West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-05-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
A Billion and a Half Dollar
Congress.
A sample OF the Republican style for
Looting the Treasury.
The President Of the Sugar Trust
Declares That The Tariff Is the
Mother Of Trusts"

'"S""cioNS WAY w iyO<s-
As all of the appropriation bills,
with the exception of the general
deficiency bill which will not be re-
ported until the last of the session
have been reported, il is possible to
make an approximate estimate of
the total appropriations of this SEES
sion and to a certain extent of this
Congress. The general appropria-
ton bills so far reported, some of
them already laws, aggregate $685.
8sI.ao8. This is without taking
into account the SIT, 900 on
Tuesday for public buildings and
numerous other special appropria-
tons. AS it is estimated that the
general deficiency bill will approx
mate several millions, it is consid-
cred safe to predict that this will go
down in history as "billion and a
half dollar Congress, for it is safe
to assume that the appropriations
of the short session will at least
equal those made this year. Should
the Nicaraguan Canal bill become a
law, that would add $3.50, 900, 900
more to the aggregate. In this con-
nection, too, it is worth remember
ing that, by the repeal of the war
revenue taxes, the annual receipts
of the government have been cur
tailed by sum estimated at S7o,-
900, 900. The greatest incentive to
lavish expenditure at this session of
Congress has been the apprehension
on the part of the protectionists
that surplus in the Treasury would
lead to tariff reduction, and their
object has been to expend the sur
plus, irrespective of necessity, in
order to obviate any revision of the
tariff schedules. Later they will adj
vance, against the agitation for tar
if revision, the argument that the
revenues are no more than is needed
for the expenses of the government
and the unthinking element of the
voters, without rejecting that as
now framed the tariff laws are CAL
culated to produce maximum of
protection and minimum of in
come, will accept the specious reas-
oning of the Republican leaders.
I I /
| The methods employed to secure
the passage of the Omnibus Public
Building bill this week serve as an
excellent example of the manner in
which the dominant party effects its
ends. This bill contained many APP
preparations for worthy objects and
some long needed public buildings,
but it also contained provisions for
1 othSiSy WHICH WCiC uttiC SHOIt VI
'1ooting the Treasury" In order
to secure the passage of the I'M
worthy bills the Republicans con-
solidated all bills for public build
ings into one measure. Opposition
to one would mean opposition to
all. They went even farther and
included IN the bill provision for
some public Improvement in almost
every State in the Union, so that
any Representative who voted
against it would be voting
against the wishes of his constitu-
ents. A special rule was adopted
which made it impossible to amend
by striking out any of the notori-
ously unworthy provisions and linn
tied the debate to three hours,
manifestly too short time in which
to consider bill with objects so
numerous and diverse. cite this
case merely as a sample of Repub-
lican methods in the House.
TT
Senators Carmack, Teller and
Simmons have made speeches in
the Senate Analysing Republican
policy in the Philippines, and have,
at times, almost provoked the Re-
publican side into replying, but the
famed Republican discipline has
prevailed and no speeches have
been made on that side of the
chamber. Senator Lodge has at
tempted to FIX the hour for the vote,
and it is his desire to occupy the
entire time from the conclusion of
the last Democratic speech until
the vote, so that the Democrats will
have no time to reply. That the
Senator will be able to accomplish
this end is denied by the Demo
Gratis. Senator Rawlins has re-
quested me to state that he did not
refer to Gen. Chaffee as stated by
the Associated Press, as "dastard
villain" but merely applied the term
in general to whoever was response.
bic for the Smith order and other
atrocities in the Philippines.
II