New-York tribune., 1899-03-06
EXPENDITURES Of CONGRESS
c,vNoNs STATEMENT REGARDING
SUMS EXPENDED.
,ocp,r1c VIEW AS STATED BY MR.
DocKERY LARGE APPRoPR1A-
rroNs FOR CONTRACTS.


sun shows an aggregate appropriation by the
gress congress Of ST. 566, ,s9o0l6, and for the
emu -. closed total OF S67365s. 400. with author
80" contracts subject 10 future appropriations
N ING 70 s70OOO.O00 Chairman Cannon's state
nent In fuii i"'io ,. -. 49,, o.,o,, ., Co
.,st closed amount approximately TO s673.-
IT, o,A show an apparent reduction OF S219,-
- oco under the appropriations made at the pre-
e'"vv .ossion This is attributable to the large ex-
oeD. occa stoned by the war with Spain. that were
-, for IN the preceding session.
F'Drso entire appropriations made by the LNth
.s aggregate 81. 500 s90,O16 2S or this sum
go ,so os2 A. is directly chargeaole to our late war
cnon or incident thereto. Deducting this
VII" r~,r, the whole amount Of the appropria-
ch@ie ,ho remainder. S1.Os432763 632 81. represents
uo'. .,i,srv or normal appropriations made by the
IV;h Congress
INCREASE ACCOUNTED FOR.
,,. concentrations made by the preceding Con-
tho LIVth. amounted 20 S.oASSo'Z'S 81 A
I.,a-'son shows an increase In ORDINARY app'o
t-.,ors made by this Congress over the previous
- S,9 600. but this apparent increase Is more
r' ' ocoo,nted for by increases under eight items
INA" For nensions. 100000; for the postal SER
tA' ,,e an oto. for rivers and harbors. including
w ',r,sr contracts previously authorized, Seco-
~, t,- new ships for the Navy, SoV"VV' ior pc
,.,,e the work OF the Twelfth census sV"'VV'
- .ne Paris Exposition, Sl.2M,SO; for new puohc
i0' ins.cs including the building Of the Department
- 1rstice and for the site and partial constructor
~ rav Government Printing Office. about
=. - ~, and for paymen; Of judgments rendered
,,s, the Government on account OF frehch
ssovo,,ons and under the Bowman act %'lo'V"'
sp-tssa v,r, natural and necessary increases in
Ai,o expenditures. on account OF the poiS'o' "s''
ne srowth Of the postal service in response 10 'e
ss,6s II commerce the Improvement or the
OF ha
go ~ the Navy the construction OF needed
.,u5,nrs 10 accommodate the Government service
- .bA cities OF the country the taking OF the CEN
.rs the participation Of the Nation in the great
r,nosition 10 be held at Paris next year ana the
.arnen, Of the French spoation judgments and
poUrnan act cases. long considered by ana
messed upon Congress. aggregate SsN0oN-more
han disspat!ng the entire apparent increase in the
nrdlnsry appropriations by this Congress over
,bose made by the LIVth Congress
AUTHORIZATION OF CONTRACTS.
.r, addition 10 the direct appropriations made at
al. session contracts were authorized. subject 10
t,,ure spuropristions TO he made by Congress
,ro,rt,rg 10 about S-0000coO. OF this amount
,a an o,o IS for additional ships OF the Navy. S22-
E0pO IS for work on rivers and harbors and somei
thing over Sc 10000 s. for public buildings ire
contract system is of necessity applied TO the CON
s,r,c,ior Of new warships. which require periods
- wears for heir construction. In the case OF
,,ys- and narbor improvements and the cOnstruc-
lion Of public buildings experience has shown that
the authorization Of contracts tends materially TO
expedite and cheaper the same.
Nj Dockery Of Missouri the ranking Democratic
member Of the House Appropriations Committee,
made the following statement giving the Demo-
cratic view
This Congress easily surpasses all its predeces-
sors in the supendous aggregate OF its appropria-
tons II was thought that the List Congress. com
monty known as the Billion Dollar Congress had
IN point Of cxtrayagance of appropriations touched
q limit which would be reached or AZ least sur
passed by any OF ifs successors.
This Congress however, has far exceeded the
appalling total appropriations then made and it
VIII be remembered that the Billion Dollar Con-
grsss' was followed by overwhelming disaster 10
the Republican party at the ensuing election
Confronted with with Spain requiring
the imposition of additional taxation. II is obvious
that rigid economy should have been applied in all
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 it is fair 10 presume that they
expected their representatives. in view or the
cheerful disposition manifested to meet these
added burdens 20 limit the ordinary appropriations
10 the necessities Of wise and economical ad-
mnistration. These expectations have not been
realized.
X.
THE result is an actual deficiency in current rev
enues amounting the first Of this month TO Ss-
ie540 This deficiency. as shown by a recent
conservative estimate by Chairman Cannon. Of the
Appropriations Committee will probably reach
t5s0OC-V on June 80 next
1T Is impossible TO estimate with absolute ac-
curacy the Treasury deficiency for the coming
fiscal year. The Secretary OF the Treasury in his
annual report made in December last, estimated
Il a, about S3l OoO OOO but it is apparent that II
will not be less than S1OOO0oOOO 1t is almost GER
tain. therefore, that the Government VIII De COM
actual Treasury deficiency. The 100000 Of in
come arising from the sale Of bonds under TINS AZ
rnnistrariop and that Of President Cleveland VIII
then have been exhausted, and the Treasury Will
pass from the condition Of a borrowed surplus 70
e.ther by increased taxation or by the issue OF
Treasury certificates. or by an addi"ohal Dohu
Notwithstanding this deplorabe Treasury situa-
ton which has been called over ana over aSdIh
yopriations have been made which in many cases
have not been warranted by the Interests or the
should have been postponed until the National IN
come should De ample to meet an l's Haoi'''eS
without the necessity Of bond issues
PLEA FOR REFORM.
The appropriations of the original Billion Dollar
Congress amounted TO S1.OS5.6So1O99 "a. The appro-
prarons o. the Congress just ended reach the
mighty aggregate Of 1856 SsO.N62S
Il is fair 20 deduct from this total $3.50, ,562 O63 A.
made necessary meet the liabilities Of the Span
sh var. So II we deduct from the grand total the
liabilities On account OF the war with Spain II ap-
pears ihs, the appropriations for the ordinary eN-
pense Of the Government are S1,Os4 52I,952 81 the
appropriations Of the Congress just ended to meet
we Ordinary Governmental expenses exceed tnose
y. me preceding Congress by $3",IiI6?S ~ Not
vly this. but the contract liabilities authorized by
..s Congress Just expired for new ships ana thelI
nainent. public buildings. rivers ana harboIs' ana
,lsfeiore 10 the ordinary appropriations Is added
,.s liabilities on account OF these authorized con-
e~acls We ascertain that the apprOprat tons ana
ofsIdct liabilities amount 10 the tremendous total
Ihese Increased appropriations have gone Tor
bsrlch spolauOn claims public buildings. rivers.
ofbers, bowman Act claims and hundreds OF
NJ. ~ PioJects some mcrtOriOus, but many OF them
re t"uted 10 recognition by the National Govern
Of The ~ meaIy every branch OF the CivlI service
appropriations NV ""'
tionai .x xIie mas come 20 reform the scale OF Ma.
,bn o,teLf'u ufes. The reckless mprovidence OF
ptjrroee - s.s congress will at least serve the good