New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-09
OVER A BILLION VOTED.
THE APPROPRIATIONS MADE BY THE
L1vTH CONGRESS.
CHAIRMAN CANNON EXPLAINS THE CAUSES OF
THE HEAVY 1NCREAsE-THE TOTAL WAS
LESS THAN THE AMOUNT ASKED

LESS THAN THE AMOUNT ASKED
FOR BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
| IsY TELEGRAPH TO THE rnIpUNE.l
| Washington. March S-The comparative sta'e-
| mcnts Of appropriations prepared by Chairman
! Cannon and ex- Chairman Sayers OF the Appro-
prlations Committee Of the House OF Representa-
| tives were made public to-day They agree as 10
the total amounts voted by the IIVth Congress I'm
Guiding the Items in the General Deficiency Dill
which received the sanction of the conferrees OF
| both houses). and the comments made by poth are
! In the main just and notably free from partisan
ship. despite the fact that Mr.. Cannon Is stahch
| Republican and Governor Savers an equally stanch
Democrat The statement issued by Mr.. Dockery.
| Of Missouri another member Of the committee can
| not be thus characterized. and. according 10 his
figures the total Of appropriations was about SV'-
| 0O0 more than that found by Mr.. Cannon ana Ho'-
| ernor Savers
The total appropriations Of the LIvth Congress
amounted TO 81 os3 4s O1s So The appropriations OF
| the Lid Congress which was Democratic In both
branches. with a Democratic Executive. amounted
according the official tables TO S9ss ZSs'Zo' o. 10
| this sum- however. should be added A4W"U on
account Of interest and sinking fund charses io'
bonds issued by the Democratic ADMINISTRATOR
! and which were not included in the estimates or
permanent appropriations submitted 10 congress
and stated in the tables. This brings the sum tot''
Of appropr lao.:s for az objects By the Lila Co"-
gress up to 1898 63 25 So or s497s'Sl2S4 less IMAM
| the appropriations including denciencies' i"iue y!
| the IIVth Congress.
In explanation of this apparent excess Of appro-
priations by the IIVth Congress over those OF the
Lid Congress- 1t should be noted tnas the hiN III
| Congress made increases over It's immediate preue
cessor on accoun. OF fortitcatiors In the sum Oh
sI25 sS 467: account o. rivers and harbo! works
including contracts therefor. In the sum Oh s-'4o
FOG: on account of the construction of pubic build
! ings none Of which were authorized by the LlNtn
Congress. in the sum of s2,Sia3si; for the postal
| service in the of sl1i54,S6 for the naVai es-
| Enlistment in the sum of &.9i7523. and on ac-
/ coun. of permanent appropriations. mainly TO meet
interest and sinking-fund charges Tor the pohds
! issued hy the Cleveland Administration. s2iSS3.Ii
| or a total Of $62. 16s. 1888
| Owing to the failure of the Sundry Civil, Indian.
Agricultural and General Deficiency bills the actual
total Of appropriations Of the LIVth Congress. In
Guiding permanent annual appropriations a"iou'''"
Z TO only S970.212.17f
CHAIRMAN CANNON'S EXPLANATION
The comments and explanations made by the
chairman Of the committee naturally take prece-
dence Of the others. and. moreover. they contain
some suggestions for the future which are pertinent
and Important and entitled TO the mos: carefui con-
sheraton One matter to which Chairman Cannon
calls attention the outset Is the fact that large
as was the total appropriations by the L1Vth Con-
gress II was greatly exceeded by the total OF the
regular and special estimates transmitted TO mat
body b. Secretary Carlisle as the basis OF SUCH APP
proprations. the excess at the last session aiohe
amounting to s2J.3s3. 30 The appropriations voted
Oncludng permanent annual appropriations)
amounted to s527 591 500. and the estimates upon
which they based amounted to SOLICITATION
The sundry Civil bill. which President Cleveland
| refused to approve. as agreed upon by the TWO
| houses and submitted TO the Executive amounted
| to $50 O3O OIL So The estimates submitted by the
Executive amounted 10 s5s SO $40 81. or 7G %
more than the bill appropriated Included In the bill
were no Items which had not according TO the est!-
mates submitted to Congress, received the approval
and recommendation OF the ADMINISTRATOR WIN
the possible exception OF $4,000 for the Nicaragua
Canal survey inserted as an amendment ana IN
sisted upon by the Senate.
EXECUTIVE RESPONSIBILITY.
Tn d,scussnp The subject OF Executive responsible
! ~ IN regard to appropriations Chairman Cannon
saws some things that are Of general interest ana
worthy Of thoughtful consideration After observ-
ing that In his Judgment the appropriations are IN
excess OF the legitimate demands OF the puphc ser
vice" and that this fact is not, In his OPINION
.nronerly chargeabe either OF the two great po-
utical parties Of the country" Mr. Cannon con-
tinues.
"t Is the result of conditions growing out OF The
! rules OF the House and out OF the rules practice
and so-called courtesies OF the Senate. together
with the irresponsible manner whereby the h@ecu-
,ve subtts TO Congress estimates TO meet expend!-
lures for the conduct of the Government. III the
appropriations made by Congress nave peen ex-
travagant and beyond the revenues OF the Govern
ment how much so have been tn" estimates
n, ,he Exec,rive9 The record shows that In no In
stance during many years past have the appropria-
lions made by Congress measured up 10 the iuii
amounts recommended and asked for by the Ad-
minisration.
the civilized world wherein the administrative
branch apparently assumes no degree OF RESPONSE
blity TO the taxpayers for demands Tor the ex-
penditure Of public money, and that ours Is the Only
Government. wherein the Legislative branch alone
exercises the functions duty of check upon pupic
/ expenditures without any considerable degree or
| cooperation on the part OF the Executive. 1t IL
boped and believe. that the incoming President.
With his long experience as distinguished memocr
~ the legislative branch of the Government. VIII
ox.c. Of his Cabinet counscllors some degree OF
ho,.some effort In the direction Of Intelligent
recommendation OF public expenditures to the END
that Congress may not have to strive unaided ana
alone toward bringing our public expenditures WIN
I'm the sum Of our public revenues.
MR. CARLIsLE's ESTIMATES
"rhe former Secretary OF the Treasury, IN his las
animal report 10 Congress on the state OF the
finances after stating the appalling fact tha' the
/ .,,r,o,oa exnendtures exclusive OF the sinking
fund requirements re likely to exceed our estmat
Oh revenues by s4571S070. says: The foregoing es"
mates OF receipts and expenditures TOT inc Hsca
veor 1893 are made upon assumption mat there VIII
I've no substantial change In existing business cono
lions. and that the present scale Vi p"""' ~p
lures will not be reduced
eft was not always thus under other Adminis'ra
,ons When a similar condition confronted the
country In 1871 Mr.. Sherman. then Secretary OF Inc
Treasury. In his annual report TOT me nsea' y'a'
1911 s,,d. Assuming that Congress will not increase
Tho aggregate National taxation at time when a.
inds:ries are oppressed by the weight OF local tax
ation the Secretary recommends f1at me aggregate
lamentations for the hscal year ending June ~
iS1g exclusive Of interest and sinking fund should
b not exceed $1400000W This VIII require the appro
nrjatlons 10 be reduced AZ least f1.0O0Oo below the
Estimates submitted above-a reduction that. In the
onInion OF the Secretary can be made without Grip
Ming any branch Of the public service
Mr. Cleveland. IN submitting the annual bu'ge'
D of expenditures 10 this Congress In De ,ember last
through the Secretary OF the Treasury. assumed IN