The herald., 1897-02-14
failing in that he would like to have a
vote on the question of postponement.
IN THE HOUSE
Tho Appropriation Debate Very Naturally
Drifts Into Politics

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-This has
been field day in the house. The sun
dry civil appropriation bill was before
that body for general debate. 1t was
used as a basis for an attack by the
Democrats on the vast appropriations
made by the congress, which Mr.. Say
ers and Mr.. Dockery estimated would ag-
gregate s1,045. 100000 The latter paid
a high tribute to Speaker Reed and
acquitted him of all responsibility for
the large appropriations. Once the gate
was opened, the debate naturally drifted
into politics. The relative merits of the
Mckinley and Wilson bills as revenue
producers were attacked and defended,
the income tax decision and Justice
Shira's change of position came in for
share of attention, and Mr.. Dear
mond of Missouri concluded the day with
brilliant plea for struggling Cuba,
which won from the house shouts of ap-
proval.
An intimation was made that there was
to be an attempt made to pass the sun
dry civil bill under the suspension of
the rules on Monday, but Mr.. Cannon.
who has charge of the bill, denied this.
There is evidence of movement on foot,
however, thus to dispose of the bill, but
at present 1t seems to lack strength to
carry. Some of the interests which are
not taken care of by the bill desire to
make their fight to overrule the commit
tee on the floor.
The house today without preliminary
business went into committee of the
whole and resumed the consideration Of
the surdry civil bill.
Mr.. Cannon, in charge of the bill, asked
unanimous consent that the bill be con-
sdered as having been read the first
time.
Mr.. Hepburn asked If the purpose OF
passing the bill next Monday under sus-
pension of the rules had been aban-
doned, and this was a move to procure
the first reading of the bill to avoid
criticism made when the river and har-
Dor bill was passed last year without
having been read. The question evil
IDENTIFY nettled Mr.. Cannon, who replied
that he was willing that the house should
pursue toward this bill any course the
majority desired. He called attention
to the fact that but two weeks of this
session yet remained and there was
still to pass, in addition to the sundry
civil bill. the naval appropriation and
general deficiency bills.
But you have not answered my ques-
tion," exclaimed Mr.. Hepburn. Have
you abandoned the purpose of passing
this bill under suspension of the rules?"
There never was any such purpose"
said Mr.. Cannon, sharply.
A compromise was arranged and the
reading of the bill was dispensed with.
1t was agreed that there should be five
hours general debate, two and a half
on each side,
Mr.. Cannon made the opening state
ment regarding the measure. 1t car
ried $50, ,664 743, about $S,000000 less than
the estimates and about $17 500, 900 more
than carried by the bill for the current
year. The increase was extraordinary,
but he said easy of explanation. OF the
increase SIS, 531 900 was for river and har-
Dor improvements authorized to be
placed under contract by the river and
harbor bill of one year ago and $1,620, ,120
for public buildings in course of construc-
tion, and $7O9, 800 for the expenses of the
United States courts. He said the COM
mittee recommended no appropriation
for Wilmington, Del, because it had
been found that the work could not be
done for the sum authorized, $205, 900.
The same reason accounted for the fail
ure to appropriate in this bill for the
Oakland, Cal, improvement which would
cost 100000 more than was authorized.
The same was true of the Kentucky
river. The river and harbor bill au
thorized an expense of 100000 1t would
require 81, ,000,0 900 to complete the pro-
ject. Dams two and five of the Ohio
river and Yaquina bay, Ore, were also
omitted from the bill for the same rea-
son.
Mr.. Sayres of Texas. Democrat, TAX
ing the sundry civil bill as a text. at
tackled the record of this congress in the
matter of extravaganza. The appropria-
tions for this congress would reach the
unprecedented sum of 81 045, 600, 900. He
asserted that it would not be in the
power of the Republicans of the next
congress to pass a tariff bill that would
raise revenue enough to meet eXpendi-
lures, unless the majority in the next
congress reversed it's policy and adopted
the old Democratic doctrine of econ
omical expenditure of the peoples mon
ey.
Did not the fifty-second congress,
when all branches were Democratic,
expend as much as the Republican con-
crosses? ?" asked Mr.. Milliken.
Not within s36,oOO,OOO of the amount
expended by the fifty-first congress OF
to be expended by the present congress-,
replied Mr.. Sayres.
He proceeded to draw a contrast be-
tween the appropriations of 1897 and Of
1887 to show the increase in a decade.
Mr. Dockery, who followed, said, in
his opinion, the expenditures of this
congress would reach 81, ,050. 900 900. But,
he said, he desired to acquit the speaker
of the house of any responsibility.
Speaking of the future, Mr.. Dockery
said he did not know whether a tariff
bill could be framed which would raise
sufficient revenue to meet these vast
expenditures, but if any one could frame
such bill, it would be the ''distin
guished chairman of the ways and
means committee, Mr. Dingley."
The merits of the Mckinley law as
a revenue raiser We're brought into the
debate.
Mr. Hopkins of Illinois, Republican,
said that it produced ample revenue,
while Mr.. McMilllen maintained that for
the four years of it's operation the def
cheney was $50, 1000, 900, He defended the
Wilson law, which, he declared, would
have produced sufficient revenue had
not the income tax been declared uncon-
stitutional He was severe in his stric-
lures upon the United States supreme
court.
Mr.. Grosvenor replied to Mir. Nc
Millin. He would leave the task of eX-
coriating the supreme court to the gem
tleman from Texas, he said, but he
wanted him to remembr that the major
ity of the members of that court who
held the law to be unconstitutional were
of the political affiiliation of the gentle
man himself
Mr.. de Almond of Missouri, Democrat,
in discussing the adequacy of the VII
son law, also criticised the supreme
courts decision, which he, as lawyer,
declared, was not above just criticism.
He said no one imagined when the law
was passed that the income tax would
be declared unconstitutional.
He drifted into some comment upon
the growing power of the judiciary and
J, ia1 led 10 ,,iy-