The San Francisco call., 1897-03-09
EXCESSES IN THE
APPROPRIATIONS
Cannon Compares the Acts
of the Last Two Con-
crosses.
Sayers OF Texas Also Makes
Some Rather Pointed
Comments.
En- ormous Sums Set Aside for Pub ic
Works That Are Declared
Useless.

WASHINGTON, D. g., March S.-The
Con ngressional Record tomorrow will con-
| tain statement made by the Chairman Of
the House Committee on Appropriations,
Joseph Cannon of Illinois. relative to the
appropriations made by the Fifty-fourth
| Congress. Cannon says in part as follows:
The total appropriations of the two sessions
| OF this Congress aggregate 81, ,043,437 ,01S 53.
The appropriations of the Fifty-third Congress,
which was Democratic in both branches with
Democratic Executive, amour ted, according
the official tables, to $9s9, ,239, 205 SO. To this
sum- however, should be added 50, 400, 900 on
account of interest and sinking fund charges
for bonds issued by the Democratic admins
tration which were not included in the esti-
mates of permanent 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
$685., ,639, ,205 90 OF $40, ,797, ,S12 "a less than
the appropriations, including the deficiencies,
made by the present Congress.
In explanation OF this apparent excess OF
appropriations by the Fitty-fourth Congress
over those OF the Fifty-third Congress- it should
be stated that the Fifty-third Congress made
increases on account of Notifications In the
sum of So. .563. 400; on account OF river and
harnor works, including ontracts therefor, in
the SUM Oh T1-, 41OOOO, Otl dCCOunt VI INC COu-
struction OF the public buildings, none ofwhich
were authorized by the Fjfty-fourth Congress,
in the sum of 50, ,432 500; for the postal SER
vice, in the sum OF $l1, ,454, 305: for naval es-
ta'blishment, in the sum OF SIS, 947 ,232; on &C
count or permanent appropriations, mainlyto
meet the interest and sink ing fund charges
for the bonds issued by the administration just
leaving power. $24 9S3, ,744, or a total of $62,-
| 76S, ,939.
Cannon admits that appropriations ex-
ceeded the estimated demands of the
public service, but this results, he says
from conditions growing out of the rules
of the House. the so-called courtesy OF the
Senate and the excessive estimates sub
mitted to Congress. The record shows
that in no instance during many years
past have the appropriations made by
Congress measured up to the full amounts
recommended and asked for by the ad
ministration. Cannon condemns the
practice of the Senate in recent years in
amending appropriation bills, notably the
general deficiency, bill by Incorporating
| provisions to pay claims OF every kind
| and char acter outstanding against the
| Government-claims that have no status
ih many cases other than perfunctory re-
| ports from committees, mere findings OF
! the Court of Claims and recon- udatiops
| anu TSquSStS lIOln VI tuc oOfClh-
ment. The remedy for this evil. he says,
| isl the esta bIishment of division of the
| National jurisdiction, whittier these
claims may be sent for full and intelligent
! consideration. He joins Dockery in con-
demning the present arrangement OF di-
| viding the appropriation bills among
mum Der OF committees.
| Sayers of Texas another member of the
Committee on Appropriations, will also
make public, under leave to print, his
views respecting the appropriations for
the Fifty fourth Congress. He says:
believe in the continuing contract system
as applied to the river and harbor improve
ments and other neceS sary works, but not to
! the extent which 1t 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 dis
! eusson or amendment, thirty-seven works
were authorized to be placed under contracts
| involving total expenditure oil $59,616
! 403 81. After critical examination OF these
| contract authorizations by the Comm ittee on
| Appropriations Ell this session IL was devel-
| oped that one OF these works authorized TO be
! prosecu ed under contract Tor LOCO 900 was
! SO abso utely destitute of merit that the War
| Department had refused 10 take any steps
whatever 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
! $4 500 000 for whose prosecution a proposal
has been made ana accepted, involving less
| than one-haH that sum. AS to three other
| important works, the estimated cost OF which
authority to en- ter into contracts Tor their COM
| pletion were based upon erroneous and INSULT
| cient estimates by about 33 per cent in each
| case These illustrations prove that the prac-
| t1ce OF authorizing contracts for public works
| should not only be carefully considered in the
! light OF the condition of the treasury but only
after the fullest investigation to the real
merits OF and the necessity for the appro-
| priatious contemplated, and only after the
most carefully prepared and absolutely ac-
! curate 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 wa in
| augurated in 1888 seventy seven ships of all
classes have been constructed or authorized
| to be constructed at q cost of more than $780,
| 10000. Already the number OF ships author
| lied would require twice the mum ber of au-
| thoriZed officers and men to keep them all in
| commission. The cost of their daily mainte-
nance alone is q severe draft upon our dimin-
| ished revenues. Some of the most imposing
| OF these ships are already classed by naval ex-
! perts as obsolete. The appropriation made
for the support oil the Federal Government has
| grown to such startling proportions within
the last dozen years as to render it well nigh
| impossible to devise means OF raising reve-
nues wherewith to meet the expenditures. If
| the new administration carries out its pledges
| by giving TO the country protective tariff it
| Will utterly fail TO produce the means of meet
ing expenditures if it has to be maintained
upon the existing high plane, unless perad-
venture the protective tariff NAV be supple
| mented with a tax on coffee and tea and per.
| haps other taxes OF an equally onerous nature.