The times., 1899-02-10
THE SUNuRY CIVIL BILL.
Mr.. CanRon's Review of the Coun.
try's Financial Condition.

| Mr.. CanBon's Review of the Coun-
try's Financial Condition.
| The sundry civil bill, making appropria-
! tions for the expenses of the Government
for the fiscal year ending June 30. 300.
was taken up for consideration by the
House yesterday afternoon in Committee
of the Whole. The formalities necessary
TO presentation of the bill and its merits
by MIR. Cannon. Chairman of the Commit
/ tee on Appropriations, were speedily con-
; cluded, and general debate was then in
order. Further than this little headway
was made. but everything has been put
| in shape for rapid action today.
In presenting the bill Mr. Cannon made
plain the urgent needs of the Government,
and the necessity for prompt and favora-
bic action on this particular bill. since
four more Of almost equal Importance were
yet 10 come, viz, the fortifcations appro-
priation bill. the general deficiency bill.
and the army and navy appropriation bills.
The scope Of the sundry civil bill was
briefly summarized by Mr.. Cannon. 1t
carried in round numbers about sol .OUO 600
all very necessary to the conduct OF the
Governments affairs for the next fscal
year. and these figures We're based on the
estimates submitted to Congress at the
opening of the present session by the Sec
retaTy of the Treasury. These estimates
had been hewed down as much as possible,
only the most urgent necessities having
escaped the ak
Mr.. Cannon then reviewed the financial
condition of the country. He said that
figuring on the basis of the most accurate
estimates obtainabe there would be but
sS000,00O Of the s20O, 600, eco war loan left
/ at the expiration of the current fiscal year
1 His personal opinion was that the war
revenue taxes could not be abated for at
least two years. Mr.. Cannon would say
however, that with the revenues now in
sight 1t viii be possible to cover all neces-
saTy expenses of the Government unless
Congress insists upon appropriating vast
sums of money for purposes other than
legitimate and absolute necessities.
Fer these reasons the Chairman of the
Appropriations Committee declared him
self against the Hanna-Payne ship sub
sidy bill and the Nicaragua Canal bill. He
hoped another bond issue could be avoided
but it could not if such bills as these were
passed at this time.
After Mr.. Cannon had concluded Mr.. Nc
Rae spoke at considerable length on the
bill and in favor of the Nicaragua Canal.
He thought this opportunity to unite the
two oceans should not be lost, because 1t
might be fifteen years before another
chance nearly as good offered Itself. The
feasibility of the undertaking had been
fixed beyond doubt and the advantages
OF trans-Isthmian waterway were too
varied and vast to be enumerated.
Mr.. McRae was followed by other mi
nority members. who spoke principally On
the sundry civil bill. and at i:30 the Com
mittee of the Whole arose and reported
back to the House, which then adjourned.
Consideration Of the bill will be resumed
today.
The following items of interest to Wa=h-
ington are included in the bill: For the
Geological Park, $4,000. half TO be paid
from the Treasury and half from the reve-
nues OF the District, and S5,G00 of the
amount. TO be used in continuing the en-
trance into the park from Woodley Lane;
for st. Eiizabeth's Hospital for the Insane
1913, ,G05.20; for the Columbia Institution
for the Deaf and Blind, S57.50O, with the
provision that hereafter one-half Of the
indefinite appropriations for the inst uc
ton OF INDECENT children OF the District is
to be paid from the revenues OF the d s.
trict; for the care and repair Of the Wash
ington Monument, S1l,520; for the Pruvi
dence Hospital, $19, 900, one-h half to be paid
from the revenues of the District; for Gar
field Hospital. $4,000, one-half to be paid
from the revenues of the District; for the
Washington courthouse, repairs, etc,
81, 500.