The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1897-03-20
Republicans Alone 10 Bianic.

"denc1t In the natl0nal treasury,
some of the Republican papers
try to explain away the terrible to-
tai of the appropriations by the last
Congress, or to throw the RESPONSE
bility upon Democratic shoulders
They can successfully do neither the
one nor the other. Republicans are
wholly and entirely responsible for
the appropriations made by the last
Congress, as they will be for the
one which has been called to meet
on the 18th inst, in special session.
by the Republican President, and the
facts cannot be successfully contro-
verted. Let the reader examine the
record OF congressional appropria-
tions briefly, note their comparative
size, see which party was in power,
and where the responsibility rests.
The Senate will not be considered,
because that body usually increases
all appropriations sent to it, whatev-
er its political complexion:
The Forty eighth Congress was
Democratic, and its total appropria-
lions we're 1855, 269, 402.
The Forty-ninth Congress was
Democratic, and its appropriations
were $746,s7s,O7
The Fifty first Congress was Re
publican, and its appropriations
jumped to 81, OBS, $50, 100, an increase
of $217, 100000.
The Fifty-second Congress was
Democratic, and there was reduc-
ton of over$1 800, 900 from themark
set by the previous Republican body
the total being 81, OPT, 1O4, 547..
The Fifty-third Congress Was also
Democratic, and it cut appropria-
tions right and left, reducing the to
tai to 1890, 33s,691, or s37,00O,00c
below the previous Congress, and
$40, 100000 below the record of the
last previous Republican body.
Then came the Fifty-fourth Con
gress, with it's overwhelming Repub-
lican majority and its warning from
Gar Reed that economy was to be
the watchword, and it straightway
proceeded to pile up an unparalleled
total of 81 ,O45, 900, 900 of appropria-
tions, beating the record of the
Fifty-first Congress by SIC, 000, 900
There is no escape from this rec
ord nor from the responsibilities at
taching to it. The Republican ten
dency has been steadily and consist
emily in the direction of increased
expenditures, and that the present
Congress may keep up the pace it is
proposed to increase the revenue
lay increased tariff taxes-increase
the burdens upon the people! Tc
be sure, President Mckinley spoke
about economy in his inaugural ad
dress, but he qualified his injunction
with the phrase, "unless the revenues
can be increased" That will bt
rightly interpreted to mean that il
more money can be had more money
can be spent. Speaker Reed, too
talked loudly about economy at the
beginning of the last Congress, and
had it well understood that he was
to use club, if necessary, to bring
about retrenchment. The result was
appropriations without parallel il
the history of the government.
i Republicans must stand by theil
frecords. 1t will not do to say tina
the methods Of making appropria
tions were changed when Congress
was Democratic. If the method wal
wrong, Republicans had the powel
to change it, but they did not. The.
found the conditions to suit thei
taste, and they must shoulder tn
responsibility. Evasions, explana
lions and excuses will have but lit
tie weight.