New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-04
ECONOMY. NOT "HOLUiNISH" WANTED.

ECONOMY. NOT "HOLuiNISH." WANTED.
The determination of Congress 10 keep appro-
priations within The narrowcst bounds consistent
with tho actual needs ~ the Government and
the efficiency OF administration IL. Of course, Il
wise one in view Of The deficit In the public
revenues II would hot BE- difficult. however
In pare amounts down 10 IN extent that could
not bee Justified even under existing crcum
s'nnces "iIolmanism' stands FOR thing that
Is rcpugnant TO vast majority Of the Amerl-
can people under any and all circumstances. II
is word that does no, mean. and never did
stand for. real economy. and the policy that II
represented In the past has cost the Nation tens
Of millions yes: hundreds Of millons-of money
alone. 10 say nothing of the unjust and dishon
est treatment of It's official servants and other
public creditors We ir1-, that this fact Is as
clearly and keenly realized by Congress rs Is the
other fact that current revenues are inadequate
10 meet current expenses The one fact does
not mean the same thing as the other. For
nearly three years current and necessary cx-
pcndiurcs have steadily and heavily ovcrba-
anced current receipts Not only has the Adj
ministraton been forced 10 borrow large sums
10 supply the constant deficit OF revenue. but also
to postpone The payment Of other large sums
due TO public creditors and for which Congress
had made appropriations
While the revenues hnve not increased by any
means In as large n ratio as Secretary Carlisle
and the other statesmen who were responsible
for tho unhappy turn In the National finances
so confidently predicted two years ago and have
continued 10 predict ever since there has been
some Improvement. bur not enough to keep pace
with the natural and necessary yearly Increase
Of National expenditures What the yearly in
crease Is no statesman has vcnturcl 10 attempt
Ia estimate except in the vaglicst and most gen
eral terms. In his speech the Sundry Civil
bill on Monday Chairman Cannon, Of the APP
preparations Committee " the House OF Repre-
scntativcs. estimated that the appropriations for
the next fiscal year would amount to about
$JO6. OOO,OOO. The total OF the regular and spc-
clal estimates for that year which have been
sent 10 the House by Secretary Carlisle exceeds
that sum by many millions Of dollars. For the
last five years the total yearly appropriations
have averaged about haf-billion dollars. and
within the last three years they have been large
~ augmented by the interest on new bonds
which have been issued Interest due on the
bonds must. OF course be promptly paid, but
other demands on the National Treasury are also
steadily increasing and must be somehow met.
We observe that the Appropriations Committee
Of the House is trying 10 curtail these demands,
and has agreed not to appropriate money to be-
gin new works Of public Improvement includ-
Ing new public buildings. As general rule,
| this appears To bc a sound one under the cir
cumstanccs. but deserving exceptions ought not
TO he neglected, and adequate" appropriations
ought to be made for public works now in prog
ross as well as for other objects.