The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-12-25
COST OF WAR.
S45,OOO,OOO Deficiency Shown
in Department Report.
Tremendous Expense of the
Conflict in the Philippines.
STARTLING FIGURES.
Operations of Navy Adds Many
Dollars to Total.
Repeal of Revenue Tax Now
Considered Impossible.

Washington, Dec 25-The cost of war
is shown in figures that almost stem
the lima ginatiOn in the deficiency re
ports that have been prepared for the
Information of congress by the secretar-
les of war and the navy. The total es-
timated deficiency for the fiscal year
which closes June 81, 1900, Tor all Ine
DEPARTMENTS of the government, IS $oO,-
3O1 900. OF this vast sum the deficiency
in the appropriations for the war de-
Partment alone amounts to $45l5I9I.
The fifty-fifth congress appropriated
S75.242 ,S11 to defray the expenses of the
army. but that has been exha listed and
the additional sum officially known as
deficiency is demanded to enable the
department to continue military opef-
atoms in the Philippines. MAINTAIN eA-
pensiVe garrisOns in Cuba and Porto
Rico and keep an armed force IN Ha-
wall. If congress makes up TINS den-
cheney as requested the cost OF IllIlJaFy
opera lions alone viii reach SIuuUUiOOU d
month. This does not take into con-
sideratiOn the cost Of the navy and the
operations of that department IN the
Philippines and other island possessions s 9le
nor its reported deficiency of $4,000, GOO
The figures show that every arm OF
the military establishment has run be
hind. The subsistence department shows
a deficit of $4,000, 600; the quartermas-
ter's department, 81, 500 0a0; Incidental
expenditures $500 600; horses for cav
airy and artillery. $3.50, 1000; barracks and
quarters 81 600 600; Transportation of
of officers and men, $4,000 The treas
ury deficiency, amounting to nearly
81 600 600. is also traceable to the war
departments operations.
Trouble is likely to occur in the house
and senate when these deficiency re-
ports are brought to the attention of the
committee on appropriations. Ihe
Democratic members of both commit
tees propose to institute a searching in
vestiga ton to find out why the war de-
partment has exceeded its original ap-
DrOpriatfOn by S45, Geo, 900 and whether the
administration COntemplateS maintain
ing an expenditure of $4,000 900 a
month for the army during the next two
years. AS viewed by congressman who
have taken the pains to study the de
fiCienCy reports they constitute COM
pIete bar to any attempt on the part OF
the fifty-siXth congress in the direction
of reducing the governments war tax
income.
There are committees in Washington
representing interests. notably the
brewers, that propose to make demands
for the repeal of these sections of the
war tax relating to their products, but
since they have learned OF the sums of
money that will have to be apprOpriat-
ed by congress to maintain the army
on war basis they have deSpaired of
receiving even courteous recognition
Perhaps the most melancholy item of
the deficiency bill relates to the appro-
DriatiOn for the transportation OF the
bodies of officers and soldiers who die
ABROAD 1LlS U6St5 LAdt4oA COAlApA G4ACl1tAS
all United States soldiers who are kill
ed in battle, who die of hardships and
exposure or from natural causes. The
original appropriation for this purpose
was 100000. That sum has been ex-
hausted already and it is a well known
fact that not One-twentieth of the bod
les of soldiers who have fallen in the
Philippines have been brought back to
this country for interment- Two hun
bred thousand dollars is the additional
sum that is asked to defray the eX-
penses of funerals that may occur from
now until June 81 1900. The daily re-
ports from Manila. containing the names
of killed and wounded Will doubtless be
brought forward as a reason why the
$500, 900 should be allowed.