The morning times., 1897-03-09
He Says the Appropriations Ex-
ceed Legitimate Demands.
BLAMES THE HOUSE RULES
The Chairman of the ApprOpria-
tions Committee Also Blames the
Department for Excessive Es-
Inmates and, Charges the Senate
With Much Of the Responsibility.

Oh the House Cqmm!ttee on appropriations
Mr.. Joseph G. Cannon, of Illinois, relative
to the appropriations made by the Fifty
fourth Congress Mir Cannon's statement
is IN part as follows:
The total appropriations Of the two ses
sions OF this Congress aggregate 81 n43,-
437 % Is. 90. The appropriations OF tile
F1fty-third Congress-, which was Demo
cratic in both hrinches. with Demo
cratic executive Amounted. according to
The Official tables, to $3.50, 239, 2o5 81
To this sum, however, Should De added
S4,4o0,do0 On account OF interest and
! sinking fund charged for bonds issued by
The Democratic administration which were
not inc!ndedin the estimates Of perm sneut
appropriations submitted TO Congress and
stated in the tables, which brings The SUM
total OF appropriations for all objects by
the Fifty-third Congress- up to 1888 ,63S,-
2o".6S, or S49.737, ,8i2.64 less than the
appropriations, including the deficiencies,
made by the present Congress.
In explanation of this apparent excess
of appropriations by the Fifty-fourth Con-
grcss over those OF the Fifty-third Com-
Eress, it should he stated that tile Fifty
fourth Congress made increases over It's
tificatiOns in the SUM of Sl2 ,563 ,467: ON
account OF river ana harbor works, in
GLIDING contracts therefor, in the sum Of
S2,i7G SOC; on account OF the construction
OF public buildings, none OF which Were
authorized by the FifCy-rourth Congress,
in the sum of 81 ,343 ,394; for the postal
service, III the sum OF $ / ,154 ,305; for the
naval establishment, in the sun OF SS ,94.,-
H-'y a. ,,fr
priations, mainly to meet interest and
sinking fund charges for the bonds issued
by the administration just leaving power,
S24,9S3,G44; or total Of So. T6S, 939
Mr.. Cannon admits that tie appropria-
tiuns exceed the legitimate demands Of
the public service, iat this results. he says,
from conditions growing out of the rules
OF Che House. tie sc-called Courtesy OF the
Senate and the excessive estimates sub
nitted 10 Congress. The rccordshows that
in no instgucc during many years past
have the appropriations made b. Congress
measured up TO the fun amounts recon-
mended and asked for by the adniistra-
! tion.
Mr.. Cannon condemns the practic, of
! the Senate in recent years ofameudinG ap-
| pFopriation bills, notably tie general de
/ iNi.Ahg ~ iiACi ptieItiIi-- pltFNi>IttilS
| to pay claims Of every kind and character
| outSta ndinE agaiHst e(Cvcrnmcnt-c
| that have no status in many cases ether
| than perfunctory reports from committees.
! mere findings OF tine Court sc Claims, and
| recommendations and requests from bu-
reau officers and cher officials of the
| Government
The remedy for this evil, he says. is
leINr. Of rnt.
| jurisdiction whittier these claims may he
sent for full and intelligent Consideration.
He joins Mir. Dockery in cuudcInning the
present arrangement of tliriding the ap-
| preparation bills among a number of com
| mittces.
Mr.. Sayers of Texas, another member
! OF the Committee on Appropriations, will
also make put,lic, under leave to print,
his views respecting the appropriations
| for :hc EIfty-fourth Congress He says.
believe in the continuing contract sys
TEN as applied TO river and harbor i'm
| proveneDts and other necessary works, hat
! not to the extent TO which it has been
entered upon by this Congress In the
| river and harbor act passed at the last
| session under suspension Of the rules
without the opportunity of discussion or
| dibtHulAitii, iilti --tf tt hOi rs were GU-
| thorizcd 20 he placed under contracts, in
| volving a total expenditure Of S5a,616,-
| 404 81 After critical examination of
| these contract authorizations by the Com
| mittce of Appropriations at this session
it was developed that one of these works
authorized to he prosecuted under contract
| for 81 zoe, 600 was so absolutely desti-
tutc OF merit that the War Department
|
looking toward the prosecution of the
! work.
In another case authority was given
to enter into contract for an important
work on the Atlantic coast to the eXtent
of more than S4,5o0,0 900, for the prose
| cution of which proposal has been made
and accepted involving less than one
| half that sum. As to three other import
ant works. the estimated cost on which
authority to enter into contracts for their
completion was based proved to be cr-
roneous and insufficient by about SO per
cent in each case These illustrations
prove that the practice OF authorizing
contracts for public works should not
| only he carefully considered in the light
of the condition OF the Treasury. but only
after the fullest investigation as to the
real merits OF and the necessity for the
improvements contemplated, and only on
] the most carefully prepared and absolutely y
accurate estimates of probable cost.
One of the causes for the enormous
| growth in appropriations of late years has
been the increase of our Navy. Since that
work was inaugurated in 1893. seventy.
seven ships of all classes have been con-
structed, or authorized TO be constructed
at a cost of more than $3.50, 900 900
Already the number OF ships authorized
! would require, i is said, twice the present
| number of authorized officers and men il
the Navy to keep them all in commission
The cost of their daily maintenance alone
is a severe draft upon our diminished
revenues Some of the most expensive Of
these great ships are alre ady clasSed by
naval experts as obsolete. It would have
been wiser if we had needed the advice
| urged by many in the beginning OF th'
| construction of our new Navy-to confin,
appropriations within lines simply suffi
cient to keep pace with the progress o
modern naval architecture.
The appropriations made for the sup
| port of the Federal Governm ent have grow Z
| to such startling proportions within ths
| last dozen years as to render it wellngt
| impossible to devise means of raising rev
enues wherewith to meet the expenditures
| If the new administration just about to
cross the threshold Of power carries out
its pledges by giving to the country 6
| protective tariff, it will utterly fail tt
| produce the means of meeting expendi
lures, if they are to be maintained on tht
. existing high plane, unless, peradventure
nriff CHI =,