The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-01-30

ways anu MeduS.j
large. The committees on appropria-
tions study the requirements of each
bureau, and make appropriations less
than the amounts asked for in a ma
jority of the cases.
The chairmen of the committees on
appropriations, and the committee
clerks are charged with great and
grave responsibilities. While the
senator's and Representatives are TAX
ing their vacations and giving heed
usually only to those matters which
concern their states and districts,
these diligent and faithful public serv.
ants are looking after the income and
outgo of the government. When the
committees on appropriations make
their reports on the great appropria-
tion bills, the congress adopts those
reports and acts in accordance with
their recommendations.
1t is popular fallacy that every
member of congress carefully studies
these matters. They do nothing of the
kind. They know practically no more
about the appropriation bills for
which they vote than the people do at
home, who never see the bills. They
take it for granted that what the chair
man of each committee reports is all
right.
There are members of two other
committees who have not the time to
acquire the Washington habit of over
restfulness. The house committee on
ways and means and the senate COM
mittee on finance have duties which me-
cessitate careful attention to details
and investigation of finacial conditions.
The congress devolves upon those COM
mittees the work of levying taxes by
customs duties and internal revenue.
The chairmen particularly must be ia
miliar with the resources of the gov
ernment, the necessity for cutting
down the revenues or of increasing
them. From those committees, for ex-
ample, came the bills which increased
the federal revenues for the war with
Spain. and the resultant increased ex-
penditures.
While the committees on appropria-
tions make provision for expenditures
of the executive, legislative and judi
cial departments of the government,
these other committees see to it that
there is always sufficient money in the
treasury to meet those appropria-
tions. Their members must know ex-
actly what amount of taxation should
be laid upon every article, from a
needle to barrel of whisky. You may
well understand that the statesmen
charged with such far-reaching affairs
must be far-seeing and broad minded.
Other members may take time for va.
cations and even for junkets, but these
gentlemen must remain at their posts.
| In congressional affairs they are "the
men behind the guns" who keep the
ship of state on even keel. Senator
AIdrich, of Rhode Island, is chairman
of the senate committee on finance
Representative Payne, of New York, is
chairman of the committee on ways
and means.
The emphasis placed upon the impor.
tance of the work of these four com.
| mittees is not intended to minimize the
| work of the numerous other commit.
| tees, but to show that there are some
of our public servants whose duties
are exceptionally important, so thai
they cannot enter upon that somnolent
condition which Congressman Smith
of Michigan, SO graphically and truth
fully portrays as characteristic o1
large classes in our national capital.
SMITH D. FRY.