Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1899-03-14
Current Topics.
BILLION AND A HALF CONG
RESS.
Alger Will Stay in the Cabinet.

From our regular correspoudent)
Washington, Mar, 6 1899.
The extravagant appropriations, =
more than billion and half-made by
the Fifty fifth Congress, now happily
dead, would few years ago have been
sufficient to drive any political party
from power. Only ten years ago bill
ion dollar Congress drove the republi-
cans out and put the democrats in. But
it is easy to educate men into not only
condoning public extravagance, but into
commending-.it, especially il some Of the
money be spent in way to give them
some personal profit. The war is the
excuse for the large total of the appro-
priation. but it is not a valid one, and
it should be the duty OF every man op-
posed to public extravaganza to appoint
himself committee of one, to see thai
no man with whom he comes in contact
shall accept that excuse for lack of the
actual facts. With every appropriation
connected with the war deducted, the
appropriations made by the fifty-fifth
Congress would still be largely in excess
of those made by any Congress in ouI
history. Keep this fact in your own
mind and in the minds of others, and a
Congress and President may be elected
next year to check the era OF extrava-
gance into which we have drifted.
There has been more or less talk in
certain quarters about the anxiety of
Secretary Long to get rid of the cares
OF Office, but it should cease now. His
acceptance of the humiliation Mr.. Nc
Kinley placed upon him when he com
PEELED him to do justice to Schley by
preparing an entirely new list of Naval
promotions, which made Schley Rear
Admiral, two numbers ahead of Samp-
son, instead of two numbers behind
him, as the original nominations had
been was proof enough that he will not
willingly relinquish the Naval portfolio.
Mr.. Mckinley acted because he saw the
administration was catching it in all di-
rections for its attempt to jump Samp-
son over Schley's head, and that the
Senate had balked on the nominations
The new nominations were confirmed by
the Senate, as soon as received, just as
was that of Dewey to be Admiral.
In refusing to take up the resolution
unanimously reported from the Judic-
iary Committee, that the four members
of the House who accepted army COM
missions, thereby forfeited their seats in
Congress, the House merely accepted an
opportunity to pay Gen. Joseph Wheel
er a high compliment, by lodging vote
that must have been in favor OF the res
olution had it been taken. Represent
ative Bailey, however, declined to see it
in that light and formerly announced
that as the democrats had declined to
follow his leadership in enforcing a
plain clause of the Constitution, he
would not be candidate for that lead
ership in the next Congress.
Senator Platt, of Conn.,, struck the
bulls-eye of truth when he told the Sen
ate few hours before final adjourn
ment, that the session of Congress just
then closing would go on record as the
most extravagant ever held, but he
started too late, If he really expected to
stop any of the extravaganza. A careful
consideration of a number OF the appro-
priation bills will show that concerted
grab game was played from start to fin
ish. In the wind-up, when the bills
were in conference, and some things had
to be thrown overheard to reach an
agreement, the appropriations OF those
having the weakest pull had to go.
Senators Warren, of Wyo., Wilson, of
Washington. Carter, of Mont, and sew
eral others, who had been admitted TO
the game in its early stages, publicly
protested when they found themselves
buncoed by the Conference report, but
that didn't do them any good, in the
Senate. and will probably not do them
any good at home.
Senator Morgans attack upon Gar
Reed from the floor of the Senate was
unprecedented, but many think it was
deserved. He started by saying that the
action of the ruler of the House in work
ing through what has several times been
referred to on the floor of the Ho use AS
The Hog Combine" for public building
lepisla ion was "a fraud and an outrage"
and concluded by saying: Il want to pro-
te t against that sort OF legislation. L
know where the incentive OF this perform
ance comes from know the origin Of
the wrong. | know the man who inspir
ed it. His will and pleasure was TO
make fair weather for particular set of
men who are fayorites of the particular
ruler of the House
Alger and Algerism received slap in
the face when Senator Foraker's amend
ment was added to the Army bill, declar-
ing that no property franchises should be
granted during our military occupancy
of Cuba. Alger recently created Board,
which it was officially announced. was
created for the express purpose OF pass
/ ing upon applications for such franchises,
and which it was publicly charged was
really created to see that everything OF
value was given to Alger's friends. The
large number OF republicans who voted
4 for this amendment was another hint to
/ Mr.. Mckinley that prominent members
of his party would like him to get rid OF
Alger. but there are no signs that the
hint will be taken. Hanna didn't vote
for il and Hanna is still King. and is pre-
parinp TO take Mr.. Mckinley to Thom-
asyille, Ga, where he owns a house, for a
rest
The Military Court of Inquiry is going
West to take testimony at the big meat
packing establishments, although II
-. xvh