The age-herald., 1901-02-14
CONGRESS HAS
 MADE RECKLESS
 EXPENDITURES Mr. Bell DenOuncss the Un- pTecpdented ExtraragaRcs THE INCREASE IS ALARMING Game in Philippines Was Not
 Worth the Cost | A GENERAL ASSAULT FOLLOWED House Devoted Principal Part of the Day to the Sundry Civil Bill, But
 Made Little Progress-Ths
 Senate Dull.
Game in Philippines Was Not
 Worth the Cost
4 GENERAL ASSAULT FOLLOWED

Washington, February 13.-The House devoted today, excepting an hour and half consumed in counting the vote and promugating the result of the Presiden- tial election, to the sundry civil appropri- ation bill. General debate upon this meas . ure was completed, but little actual prog ress was made with the bill. During the debate the opposition opened general assault upon the extravagance of the present Congress- Messrs. Bell of Colora- do, Richardson of Tennessee and Coch- ran of Missouri in turn making speeches Messrs Cannon of Illinois and Moody of Massachusetts defended the record of Congress in the matter of appropria- tions.
 MT. Bell of Colorado, a member of the appropriations committee, too the floor with speech against the unprecedented extravaganza of the present Congress" He said it was time the people became alarmed at the rapid growth Of expen- ditures. So calisus. had Congress become to vast increases in the appropriations, he said, that it was considered almost disreputable to call attention to the ex- travagance of the government. He pro- duced figures to show that in a single de- cade the per capita cost of cai-ying on the governmental machinery had fn- creased from S4 D to $10. The session at this point was suspended to permit count ing of the electoral vote.
 Cochran Made an Attack.
 Upon conclusion of these ceremonies MT. Cochran of Missouri made an attack upon the recklessness of the appropria- tions in this Congress. He declared that the total appropriations for the next year, if reckoned in gold, would exceed the appropriations in 1884, when the fed eral government had 1200 ships on the sea maintaining blockade from Calves ton to the Chesapeake and one million men on land engaged in the most stl1- pendous military enterprise in the history of the age.
 Later, speaking of our policy in the Philippines and China, Mr. Cochran said:
 Talk about progress and Christianity, if progress and Christianity mean march, ing under many flags of plunderers and the swords of Christian soldiers, drip ping in the blood of plundered people, 1t Is time to quit or fling away the masquer- ade and say progress has turned free booter, Christianity slumbers and God is dead" Democratic applause.)
 MT. Cochran also argued that from any economical standpoint, the game in the Philippines was not worth the cost. We have already" said he, spent money enough there to build the Nicaragua ca- nal. to fortify every foot of its course, to concentrate what new warships we saed and We arc today no nearer peace thaAa. when the first gun was fired.'
 MT. Richardson of Tennessee, the mi nority leader, also commented upon the vast total of the appropriations at this session of Congress. which, he said would reach $500, ,o00,000. Four years ago, when President Mckinley's administra,- ton began, the annual Appropriations were about S470,000,000. He conceded that the appropriations would naturally in- crease every year. but why he asked. this prodigous increase of over $500, 000.000
 The War Was Not to Blame.
 The war had been over two years and could not be charged with these increases. for they were not confined to the army and navy appropriation bills There was an increase In every one of the appropri- ation bills.
 Did you not vote for the river and har- bor and the postoffce Appropriation bill?', asked MT. Hepburn of Iowa.
 What if did?" replied MT Rfchard- son. T could not stand here and hold back appropriations for which liabilities have been created
 Mir Moody of Massachusetts challenr- GU MT. Richardson to point out a sinrIa appropriate in the sundry civil bi1l which could be omitted.
 MT. Richardson said he would do so.
 " w nlle the gentleman IS talking abOlIf cutting down expenditures.'' observed MT Moody, 'I will ask him whether he did not vote for soldiers home in Tennex- see"
 MT. Richardson'-I did. It passed unan- imously, I believe.
 4,ir. Moody--It did not voted against it. Did not the gentleman also vote for the Bowman act claims?
 Mr. Richardson-I did.
 MT. Moody-The gentleman and agree on the necessity for holding down appro- prlations. The trouble is that he always votes for them while I vote against them
 Proceeding MT. Richardson pointed out as one of the appropriations in the bill which should be omitted, the item of S136, GOO for the rent of temporary quarters for the New York custom house and in this connection criticized the course of the sale of the old custom house site.
 THE SENATE.
 Washington, February 1s.-When the Senate convened today the blind chap ,atp roada a touching reference fo tho.