The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-11

~ a'"'
House Prevented Passage OF Canal
BnI-Country's Success I'm War No
Equal I'm History.
Washington, March 10. -Availing him
self Of the privilege accorded by the
House of Representatives, previous to ad-
journment. Chairman Cannon of the CON-
mittee on appropriations, has prepared
for the Congressional Record more ex-
tended statement Of the appropriation
made by the 55th Congress than he made
the day after adjournment He places the
total appropriations for the entire Con-
press at 81, 500, 500, DIG and the appropria-
tons authorized for future Congresses
under the continuing contract system for
battleships, river and harbor impuove-
ments and public buildings at go. 0O0. 600
The total appropriations made at the last
session Mr.. Cannon places at 1913, 65s, 400
showing an apparent reduction OF 1891,
573, ga below the appropriations of the
preceding session. Mr. Cannon attributed
this reduction to the extraordinary war
expenses of the preceding session. Of the
! total appropriations for the Congress, he
says that the sum OF s4ss, 56a, 0s3 is direct
ly chargeable to the war with Spain. He
thus shows that the ordinary expenditures
| for the two years covered by the Congress
were 81 ,044, $50, 275. and this sum exceeds
the total appropriation of the Fifty-fourth
Congress by $50. TAG SOS. This excess Is
accounted for as follows: For payment OF
pension IS, S75, 900; for the postal service
to meet the increased demands OF com
merce, Si6, 6i9. 56l I; for river and harbor
! improvements 81, 40l, LIS; for constructing
new ships, d, $50, sSs; for beginning the
work Of the twelfth census 81 GOO, 900; for
the Paris exposition u $40 900; tor new
public buildings, 81, 600, 600; for the pay
ment Of judgments against the govern
ment under the Bowman aot, and for the
French spoilations. 81, 100, 16s. Total, s4o,-
2s7, $40.
MIR. Cannon congratulated Congress
and the House upon this showing and al
so upon the fact that, Notwithstanding
the war, close attention was given to the
ordinary expenditures Of the government
which is, he thinks, unusual. He cites
the defeat of the provision for the con-
structIon Of the Nicaragua canal which
the Senate attempted TO get through in
connection with the sundry OWL appro-
priation bill as an instance of the success
Of this watohfulness on the part OF the
| House.
"lf," he says on this point 1.-The Senate
bill or any measure proposed had been
| enacted, the United States would have
| paid S. 600, 900 for worthless concession
and would have been committed by law
TO the construction of a canal along the
| Nicaragua route and under such con-
ditions it would have been compelled be.
fore we threw a spadeful of earth. or in
any way begun actual construction, to
have acquired by treaty from Nicaragua
and Costa Rica, che territory whore to
construct the canal and the right to con-
struct it. Such legislation would have
| delayed and EN- barrassed the construction
of an Isthmian canal. The United States
| cannot afford to enter upon this great
work until 10 has acquired by treaty O
zone of territory wherein to construct the
same. Fortunately the House of Repre-
sentatives resisted the proposed legislation
and the contest between the Sepate and
House resulted finally in the only practi.
| cal provision possible, viz, The appro-
priation Of million dollars to enable the
| President to make full and complste In
vestig cation OF the lsthmus with a view TO
| the future construction OF canal across
| the same, particularly the Panama and
Nicaraguan routes and 10 report 20 Con-
gress tie result with his recommendations
| In the premises. 3"
| Referring in general way to the iegis-
lation Of the Congress. Mr.. Gan non says;
During the whole of the tour years
covered by Mr.. Clevelnnd's second ad-
ininistration, the material and industrial
condition of the country was calamitous
and ito contemplation does not bring
satisfaction TO any American Citizen.
the administration of William Mckinley
and promptly called In extraordi nary
session as promptly enacted legislation
which has yielded the additional revenues
needed to pay the ordinary expenses Of
! the government and has at the same time
protected American labor. With the en-.
actment of that legislation, hope and
confidence struck hands and the condition
OF the whole country improved and
has continued TO improve from that time
| to the present Labor is now universally
employed with increased wages ana with
such employment tbs means are supplied
for increased consumption.
| In addition without. taking time To
discuss in uetail the causes that led there
10, Congress declared war against Spain
and the prompt and decisive successes oil
| the army and navy upon land and sea
have never been eqpalled anywhere IN
history The great expenditures rendered
necessary by the war required the enact
lnsnt OF additional revenue legislation
and that legislation is now bringing into
| our treasury an additional 500, O00, 0ot
per snnum. The vast increase OF the navy
and the creation OF IA army of q quarter
of a million men, together with the In
crease of taxation, have not in any az
preciabls degree checked our industria
advance which began ooinoidentaily with
the inoc ming of the present administra
| ton and the 18th Congress.
| Mr. Cannon declines to enter upon the
pre.ent discussion of future legislation,
saying: ~ prefer rather to wait the logic
Of events and the full information thai
will doubtless come. as hope, between
now and the Organization In December
next of the newly elected Congress. But
/ venture the assertion and prediction
| that the United States could not. If II
would, and would not, If it could, par
with the territories acquired from SPAR