New-York tribune., 1905-11-22
| CONGRESS FOR ECONOMY.
TO CURTAIL EXPENSES.
Investigation of Canal Expenditures
Other Work-
[From The Tribune Bureau.


Washington. Nov 21--Tha leaders of both
houses of Congress a unit on a method to
relieve the financial necessities OF the Panama
Canal Commission. Their course in this respect
will be in keeping with the policy which is to
dominate the next session of Congress and
which viii involve the most rigid scrutiny of the
expenses of every federal department. commits
sion and office,
AS soon as Congress convenes a measure ap-
propr1ating an amount just sufficient to meet
the necessary expenses of the Panama Commits
sion for the mont of January and February
Will be prepared and passed with expedition
Then will follow most careful examination of
the estimates submitted for the future work OF
the commission. together with d searching in
vestigati0n OF the purposes for which the sum
of $10000000 already disbursed has been e7-
pended,
It is pointed out that the Presidents message
contains no suggestion for increasing the FeV=
enues, that there is a small def1cit and that
the steady growth of the nation will inevitably
make Increased expenditures necessary in GER
tain directions The President has already
taken steps to promote businesslike methods in
the administration of the several departments,
and he is certain to receive earnest and thor
ough cooperation from the coming Congress.
A business tone will be given the session by
the necessary consideration of railway rate
legislation which although success for the
Presidents policy. with possibly some mod1flca-
tons, seems assured is certain to be attended by
prolonged debate While the railway leg1sla-
ton is being considered on the floors of the two
houses the word will go forth to the various
committees to serutIni2e department estimates
with unusual care.
While there is disposition to crtticise IN
advance of official information the expenditures
made by the Panama Canal Commission, there
is obvious surprise that the S19.09G,G90 hitherto
appropri~ted has been completely exhausted,
and members of both houses invariably demand
the same information In almost identical terms:
What has been done with it?" Nor does the
answer that it has been expended for sanitation
and equipment appear to prove entirely salts
factory. It is also learned that, despite the
Presidents strict order that no employe OF the
government shall in any way attempt TO lnfiu-
ence legislation TO his own benefit numerous
officials have pointed out to their friends and
patrons in Congress the wide discrepancy be-
tween the salaries they are receiving and those
paid for like work in more recently created dl-
visions of the government. and this will lead TO
the institution of the most careful comparisons
of salaries paid under blanket appropriations
and those paid in accordance with specific legis-
lative enactment.
legislation to be enacted for the further prose-
cution Of the Panama Canal, the discussion of
railway rate legislation. the consideration OF the
Santo Domingo treaty and possibly OF the spe-
ciaI communication which the President Is like
Iy to make on the subjects of Santo Domingo and
Venezuela will. in the estimation OF some OF Ire
most prominent members of the Senate, constf-
tute the major portion of the work of the upper
house with the addition, of course of the en-
actment of the regular appropriation bills 1t
is even predicted that the consideration of these
subjects viii preclude the possibility OF doing
much else and will even serve to prolong the
session until we'll into the summer.
The policy of carefully examining each item
in the regular appropriation bills, while intended
to apply TO the work of the committees rather
than to that of the House and Senate, is certain
10 make itself felt when they come up for con
sderation in the committees of the whole OF the
two houses and will doubtless render this nee
essary part of the work of the session more
tedious than usual.