by eople in general. Every body knows
that the treasury has been running be-
hind for several years, and that every
dollar of the balance on hand, including
the gold reserve, consists of borrow ed
money. Secretary Carlisle himself ad
mits this to he a fact, but contends that
it makes no difference how the money
was procured, for it is actually in the
treasury and, not being needed for any
other object, can be and should be used
to defray the current expenses of the gov
ernInent before resorting to taxation or
other means to procure the revenue. !"
"But the secretary insists that what is
most needed now is not more revenue,
but greater economy In appropriations
and expenditures, suggested the corre-
spopdent.
"Yes, and yet bserve that the esti-
mates of appropriations for next year are
several million dollars larger than for
the current year, although the latter did
NOT include items of extraordinary ex.
psnditurs amounting to 5000, 900 or
81, 600, 600. The estimates for the treasury
department are no exception. In his re-
port, Mr.. Carlisle urges that the perma-
nent appropriations for the collection OF
customs shall be increased to ST. 500, 00C
year from $5, 500, 600, which is net in
crease, after deducting the permanent in-
definite appropriation of all money re-
ceived, on account of fines, penalties and
folfeitures, of about $500, 900 over that fol
the current fiscal year, which in turn Is
$500. 600 greater than the amount appro-
priated for any previous year. 1t is ap-
parent that he does not see the way open
to greater economy In the department
over which he presides. -
"The truth is,'' resumed Chairman
Dingley, "that there has been no abnor-
NAL or unnecessary increase in the ordi-
nary expenditures of the government. 1t
may be that few Thousand dollars are
appropriated every year for undeserving g
or unnecessary objects, but the total is
insignificant when compared with the
aggregate appropriations or with similar
appropriation in years past. The chief
increase in the appropriations and expen-
ditures of the government in recent
years, aside from that demanded by the
growth of population and consequent
growth of public service, fell under a
dozen heads:
\ First, there is the larger increase in
appropriations and expenditures on &C
count of pensions; second. the building
of navy costs a good deal of money;
third, there has heen a heavy increase
in the provisions for forti6cations to de-
fsnd our coasts and principal sea ports
fourth, the increase in the size and tom
mage of sea going vessels has made it
necessary to deepen and improve num-
her of our harbors, and the immense
growth of our lake and river commerce
has made it necessary also to eXpend
much money on that account; fifth, large
appropriations have been made to extin-
guish Indian titles to lands thas were de-
manded for white settlement; and sixth,
considerable appropriations have been
made for new public buildings. Public
sentiment approves all Of these Glasses of
appropriations, which, taken as whole,
account for the total annual increase in
@yuep0ltures,F ~