Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-03-06
AIGE AGGREGATE AUTHORIZATION
BN CONGRESS.
CANNON AND DocKERY TALK
ONE GINE> NErVDLlCiN SIDE AND
OTHER DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
Mr.. Dockcry SETS Up Howl Ahout
tho Wild EHtrnNnSnncc "f the
Eifss-afth Couxrcss-Says
q Trcnsur. pcHri, Is
Certain.

WASHINGTON March 6.-The ofiriai
e,a;en.eu; OF Representative Joseph 6.
Cannon. OF Illinois. the chairman OF the
house appropriations committee. summing
I'd the appropriations of the Ffty-hith
congress. shows an aggregate appropria
tion by the entire congress OF Sl565. .s'9.0i6.
Gnd for the session just closed a total of
$S73.S5s. 400 with authority for contracts sub
1ect 10 future appropriations amounting 10
5000 ,0oG. Chairman Cannon's statement
in full follows:
''The appropriations made At the session
OF congress closed amount approximately
TO s6.S. .65S 400. and show an apparen; reduc-
sioo OF 2le.57S.Oc, under the appropriations
made at the preceding session. This Is at
tributable to the large expense occasioned
by the war with Spain that were provided
for during the preceding session.
'The entire appropriations made by the
Fifty-fifth congress aggregate 81 la6G, sso,-
elS.2s. OF this sum. $ise, ,5G2. .GSS.i7 is directly
charReable 10 our late war with Spain. or
incident thereto. Deducting this charge
from the whole amount OF the appropria-
tions. the remainder. 81 ,0Si 327 ,e;2.sl. repre-
eents the ordinary normal appropria-
tions made by the Fifty-ffih congress.
''The appropriations made by the precnd-
INK congress. the Fifty-fourth. amounted
10 H.04l 0,2.3.27. A comparison shows an
increase in ordinary appropriations made
by this congress over those made by that
congYess. the Fifty-fourth. Of s3s.741.es; but
this appa rent increase is more than ac-
counted for by increases under eight items
alone. namely for pensions. 100000; for
the postal service. slG.o 600: for rivers and
harbors. including work under contracts
previously authorized s360,gO; for new
ships for the navy. 81 10000; for beginning
the work OF the twelfth census. XOo0.0o0
for the Paris exposition. 81 ,eOo.G coo: for new
public buildings. including the building for
Tho department of justice. and for site and
partial construction of the new government
printing office. about 5000 o00; and for pay
ment Of judgments rendered against the
government on account OF French spolia-
tions and under the Bowman act $4,000
''These very natural end necessary in
creases in public expenditures. on account
OF The pension list. the growth of the postal
service In response to the demands of COM
merce. the improvement of the great water
ways OF the country, and for increase of
the navy, the construction OF needed build
3ngs TO accommodate the government sery-
ice In the cities of the country, the taking
Of the census the participation OF the ma
lion In the great exposition to be held at
Paris next year, and the payment OF tho
French spoiiation Judgment and Bowman
act cases, 80 long considered by and press
u.on congress. aggregate sS9.$s,Voo-
Wmore than dissipating the entire apparent
l. Increase in the ordinary apDropriat tons by
this congress over those made by the Fifty
= fourth congress.
t-~ In addition 10 the direct appropriations
made at this session. contracts were au-
thorixed. subject TO future appropriations 10
be made by congress. amounting to about
xO0o0,VS. OF this amount s;4oeo,0o0 is for
additional ships for the navy. $s2,J1D0o0 is
for work on rivers and harbors and some
thing over S3.0ol,"o0 is for public buildings.
The contract system Is. of necessity, ap-
piled TO the construction Of new warships.
IS which require periods of years for their
completion. In the case Of river and har-
bor improvements and the construction of
public buildings. experience has shown that
the authorization of contracts tends mater
Tally to expedite and cheaper the same"
Nj. Dockcry. of Missouri, the ranking
Democratic member of the house appropri-
ationS committee. made the following state
ment. giving the Democratic view:
This congress easily surpasses all Its
predecessors In the stupe2dous aggregate OF
tts appropriations. 1t was thought that the
Ftfty-first congress. commonly known as
the billion dollar congress- had-in poin,
OF extravaganza of appropriations-touched
= limit which would not be reached or al
least surpassed by any OF its SUCCESSORS.
This congress. however. has far exceed
ed tho appalling total of appropriations
then made. and it will be remembered tina,
the billion dollar congress was followed
by Overwhelming disaster TO the Repubica,
party at the ensuing election.
Confronted with war with Spain. re
auiring the imposition OF additional taxa
sion,it Is obvious that rigid economy SHOULD
have been applied In all other directions Il
the expenditure of public money. The peo
pie were willing TO meet all the demand,
upon the national treasury made necessary
by the Spanish war, but 1t is fair 10 pre-
sumo that they expected their representa-
tires, in view of the cheerful disposition
manifested 10 meet these added burdens
10 limit the ordinary appropriations 10 N,
= necessities OF Il wise and economical ad
ministration. These expectations have no
been realized
The result is an actual deficiency in cur
rent revenues, amounting. ON the list o
This month, 10 saa. los. 20. This deficiency
Is shown by Il recent conservative estimate
by Chairman Cannon. of the appropriation:
committee. will probably reach Si59.oeJoo5 az
the 3oth OF June next.
1t Is impossible 10 estimate with ALSO
Lutte accuracy the treasury deficiency 10
tho coming fiscal year. The SECRETARY q
the treasury, in his annual report made il
December last. estimated il al about SSl,
Gp.COo but IL is now apparent that II VII
not he less than Si0r.tpo,uI. IL * amos
certain. therefore. that the government "
he compelled during the calendar NeLr i'N
10 face an actual treasury deficiency. Tin
si6. 100 OF income arising irom the sal
of bonds under lhis administration AM
that OF President Gle, elaad VIII thrn hay
been exhausted and the treasury viii pas
from The condition ot borrowed Suipiu
10 an actual Gciicit Such condition rl:'~
he met either by increased taxation ar l.,
the issue OF treasury certlncates or hr a
additional bond issue
Notwithstanding this Gepiorahi. tre.ls
ury situation. which has heeu called owe
ard over again - the attention OF "ouSrsS
and The country. appropriations have bee!
~raaasa,o tINnlcnI,rcH