The record-union., 1897-03-09
Moneys Voted Are in Excess of Legiti-
mate Demands,
Though Not Properly Chargeable to
Action of Either of the Great Po-
Iitical Parties of the Countrywide
Result of Conditions Accruing Out
of the Rules of the Two Houses.

OF the Appropriation Committee of the
House, and Sayers. of Texas, who is
at the head of the minority of the COM
mittee, have prepared their reviews of
! the appropriations of the Congress just
ended, and they will be printed in the
Congressional Record" tomorrow
morning.
! CannOn's statement is of more than
usual significance, on account OF rec
| concentrations and suggestions he
makes for methods of keeping down
appropriations in the future.
Cannon makes the total appropria-
tions submitted to the President for his
approval at the last session, including
| the general deficiency, which failed in
conference, S51S, ,45S, or $50, ,3S3, ,276
less than the estimates submitted to
| Congress by the Executive. The appro-
! rriation for the former session was
| Solo, $40, 1914, making a total for the
| Congress of 81 ,043 431 ,01S, which he
! says is $40, ,195,S12 more than the ap
| preparations for the preceding Con-
/ gress. The increases, he points out,
| includes for fortifications S13, ,563,-
| 4GI; for rivers and harbor works, in
| Guiding contracts therefor, S2416, sos;
| for public buildings, none of which
We're authorized by the fifty-fourth
! Congress, S2343, 1894; for the postal
service, S11, ,454,3 ,305; for the naval
works, SS,S47. .523, and on account of
! permanent appropriations, mainly to
meet interest and sinking fund charges
for the bonds issued by the Cleveland
/ administration, S24, 49S. IA
The appropriations are says Can
non, lin my judgment in excess of the
/ Legitimate demands of the public SER
ice. But this fact, 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 con-
ditiOns accruing out of the rules of the
House, and out of the rules, practices
and so-called courtesies of the Senate,
| together with the irresponsible manner
| whereby the Executive submits TO
| Congress estimates to meet expendi-
/ lures for the conduct of the Govern
ment. If the appropriations made by
/ Congress have been eXtravagant and
! beyond the revenues of the Govern
ment, how much so have been the es-
Inmates of the Executive.
The records show that in no in
| stances during many years past have
the appropriations made by Congress
measured up to the full amounts rec
commended and asked for by the admin
| istrations. 1t is said ours is the only
Government in the civilized world
wherein the administrative branch of
the party assumes no degree of
responsibility to the taxpayers
| for it's demands for the ex-
| enditure of public money, and that
ours is the only Government wherein
the legislative branches exercise the
functions or duty of check upon public
expenditures without any considerable
degree of cooperation on the part of
the Executive. 1t is hoped, and l be-
leve the incoming President, with his
long experience as a member of the
legislative branch of this Government,
will act with his Cabinet councillors,
and endeavor in some degree to bring
our public expenditures within the
range of our public revenues"
He crticiSeS the action of the Senate
in always loading up the general de-
fciency bill, and making it vehicle
for all sorts of claims.
Cannon makes the following peril
nent suggestions: THE remedy for
this evil is for the great committees Of
the House and Senate, who carry
claims, to formulate an intelligent
measure that will provide a tribunal Of
final jurisdiction whittier these claims
may be sent for full and intelligent con-
sideraticn. By such a measure those
who have honest and legitimate claims
against the Government can be paid
and that some of the claims above re-
ferred to are just and should be paid
there is no doubt. But claims that are
based upon fraud can be stigmatiZed Is
fraudulent by such a tribunal, and Con-
GresS. one for all, can be relieved of
the annual opportunities for their con- |
sideration.
There are too many appropriation
bills. Instead of twelve there ought
not to be more than ten. The agricult-
ural bill ought to be made as it was
prior to 1881, a part of the executive. !
legislative and judicial appropriation
bill. which provides for the Official |
staffs and of several staffs and ex- !
penses of the several executive depart
ments, except the Agricultural DEPART
ment. The army fortification. military |
academy and naval appropriation bills |
ought to be consolidated into one; by |
such consolidation much time wasted |
in irrelevant general debate and formal |
proceedings would be saved to the o.b-
lie"
Sayers, in his statement, makes the |
total appropriations of this Congress |
S54, 1877 .S12 in excess of the Fifty-,i.iri |
Congress, SCI .3332, 40 over the Fifty
second Congress and S7,577. .90S in ex-
cess over the Fifty-first Congress.
He says: THE present Congress. or
ganized in both branches by the Re- |
publicans. has made and sent to the /
President for approval, including the
general deficiency bills as agreed upon, /
appropriations in excess of those made
by the Fifty-third Congress, which was
controlled by the Democrats. to the ex-
tent of So4, 1917, 1S2. The principal ele-
ments of this increase are on account |
of the Notifications, river and harbor
works the postal service and the naval
establishment. In addition to this
enormous appropriation. this Congress
at its first session authorized contract