The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1901-02-06

w "0AihS VOH COrTCSponUSu0 VI
the New York Herald says
Rapacity on the part of the appropri-
alton grabbers is rapidly writing "a
billion and half" across the history
OF the fifty-sixth congress.
The magnitude of the expenditures
being authorized is causing President
Mckinley much concern. Well it may.
The political economists who have
been worrying themselves about the
little matter of an $50, 100000 surplus
lying idle in the treasury may rest
easy. There is not likely to be any sur
plus when the ffty-sixth congress gets
through with it.
Indeed, so extravaganza are these
representative of the American peo-
pie becoming, so importunate is the
lobby, so exacting are the demands of
the great navy and the still greater
army, and so outrageous have been the
concessions made, demanded and won
by the river and harbor statesmen that
within the last few days there has been
serious talk of abandoning all effort to
cut off any of the special war taxes
this year in order that congress may
have enough money to 60 round.
PORTENTS OF PROFLIGACY.
All portents IN the Washington sky
point to an almost unexampled era of
profigacy. When there was billion
dollar congress ten years ago the flip
pant remark was made that this was a
billion dollar country.
When there was one and half bill
lion dollar congress two years ago the
excuse was that there had been half
billion dollar war with Spain, and the
enormous expenditure was explained
on the grounds of the needs of a billion
dollar country plus half billion dollar
war.
But there is no war with Spain now
1t is all over and paid for. According
to the reports of the Taft commission
and the secretary of war and the mes
sage of President Mckinley order has
been restored in the Philippines and
the islands are ready for civil govern
ment.
According to the policy adopted by
the senators in control there is to be
no Nicaraguan canal bill this year and
there is to be no Pacific cable. Not
withstanding all this the hftY-sixth
congress is to be a one and half bill
lion dollar congress all the same, and
here are some of the details to show
how this position of distinction is be-
ing reached.
The appropriations for the fiscal
year made by the present congress at
its first session amounted to $40. l5O,-
S62.SS. This is the record of the first
session of the present congress. The
appropriations included an allowance
of S1l4, 100000 for the army, $65, l4O, OOO
for the navy, sl45. 100000 for pensions,
BIB. 900, 900 for postoffice, while $780,
600. 900 was expended under the sundry
civil bill.
STAGGERING OF MAJORITY.
No man can yet predict what the to-
tai appropriations of congress at the
present session will amount to. The
session began with every incentive to
extravaganza. The republican mem
bers came staggering back here from
successful elections at home imbued
with the idea that the defeat OF Bryan
meant a glorious indor sement OF i'm
perialism, a large standing army ana
the nreyious one and a half billion dol
lar congress.
They saw the $50, 900, 900 surplus, and
their mouths watered. Instead OF mapp-
inc out scheme by which they coulo
reduce the war revenue taxes just that
amount they set about providing a re-
duction of only S30,000,000.
They broke all legislative recoros Oy
tanning through a raw and badly con-
sidered bill for large standing army
and then passed with shout river
and harbor bill which carries the palm
for extravaganza, in that it provides
FIR the eventual expenditure OF 500,
100000.
It is interesting to sit down and
study the figures for moment anu se e,
where this policy if pursued until
March will land the country. The