The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-03-11
PREPARED By MESSRS. SAVERS
AND CANNON, MINORITY AND
MAJORITY LEADERS.
GREAT GROWTH OF EXPENDITURES.
Makes 1t Well Nigh Impossible to De
wise Means of Raising Sufficient
Revenue, Says Mr.. Sayers--Al
Previous Records Broken.

of that committee, have pre-
pared their reviews of the appropria-
tionsfor the congress just ended, ana
they will be printed in the Congressional
Record tomorrow morning.
Mr.. CannOn's statement is of more
than usual significance on account OF the
and suggestions ne
makes for methods Of keeping down APP
in the future. Mr.. Cannon
makes the total appropriations submitted
to the president for his approval AT he
last session, including the general dofi-
cheney bill, which failed in conference,
Sj1S. 1903 45S, or S2I3S3,2IG less than the
estimates submitted to congress by the
executive. The appropriations for the
first session were S5lS,S4j, 1911. making Il
total for the congress Of 81 O43,43I.0lS.
which, he says, is $40, 797 So more than
the AUTHORIZATIONS for the preceding con-
gress. The increase, he points out. IN
cudcs the Notifications, Sl2,563. 4Gl; for
river and harbOr work, including con-
tracts therefor, SR0,41G,5OG; for public
buildings. none of which were authorized
by the Fifty-fOurth congress, S2,343,3JJ;
for the postal service, ST, 4o4.3Oo; Tor
the naval establishment, SS94l %, ana
on account of permanent appropriations,
mainly to meet interest and sinking fund
charges for the bonds issued by the
Cleveland administration, S24,9S3, III.
'The appropriations. therefore, says
Mr.. Cannon, "are, in my Judgment in
excess of the legitimate demands of the
public service. But this fact, while great
~ to be deplored, is not, i'll my opinion
properly chargcable to the action of ell
Their of the great parties of the country.
1t is rather the result of conditions grow
ing out of the rules Of the house, and out
of the rules. practices and the so-called
courtesy of the senate, together with the
irresponsible manner with which the cN-
ccutivc submits to congress estimates TO
meet expenditures for the conduct of
the government. If the appropriations
made by congress have been cXtravagant
beyond the revenues of the government
how much more so have been the esti-
mates of the executive! The record
shows that in no instances during many
acts passed have the appropria tons made
by congress measured up to the full
amounts recommended and asked for by
the administration.
1T is said that ours is the only gov
crnment in the civilized world wherein
the administrative branch, apparently as
Stunning no degree of responsibility to tn.
taXpayers for it, demands the eXpendl
ture of public money, and that ours Is
the only government wherein the legis
ative branch alone exercises the func
ton or duty of putting Il check upon pub
lie expenditures without any cOnsidcra
bic degree of cooperation on the par
of the executive. 1t is hoped. and bc
licve that the incoming president, witt
his long experience as II distinguished
member of the legislative branch of thi'
government, will exact of his cablnc
counsellorS some degree of wholesome
cOunselors some degree of wholesome
lie expenditures to the end that congress
NAV not have to strive unaidcd an,
alone toward bringing our public eNpendi
ture within the sum Of our public reve
nuCS.'
He criticises the action of the senate
in always loading up" the general dc
ficiency bill and making it vehicle
for all sorts of claims.
In discussing the remedies for kccpin'
down appropriations. Mr.. Cannon make
the following pointed statement:
''rhc remedy for this evil is for tn
great fDllllllIlttS VI lIt uDuSC anu S'll
ate on judiciary claims and war claim
to formulate an intelligent measure tha
will provide Il tribunal of final iurisdiC
ton whittier these claims may he sen
for full and intelligent consideration. B.
such Il measure those who have homes
and legitimate claims against the gov
eminent can be paid and that some o
the claims above referred to are just an
should he paid there is no doubt. Blu
claims that are based on fraud can b
StigmatiZcd as fraudulent by such Il tri
hunal and congress for all time can b
relieved of the annual importantly fo
| their consideration. There are too man
appropriation bills. Instead of fourtcc
there ought not to be more than ten. TIL
agricultural bill ought to be made, II
| it was prior To 1881. Il part of the lcgis
lative. executive and judiciary appropr
alton bill. which provides for the ofticia
staffs and expenses of the the severa
executive departments, except the ayr
cultural department. The army. fort
| fications. military academy and naval M
prOpriaton bills ought to be consolidate
into one. BY such consolidation muc
time now wasted in general debate an
formal proceedings would be saved t
the house"
MI. say tIS. Ill HIS SlultllltIl, lllu kt
the total appropriations of this congress
SOL. 1871 .S12 in excess of the Fifty-thir
congress. S16.332. 40 over the Fifty-scC
Ond congress. and SI.I1I, DOS i'll excess 0
the Fifty-tirSt congress.
| He says:
1.-The present congress. organized i
both branches by the republicans, ha
made or sent To the president for M
proval. including the general defcienc
bill, as agreed upon. appropriations III eX
cess of those made by the Fifty-third con
gresS. which was controlled by the dem
ocrats. to the extent of Sol 19T.S12. Tn
principal elements of this increase ar
on account of Notifications. river an,
harbor works, the postal service and tn
naval establishments. In addition to tn
enormous increases in direct appropria
tons. this congress, at its first session
authorized contract liabilities for rive
and harbor works. fortifications. nav,
and other public works amounting t
Si3.S16.l>0. At least twO-thirds or one
half of these large sums remains to b
provided for by future congresses, to tn,
extent of the constitution. fixed charg,
against the revenues of the country
| which. by reason of extravagant appro
priations, now falls short S5.OOO.ONO :
month of meeting the expenditures o
the government
After discussing in detail the increases
he concludes
| The appropriations for the support O.
the federal government have grown I,
such startling proportions within the las
dozen years az to render il well nip}
| impossible to devise means of raising row
enue wherewith to meet the eynend;
lures. LII the new ndmin;strn4;on -,