The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1902-08-14
Expenditures
Of The Last
Session of Congress
BY
The Hon. James Hemenway,
Member Of Congress from the
First Indiana District.
A member of the Indiana delegation


representatives by reason of the indus
trious exercise of strong legal and bus
mess ability, is the Hon. James A.
Hemenway CT the First district. Mr..
Hemenway is the fright hand man"
of Chairman "Joe" Cannon, who, by
the way, is also Hoosier by birth.
on the appropriation committee, next
to the ways and means committee the
most important of the subsidiary bod
les, little legislatures" as Speaker
Reed called them, which practically
control the business of the louse. Ar
important position on the sppropria-
tons committee is Of the greatest
value to the entire state. MIR. Hemen
way has personally had cha-1e of the
steering of some of the most import
ant appropriation bills. BY reason of
his thorough knowledge of the subject.
additional interest will attach to the
following specially contributed article
on the appropriations of the recently
closed session of the Fifty-seventh con-
gress.
at is not the amount of appropria-
ton that creates anxiety in the minds
of the people, but it is the integrity
and wisdom with which such appro-
priations are disbursed, and the hon.
est value received therefor, which
gives them confidence and content
ment."
The above was the utterance of
James N. Burnes, one of the most
brilliant and distinguished representa-
tives ever elected to congress by the
Democrats of Missouri; and it has
been handed down from his time as
truism, with reference to appropria-
tions and expenditures.
This statement might at this time
be further reinforced by adding there
to the maxim that when appropriations
for the support of the government are
passed with practical unanimity by
congress, it is safe to assume that they
contain no elements of jobbery or
dishonesty.
At the session of congress just clos
ed, notwithstanding the appropriation
bills were passed under circumstances
affording the greatest possibl, latitude
for discussion, it was a subject Of
comment that they were passed. almost
absolutely without opposition from the
minority, with a single exception, to
which l will refer later.
The appropriations made at the first.
session of the 57th congress, recently
closed. aggregate in round numbers
$500, 100000. including s5O,130,000 for
an isthmian canal. For purposes of
comparison that sum should be deduct
ed from the grand total. 1t is for q
great, momentous project, designed for
the upbuilding of American commerce
and for our public defense. Both polir
ical parties are committed to it Ii
their platform declarations,
In he beginning of our national his
tory the appropriations for the sup
port of the federal government were
all carried in a bill of less than a
dozen lines, and were expressed in the
most general terms. The natural ten
dency of the representatives of the
people in congress in later years has
been to particularize and to express
in detail all appropriations of public
money, on the theory that publicity
and express details serve to promote
careful and safe administration of the
sums voted. As a result the expendi-
lures of the government are now au-
thorized in fourteen regular annual ap-
preparation bills. in addition to certain
other expenditures, such as interest on
the public debt and provision for the
sinking fund, provided for by perma-
nent statute.
Among these regular annual appro-
priation bills passed during the recent
session, | will first refer to those that
make reductions, as compared with
the appropriations of the preceding
session.
Bills Showing Decreases.
The army appropriation bill shows
most gratifying reduction of S24,203,-
912. made possible by the wise ad-
ministration of the war department In
reducing the army within the last
twelvemonth from n ,2S7 men to &C, 497
men.
The fertilization bill shows a reduc-
ton of s55,066. / have been honored
with the responsibility of the prepare
tion of this bill during the last three
years. 1t makes provision for the sea-
coast defenses of the country and for
their armament. At this time, by rea-
son of adequate and proper expendi
lures made within recent years, our
country for the first time in its history
condition to repel from our shores the
attempted advance of any foreign foe.
The Indian appropriation bin shows
j reduction of $603,56S.
The pension appropriation bill is re-
duced s5,403. 900, not in consequence
of any effort at economy at the ex-
pense Of the veterans and their Wild
ows and orphans, but because The nat
ural high-water mark in pension ex
penditures has been reached and
passed
The sundry civil bill, which pro
vides for the construction of public
buildings, the lighthouse service fhs
expenses OF the federal courts, and In
Vulnerable other civil branches of the
government, shows reduction OF ST..
670,549.
For miscellaneous objects not in
cluded in the general bills there was
anproprfated IS 39OO18 less than was