Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-30
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Representative Bingham of Pennsyl-
vania, who Is n member of the house
committee on appropriations. Is of the
opinion that the house will sanction no
extravaganza in public expenditures. but
will keep appropriations down to the
lowest point compatible with the cfli.
cheney Of the public service. He said
the country demands rigid economies
and exact business methods and so far
as the house is concerned 1t will get
them. The administration is committed
10 the policy of economy and retrench-
ment wherever it is practicable without
impairing the public service. President
Mckinley has said that the "severest
economy must be observed in all public
expenditures and extravaganza stopped
wherever 1t is found and prevented wher-
ever in the future it may be developed"
This sound admonition 1t is understood
the president has impressed upon the
heads of departments, who were in
structed to submit only such estimates
as were deemed absolutely necessary to
the efficient administration of their de-
partments. At all events this has been
generally observed by the departments,
the notable exception being the War de-
partment, which asks for largely in
creased appropriations
The country believes with President
Mckinley that economy is demanded in
every branch of the government at all
10 in lN,
imperative when the revenue of the gov
ernment is less than the expenditures, as
as present. The difficulty, in most cases,
Is to determine where judicious economy
ends and extravaganza begins. Nor is
this the only difficulty. Speaking of the
appropriations at the second session OF
the last congress, Mr.. Cannon, chairman
of the committee on appropriations, said
that in his Judgment they were in excess
of the legitimate demands of the public
service, "but this fact" he declared,
"while greatly to be deplored. is not, in
my opinion, properly chargeable to the
action of either of the great political
parties of the country. 1t Is the result
of conditions, accrung out of the rules
of the house and out of the rules, prac-
tices and so-called courtesies of the
senate, together with the irresponsible
manner in which the executive submits
to congress estimates to meet eXpendi-
lures for the conduct of the government
While as a rule the appropriations made
by congress do not measure up to the
full amounts recommended and asked for
by the executive departments, yet the
department estimates cannot be disre-
garded and if there is extravaganza in
these it is very apt to in part at least get
into the appropriations Thus it is nee
essary that the administrative branch
of the government exercise the utmost
care in making estimates of eNpendi-
ture, though it must be admitted that the
habit of congress of cutting down the
estimates is an incentive to heads of de-
partments to make them higher than
they otherwise might do. 1t is doubtless
true, as stated by Mr.. Cannon, that con-
ditionS aCcruing out of the rules of the
house and the rules and practices of the
senate have something to do with eX-
lFdNdSduCe Ill appropriations. LIZ co
pecially arraigned the senate for its
practice of Incorporating in appropria-
ton bills provisions to pay claims of
every kind and character outstanding
against the government, many of which
have no status other than perfunctOry
reports from committees. Whether or
not the obstacle to economy thus
pointed out by the chairman of the
house committee on appropriations can
be removed is a question. Certainly no
immediate change in the rules and prac-
tees which produce the unsatisfactory
conditions is to be expected.
The country expects judicious economy
in public expenditures from the
present congressman Il parSimOniouS
policy that would impair the pub
lie service, but wise prudence that
will not interfere with proper and efli-
cient administration and at the same
time will enable the government to meet
its obligations without recourse to bor-
rowing.