Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-10
TIE X

I'M AtbNos
The democratic congressional cam
paign managers will endeavor TO make
political capital for their party by al
leging that the present congress has
been %extravagant in appropriations. 1t
will not be denied that the congress has
been liberal IN this respect, but as was
said by Mr.. Cannon, chairman of the
house committee on appropriations,
1.-THE appropriations of the session COM
pare f%avorably with those made at any
every detail they will stand successfully
the test of the most searching examlna-
ton by fair-minded and intelligent men
who believe in wise, prudent and suffi-
Client provision for every proper function
of government of our great, growing and
progressive country"
1t is nearly impossible, we suppose
every intelligent man will admit, to
avoid some expenditures that are not
absolutely demanded in the interest of
the public service, or that are not some
what in excess of the requirements of
that service. In the multitude Of mat
tiers to be provided for and with the
vast number Of interests asking con-
sideration, 1t would be most remarkable
IL there did not get into b appropria-
ton bills some provisions that are I'M
necessary and which could be dispensed
with without disadvantage or injury to
the public service. This is the uni
versal experience. No European par
lament escapes criticism on this score.
In his statement just before the ad-
journment Of congress-, Chairman Can
non said hat the total appropriations
made, exclusive of that toward the 18TH
milan canal, aggregated a little over
$3.50, 10000. The chairman Of the
house committee on appropriations, than
whom there has never been in congress
a more earnest advocate Of economy in
public expenditures, said: 1.-THE great in
crease in population and the phenomenal
expansion of commercial and Industrial
interests throughout the country are of
themselves sufficient to explain the
necessity of this apparent increase"
He went on to point out where appro-
priations, in comparison with those Of
the last session Of the previous con-
gress, had been decreased or increased,
and we think no fair-minded man can
read Mr.. Cannon's statement without
coming to the conclusion that on the
whole the first session of the Fifty
seventh congress-, while confessedly lib
eral in the matter of appropriations,
was not inordinately e~xtravagant and
that all things considered its record In
this particular compares very favorably
with that of the last democratic con-
gress, which it is well to remember was
q billlon-dollar congress, with much less
reason for being so than the present
congress had for its large a%pprOpria-
lions.
1t should be borne in mind that a very
considerable portion of the expenditure
authorized by the first session of the
Fifty-seventh congress will extend over
several years. This is so In regard to
the appropriations for rivers and har-
bors, public buildings and an increase
of the navy. All the money appro-
priated for these purposes will not come
out of the treasury at once. 1t is also
to be considered that this money will
be distributed in the channels Of trade
and industry. thereby contributing to
the general welfare and prosperity. Re-
garded from the practical point of view,
therefore, the democrats will not be
able to make any political capital out
Of the appropriations at the first session
of the present congress, for while re-
publicans will not hesitate to admit that
perhaps a few are unnecessary or ex-
c~esstye, as a whole they are justihable
and in the public interest.