The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-06-13
Enormous Amounts Spent by
the Recent Congress.
HALF A BILLION DOLLARS
A Sum Never Before Equalled
in Our Whole History.
NOT EVEN DURING WAR TIMES
The MajoritY in Congress Will be Held
Responsible by the Voters of
Inc Country tor This Ex-
travagance

Washington, June 12.-Chairman
Cannon, of the House Appropriations
committee, and eX-chairman Sayers
have made public n reinstatement con-
corning the expenditures authorized
by this Congress, discussing them
from the Republican and Democratic
standpoints respectively.
The total of appropriations for the
session, including permanent annual
appropriations. is $515, 759, S20.49. Mr..
Cannons statement begins:
"The appropriations charged to this
session include $119,054,1 100 under per-
manent laws. of which abount $50,000,-
600 is for sinking fund and
500. 500. 900 for interest on the
public debt. or S3,355,614 40
more than was included at the last
session of Congress in the statements
of appropriations, and is on account
of the increase of $162, 400 in the
bonded Indebtedness of the country by
the present administration up to Feb
ruary. 1895; the interest and sinking
fund charge on account of the latter
bond issue of $100,000,000 in February,
1896. amounting to $4,000,000. not be-
ing included in the estimates of per-
manent appropriations.
1.-The increase in the principal of the
interest bearing debt of the country
under the present administration "a
mounts to 1862, 1916, 400, which entails
an annual interest charge of $11, 1922
GIG and to meet the sinking fund OBJ
legations the further sum of So, 623, 154.
During the administration of Mr. Har-
rison the principal of the interest bear
ing debt was reduced 1858, 1872, 900 and
the annual interest charge $10,327,-
716.
1.-THE regular annual appropriations,
including deficiencies, made at the
last session of Congress amounted to
1881 ,636, S96.97, and included no River
and Harbor bill. Excluding the River
and Harbor act passed at this session
the regular annual bills as passed by
the House appropriated only S373,505,
OS2.25 or more than S1o.000,000 less
than was appropriated by the last
Democratic Congress"
Mr. Cannon criticises the Treasury
department because it has expend-
ed S7,377 .440 for the present year in
collecting the revenue from customs
estimated at S165,000,000; whereas
for the last fiscal year, 1892, under
President Harrison's administration,
there was collected under the McI<in-
ley tariff act SIT, 452. 900 of customs
revenue at a total cost of only $C,607,-
ST."
The bills establishing salaries in
stead of the fee system for officers
of the United States court, he says,
will save one million annually and
minimize frivolous and malicious pro-
secutions and special attention is call
ed to the fact that Congress made no
increases of salaries or employees i'll
the government departments.
The following table of appropria-
tons is given:
Fifty-First Congress, SosS, AIT, 1884.
Fifty-Second Congress, S1,021, 107,
547.92.
Fifty-Third Congress. $50, 239, 2o5.69.
Fifty-Fourth Congress, first session,
S515, 759, S20.49.
The revenues for three fiscal years
of the Harrison administration, ending
June 30, 1892, are given as, 81 $50, 631,-
PA, expenditures, 1898, 1872 sol; for the
two complete fiscal years of Cleveland's
administration, revenues S611, 112 ,094;
expenditures, S723, 720,57S.
The revenues for three fiscal years
of the Harrison administration end
ing June 30, 1892, are given as 81, $780,
1924, expenditures $998, 1872, sol; for
the two complete fiscal years of Cleve-
lands administration revenues $751;
1904; expenditures, 1928, 720,57S.
Mr.. Savers, in his statement, says of
the total appropriations for the SEES
sion:
This sum exceeds the appropria-
tions made during the last session of
the Fifty-Third Congress by $1S,751,-
29983 and those of the first regular
session of that Congress by $23, $780,,
1885, 6. 1t is less than the appropria-
tions by the second session of the Fiji
ty-Second Congress by only $3,744,
53S72, although at the latter session,
s39, 1852, 494.85, more was appropriated
for pensions than at this session. 1T is
more than those by the first session of
the Fifty-First Congress by $21, 303,-
81. "a, and $25, AGA, 040.80 less than the
appropriations at the second session of
the Fifty-First.
"The Senate organized this session
by combination of Republican and
Populist votes, placing the control of
committees in the hands of Republi-
cans, by it's amendments to appropria-
ton bills the House proposed to in
crease the total by $22,920, 442.30. by
conferences between the two Houses
this aggregate inereasewas reduced to
$12,2S3, 818.24. The appropriations at
the second session of the Fifty-First
Congress exceeded those made at the
first session of the same Congress by
SAC, 767 ,612.64 or nearly 10 per cent.
If the same proportionate increase
should be made at the next session then
the appropriations will not be less
than 1865 900, 900"
Contracts authorized by this session
he estimates as follows:
Rivers and Harbors. $59,616,404
Public buildings, light houses and
revenue cutters, ST 100000
Defenses and armament, $4,195, org.
New warships. $12, 100000.
District of Columbia, $124,000.