The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-12-27
FACING Big DEFICIT
THE COUNTRY ENTERING UPON A
PERIOD OF NATIONAL EN-
TRAVAGANCE
TOTAL OF BILLION DOLLARS

High-Cost of Colonies VIII BE
Nearly One Hundred Millions An
nuaIIy--Grises Defends the AIger
Order-Fighting Canal Lobby.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 26-The Re
publican party lost control of the house
of representatives in 1890 chiefly be-
cause the appropriations made by the
F'ifty-firSt congress footed up more than
81, 900, 600, 000 That congress likewise
passed the Mckinley tariff bill and the
Sherman silver BILL but it's principal Of
tense in the popular estimation was it's
prof1igate expenditure of the peoples
money. The ''billion-do1lar congress-
became a term of reproach, and few
of its leading members on the Repub-
hcan side escaped the whirlwind of
public wrath at the elections of 1890.
The extravaganza of the Fifty-first con-
gress paved the way for the second
election of Grover Cleveland
But compared with the present body
the Fifty-frst congress might be call
ed penurious. The appropriations for
the current fiscal year aggregated
nearly $1,O00,00 Of course, the war
with Spain increased expenses; but
nothing like as much as is generally
believed. The Spanish war is happily
ended, but no signs of economy and
retrenchment in public expenditures are
seen.
For the year ending June 80. 1900,
there will be appropriated s145 00O,0 900
for pensions $3.50, 100000 for the army
and 100000 900 for the navy. This
means that the military establishment
alone will cost nearly $3.50, 900, 900 for
the next fiscal year. The total appro-
priations will not fall short of $780,
100000, and many of the leaders of
both parties in congress believe the
annual expenses will in a little while
foot up a round 81 ,0O0, ,000
Fully $75 ,000 900 a year will be re-
quired for many years to maintain
military garrisons in Cuba, Porto Rico,
Hawaii and the Philippines This sum
will be practically lost to the United
States, as most of it will be expended
in the islands and very little of it will
be returned to this country Nobody
believes the possession of the islands
Will be worth annually $4,000. 900 to
the United States. There is not much
doubt that the Nicaraguan canal will
be constructed within the next decade
at a cost of about $3.50, 900 600. So that
everything indicates a steady increase
in the annual expenditures Of the gov
ernment
The situation is such that if the war
tax should be repealed the country
would soon become insolvent and be
| compelled to raise money by issuing
bonds to meet the ordinary expendi-
| lures.
A glance at the treasury statements
shows the financial condition of the
| government We received 5000, ,O00, 900
| from the bond loan last summer The
excise taxes are bringing in nearly $15,-
! 900 month. The expenses of the
! war have not yet amounted to $500, :
| 600. Yet in spite OF the proceeds of
I the bond sale and the receipts from the
| excise tax the deficit for the current
| fiscal year now amounts to $S4. .OOO. 900
and is constantly growing The bond
J loan has more than paid the expenses
of the war, so that but for the excise
tax the deficit under the Dingley tariff
would now exceed $3.50, coo, ,0OO
GRIGGS DEFENDS ALGER.
| Attorney General Griggs defends the
| order issued by President Mckinley re-
! quiring all grants for railroad. street
car, gas and electric light franchises
| in the towns and cities of Cuba to be
approved by the secretary Of war be-
fore becoming effective.
81 prepared that order myself" said
! the attorney general "There will be
many applicants for these concessions
and as the island will be under military
| government the supreme authority re-
! garding municipal and other grants
| should be vested in the secretary of
war. 1t is by no means certain that
| the municipal councils Will do what
| is best for the community. While the
authority is nominally vested in the
secretary Of war 1t will in fact be ex-
ercised by the president and I think
every body is satisfied he will do what
! is right in the premises
The attorney general then proceeded
| to give what is believed to be the real
reason for promulgating an order
'You know" he said, that a num-
Der of syndicates secured concessions
in Cuba from the autonomist govern
1nent. In some cases two or more syn
dicates are contending for the same
grant. There must be some authority
to decide between these contending
claimants, and in order to do absolute
justice in all cases the members of the
cabinet agreed with the president that
these questions should be decided by
the secretary of war
There are two syndicates which claim
to have franchise for building belt
railroad around the city Of Havana
One secured a concession from the au-
tonomist government and the other
from Capt Gen. Castellanos The
grant is a very valuable one and it is
said there will be more than 81 600 900
OF profits for the company which final
ly secures the contract to construct the
road.
Senator Morgan is taking no part in
the Christmas festivities More serious
things require his attention. Recent
ly, it is said, he has discovered the ex-
istence of a powerful lobby In Wash
ington, having for it's object the defeat
of his bill to aid in the construction of
the Nicaraguan canal. For long time
he could not understand why congress
refused to pass his bill. Finally it was
suggested to him that the opposition
to the measure was probably due to
the influence of the lobby. A very
slight investigation convinced the
senior senator from Alabama, that the
suggestion was we'll founded
He believes that the English govern
ment or the Spanish government, he
is not certain which, is spending a lot
OF money buying up senators to vote