The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-29
like WATER.
Congress Spending Money as if
Tt Came Easy.
Fifteen Million for Four Battle
ships.
1T is GIVEN A SCORING
By Senator German Who Makes
a Strong Point.
Contracts Made Involving Ex-
penditure of S51,OOO,OOO.

Washington. April 29.-The senate
was plunged into an exciting financial
debate yesterday. after several weeks
of serene and formal procedure on ap-
preparation bills.
The naval appropriation bill was un-
der consideration and the item Of four
battleships to cost an aggregate of S15,-
600 600, served as & text for q speech by
Mr.. German, pointing out that the rev.
enues of the government are less than
the receipts.
Mr. Germans statement brought on
an animated controversy in which Mr..
Sherman, Mr.. Hale. Mr. Chandler join
ed issue with the Maryland senator as
to the responsibility for the failure Of
tariff legislation in the present con-
gress- Mr.. Germans speech and the
frequent heated party cOlloquies it de-
veloped, attracted great interest, crowds
filling the galleries for the first time
since the Cuban debate and many
members Of the house coming over to
listen to the proceedings The battle
ships item was not completed when the
senate adjourned
Mr. Sherman in the debate called at
tention to the fact that the tariff bill
had been defeated in the finance com
mittee with a silver bill for which all
the Democrats had voted, but Mr.. Cor
man refused to be diverted to the silver
question and reasserted that the Re
publicans were in control Of the finance
ton.
How do you make that outq' asked
senators Sherman and Hale in chO-
rus.
Let US read the list" answered Mr..
German, picking up a congressional di-
rectOry. He read. Morrill,. Sherman
Jones Of Nevada''-several Republican
senators were on their feet b1se AR
German yielded to Mr.. Sherman. who
said it is well known that that senator
has taken his position with the third
party"
Yes" said Mr.. German. but he was
put on the committee as a. Republican.
He has not a Democratic hair in his
head on finance Every senator named
was elected as q Republican. and was
placed on the committee as a Republi-
can"
After further parIeying on this point
Mr.. German. resdnina his enaaof
charged that the scheme was to provide
greater appropriations than the reve-
nueS could meet and thus prepare the
way for q higher tariff The senator
then argued that our revenue Difficult
ties were due to the MCKINLEY law ana
e51travagant Republican expenditures
he read statement of the secretary Of
uatlon might not require more revenue
it was such as to require the strictest
economy.
Yet. in the face of that Statement ,,
he said. I'VE viii have bill aDDroprf-
ating S51, 600 600 for the navy in time of
peace"
The expenditures next year would
pc S5zOO00,0 600, the revenues but s374-
OO0OO00 But in addition to this enor-
nous discrepancy between the reven-
nues and expenditures. the house had
authorized contracts by the war. navy
and treasury departments to the
amount Of eighty-four and one-half
millions
The appropriations in the river and
harbor bin, with all it's defects was
regarded as much more important to
the people than the appropriations for
the navy He endorsed Secretary Car
isles action in using the proceeds of
bonds sold to meet this deficiency and
declared that it would have been Grim
inal mot TO have done So" In closing
his speech the senator, with great sar-
casm, referred to the secretary Of the
navy and his ambition to build up
man and equip a splendid navy
our great secretary of the navy
said he-then, after a pause that is
to say our secretary of the navy who
is not great, who went into the cabi-
net because Of the success of the Dem
ocratic ideas as were supposed. asked
for more ships and more men" He
described the demand of the secretary
with unfeigned contempt and attribu-
ted much of his inspiration to associa-
tions with naval officers who were
anxious for ships to command He
ended with an appeal to the senate to
limit expenditures if the revenues
could not be increased