Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-10
OUR CANDIDATE in 1900
APPROPRIATIONS MADE BY
FlFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

Appropriations Made by Both Sessions OF
the Fifty-fifth Congress Amount to ST.
566,s9O,O16, of This Amount S4s2, 562,-
OS3 Is Directly Chargeable to the War
q With Spain or Incident Thereto.
Washington, March 5.-The official
statement of Representative Joseph
1t. Cannon of Illinois, the chairman
OF the house appropriations for the
Fifty-Fifth congress shows an aggre-
gate appropriation by the entire con-
gress of 1866, 800 DIG and for the ses-
sion just closed total of 1878, 65S, 400,
with authority for contracts subject
to future appropriations amounting
to $40, 100000.
Mr.. Dockery OF Missouri, Democrat
1c member of the house appropria-
tons committee, made the following
statement, giving the Democratic
views:
This congress easily surpasses all
lts predecessors in the stupendous e.
gregats OF its appropriations. 1t was
thought that the Fifty-frst congress,
commonly known as the sbillion-dol-
lar congress, had, in point of extrav-
agence of appropriations, touched a
limit which would not be reached or,
at least, surpassed by any of its sue
cessors. This congress, however, has
far exceeded the appalling total of APP
preparations then made and it will be
remembered that the 'billion-d ollar
congress- was followed by overwhel.
ming disaster to the Republican party
at the ensuing election.
"Confronted with war with Spain.
requiring the imposition of additional
taxation, it is obvious that rigid econ
omy should have been applied in oil
other directions to the expenditure
OF public money. The people were
willing to meet all the demands upon
the national treasury made necessary
by the Spanish war. but 1t is fair to
presume that they expected their rep
resentatives, in view of the cheerful
disposition manifested to meet these
added burdens, to limit the ordinary
appropriations to the necessities of a
wise and economical administration.
These expectations have not been
realized. The result Is ali actual de-
ficency in current revenues amount
ing on the first of this month to 500
1859, 55450, This deficiency, as shown
by recent conservative estimate by
Chairman Cannon, of the appropria-
tons committe, will probably reach
$159, 900, 900 on the Both of June next.
1t is impossible to estimate with alb
solute accuracy the treasury deficien-
cy for the coming fiscal year. The sec.
rotary of the treasury in his annua,
report made in December last esti.
mated it at about $31. 900, 900, but it is
now apparent that it W i'll not be less
than $l0O,000,O00. 1t is almost certain
therefore, that the government will
be compelled during the calendar
year 1900 to face an actual treasury
deficiency. The 1852, 600, 900 of income
arising from the sale OF bonds under
this administration and that of Presi.
dent Cleveland will then have been
exhausted and the treasury will then
have passed from the condition of a
borrowed surplus to an actual defici-
ency.
TALK OF BOND ISSUE.
such condition must be met eth
or py increased taxation or by the is
sue of treasury certificates or by an
additional bond issue. Notwithstand-
ing this deplorable treasury situation
which has been called over and over
over again to the attention of con-
gress and the people, appropriations
have been made which in many cases
have not been warranted by the inter
ests of the public service, or which, if
proper themselves, should have been
postponed until the national
income should be ample to
meet all its liabilities without the me-
eesslty OF bond issues.
The appropriations of the original
Sbillion-dollar congress amounted to
$.,035, $50, 109.94. The appropriations
OF the congress just ended reach the
mighty aggregate of 81, $3.50, 800, Ole 90.
1t is fair to deduct from the total
$4Ss, 2,0s3.47, made necessary to
meet the liabilities of the Spanish
war. So if we deduct from the grand
total the liabilities on acc cunt of the
war with Spain, it appears that the
appropriations for the ordinary ex-
penses of the government are 81 1854.
3O7932.s1. The appropriations of the
congress just ended to meet the ordi-
nary governmental expenses exceed
those of the preceding (Fifty-fourth,
congress by s39,747, 65s.94. Not only
this, but the contract liabilities au
thorized by the congress expired TO,
new ships and their armament, pub.
lie buildings, rivers and harbors. and
miscellaneous items, amount to So
602, 5s4. If, therefore. to the ordinary
appropriations is added the liabilities
on account of these authorized con-
tracts, we ascertain that the appro-
priations and contract liabilities am
CUNT to the tremendous total of ST.
164, 93O, 456.s1.
These increased appropriations
have gone for French spoliation