The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-10
CONGRESS- Is WARNED
EXTRAvAGANT APPROPRIATIONS
MUST BE GUARDED AGAINST
FOR A TIME
REVENUE DEFICIENCY CITED
Chairman Cannon, of the House
Committee, Points Out the Neces-
sity for Rigid EconOmy-De-
ficiency for the Fiscal. Year Estf.
mated at S159,OOO,OOO, to Say
Nothing of Money for Spain.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9.-Chairman
Cannon. Of the appropriations commit
tee of the house. In the course of gen.
eral debate on the sundry civil bill to-
day, sounded a note Of warning against
extravagant appropriations. Although
he specifically disclaimed speaking for
anyone but himself. the statements
that he made, coming from the chair
man of the appropriations committee.
caused great interest. Mr.. Cannon
made a general statement of the reve-
nues and expenditures for the present
fiscal year, increasing Secretary Cage 8
estimate of the deficiency in the reve-
nues from SIP, ,OO0, 900 TO $159 ,000, 600, ex-
elusive of the $4,000, 600 to be paid to
Spain, under the provisions of the
treaty of Paris.
Mr.. Cannon pointed out that all the
time of the remaining three weeks of
the session would be occupied and that
there would be no time to give ship
subsidy measures the intelligent and
proper consideration they should have.
The whole house was aroused by this
statement
Mr.. Grosvenor Rep., o. wanted to
know whether Mr.. Cannon assumed
that one of the great committees Of
the house 0he interstate and foreign
commerce committed had been idle or
derelict in its duty.
Mr.. Cannon insisted that nothing he
had said reflected upon that commit
tee. But it was simply an organ Of the
house. He was not charging 1t with
dereliction, but If it could multiply it.
self tenfold in strength and wisdom,
there was no time in the next three
weeks to place itself in touch with the
members so that the house could In
telligently determine the legislation
necessary for the inauguration Of that
great work.
Mr.. Hepburn, chairman of the COM
mittee on interstate and foreign COM
merce. asked Mr.. Cannon to be more
explicit. A statement from him meant
a great deal. He demanded to know
whether Mr.. Cannon was to be under
stood as saying that no opportunity
was to be given for the consideration
of the Nicaragua canal bill
Mr.. Cannon disclaimed any purpose
of speaking for any one but himself.
Il am not member" said he. Il
speak only Of myself. voice only my
own opinion. 1 do not reflect the sem
tirnent of others, but do say candid
ly. upon my own responsibility. that 1t
Is absolutely impossible in the time re-
naming for us to intelligentiy consider
these bills ..
"WiH the deficiencies in the revenue,
which the gentleman has pointed out"
interposed Mr.. Lewis Dem., Wash.),
hamper an issue of bonds?'
I'VE must support the army and
navy. and defend ourselves here and in
outlying possessions out of the present
revenues this year and next, replied
Mr. Cannon, but if we are to accom-
plish that we must see to. it that no
great appropriations go through in the
immediate future. If you take on great
blocks of responsibilities you must is
sue bonds
Cant there be a reduction in the
war taxi" asked Mr.. Sims Dem.,
Tenn.).
Not in the next two years"
IN your estimates. have you includ-
ed any revenue from Porto Rico or the
Philippines ?" asked Mr.. Dockery.
II have not
You insist only that there shall be
a full and complete recuperation before
there shall be legislation on subsidy
proiects?"
Precisely
At the conclusion of Mr.. Cannon's re-
marks, Messrs. McRae (Dem., Ark.)
and Myers (Dem.. Ind) spoke earnest
ly in favor of the immediate necessity
for retrenchment, and Mr.. Talbert
Oem., S. c. in opposition to the ship
subsidy bill