The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-03
FIGHT FOR PUBLIC MONEY.
STRUGGLE FOR BIG APPR0PRIA-
TIONS TO BEGIN IN CONGRESS-.

The President Insists That Extraordinary
Expenditures shall BE Made for the
Army and Navy-Pressure WIN be
Exerted for Big River 70 Harbor Bill.
WASHINGTON, Dec. "A mighty struggle
will undoubtedly be witnessed in the session
Of Congress which will begin tomorrow
between those who advocate extraordinary
expenditures for internal improvements
and those who. X President Roosevelt,
are insistent that extraordinary expendi-
lures shall be made 20 upbuild the navy
and put the army in shape for. all possible
emergencies. The one win be balanced
against the other, as all the leaders admit
that IL enlarged appropriations are made
for the proposed national defence internal
improvements must suffer, and vice versa.
A few weeks ago il looked as II the adj
ministration naval programme would have
hard shedding this winter in the face OF
the clamor raised for enlarged a%ppropria-
tions for rivers and harbors. the building
Of a deep waterway involving millions,
the drainage Of immense tracts Of over
flowed and swampy lands involving more
millions, and the demand Of many Senators
and Representativ yes that in view OF the
surplus In the Treasury the pork barl'
should be tapped at this session as it has
never been tapped before. + furry
over our relations with japan a en-
oouraged the supporters Of b Presidents
greater navy policy, although not a single
man in high official place can be found in
Washington who Ii willing to admit that
there lie any danger Of war with the Far
Eastern Yankees.
Attention IL called by men familiar with
t he fiscal affairs Of the Government 30 the
fact that 50 per cent. Of the public revenues
are now used to defray expenses on account
Of wars that have passed md in prepara-
tons for W ars that may come. This m
cludes appropriations made for the army
and the navy, for pensions, for national
cemeteries and the like, and for the main
tenance of the various military schools
and institutions.
The stronge ct possible pressure will be
exerted this winter TO induce Congress 70
be more liberal han ever In making APP
preparations for rivers and harbo rs, TO pave
the way for a deep waterway fr ON Chicago
to the Gulf, to pass a bill committing the
Government TO a policy OF draining as vel
as irrigating public and pr ivate land, ano
to pass upon other PROPOSE lions, all in
! volvi ng millions in money.
Speaker Cannon and other leaders OF thu
House and those who look after the purs'
strings in the Senate are thinking deeply
over the question of money, more so thar
they are about the foreign relations, th'
excitement over The Japanese incident
and other matters that appear TO be agitat
ing the public.
1T is our intention i~npreparing the supply
bills to authorize expenditures Just as i
there was no surplus in sight, said Char
man Tawney of the Committee on APP
preparations. The impression seems tC
have got abroad that in view Of the fac
that the strong box is pretty well flled al
onslaught upon 1t will be welcomed and that
appropriations are to be made at this session
with a prodigality that will open the eye'
OF the people. We will exercise the sans
determination and care this year that We
have in the past, and will proceed on th'
theory that there is a deficit instead of 1
surplus. OF course, public works that arr
in heed Of Improvement will be improved
For example, I nave no doubt that a rive
and harbor bill will be passed, but there
will be no raid upon the Treasury such a.
some people believe the surplus justifies.'