The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-30
HOW TAFT SPENT The MONEY
AND WHY FRISCO WILL GET ONLY
$500, 600 CASH.

Tho Remainder OF the 81 500 900. or Most
OF II, Has Been or WIN Ee Expended
as Congress Directed. III ~lcplenishlng
Army Supplies Sent &c the Stricken City.
WASHINGTON. April 29.-Thc statement
made to the citizens relief committee in
San Francisco Yesterday by former Mayor
James d. Phelan hat only about s3OO,OOu
of the S" 100, 900 appropriated by Congress
for su scoring the distressed in the stricken
city would be used directly in actual relief
work was confirmed BIZ Wal Department
officials to-day An exact statement will
probably not be obtained until the return
to Washington of Secretary Taft, who is in
Connecticut, but the general understanding
among his subordinates is that tho status
of the case il practically the same as made
known by Mr.. Phelan. namely, that moss
of the money would be used in replenishing
army supplies furnished to the San Francisco
people and in covering the amounts eX-
pended out Of Regular army appropriations
for freight and other thing ..
Acting SECRETARY Of War Oliver said this
everirg tina. all except about $500 900 of
the $500 ,OCO appropriated had been or
would be used in purchasing new medical
quartermaster's and subsistence supplies
for Che army. to take the place of those
sent to San Francisco and for the payment
Of freight rates, telegraph service. &C,
Incurred on account of the disaster,
In a letter to the President. written on
April II and sent to Congress on the same
day, Secretary Taft recommended an adj
ditional appropriation of 81 900 900 on ac-
count Of the San Francisco catastrophe
md made plain that the money was neces-
sary to replace relief supplies taken from
the army stores. This letter Of Mr.. 1aft's
appeared 10 have been overlooked 10y the
San Francisco relief committee or mis-
understood by its members and by Mr..
Phelan, who is chairman Of the finance
committee. The idea of the relief COM
mittee, according to dispatches from san
Francisco, was that tho entire appropria-
ton Of s., 500, 900 was to he used in the relief
work in addition to the supplies taken from
the stores at hand in army dcpots.
in the resolution adopted by Congress
making the first appropriation for relief
there was no provision requiring the Sccre-
tary of War to usc the money to repIenish
army stores. In the second apprcp riation
resolution. however, such a provision was
inserted at the suggestion of Secretary
Taft, and it was made applicable TO the
first as we'll as TO the second amount mp
propriated. The suggestion of Secretary
Taft was contained in the following para
graph of his letter to the President
THE present resolution authorizes the
expenditure of money for the relief of San
Francisco. The supplies which have e
sent have been taken out of the regular army
depots and were necessary for the support
and use of the army. 1 respectfully slg-
gest. therefore. that in the next resolution
which l hope Congress may pass specific
authority be given to the Secretary of
War to use both the 81 600, 600 already appro-
priated and the amount which may he
in the recommended resolu-
ton, either to purchase supplies for the
relief of San Francisco or to replace by
purchase the supplies taken from the regular
stores for such relief purposes"
The War Department will not Use any OF
the 81, 500, 900 to buy tents to take the place
of those sent to San Francisco. The Depart
mcnt regards these tents as a total loss,
and Secretary Taft will ask Congress to
appropriate 81 ,Os4 900 to rel ace them. This
item will he included in an urgent deficiency
estimate TO be submitted this week.