Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-20
CURLING HEADS
OF DEPARTMENTS.
Rep. Littauer Points Out Failure
OF Legislation Last Year
To Do 1t.
ONE SPECIFIC ILLUSTRATION.
The Appropriation Of S2,6i5 for a
Portrait of Ex-AttOrncy-Gencral
I'hilandcr Knox.

Washington. Jan. lg.--Reform In the
matter OF making deficiency appropria-
lions agitated the house today. and the
entire time Of the Ave and quarter
hours session was devoted to It's dis
cusslon. with the exception OF a short
speech Cor free hides by Mr.. Perkins Of
New York.
The urgent deficiency bill was being
considered under the general debate or
der. and Mr.. Littauer of New York,
In charge OF the Dill, set tne pace ~
pointing out the failure of the legisla-
ton of last year to curb heads OF de-
partments In their demands for de-
ficlency supplies.
The one specific illustration OF the
need for reform which was cited was
the appropriation OF $2.6l5 for por-
trait of former Atty-Gen. Knox, which
Atty.-Gen, Moody had paid out of the
contingent fund OF the department OF
justice and for which the bill makes
provision.
Under the new limitations this use of
the contingent fund VIII not be permit
ted. General debate on the bill VIII
proceed tomorrow.
Mr.. Littauer IN. W explained the
items In the bill which aggregate sl5,-
2l5503, including $500. 7S6 for the Pam
anna canal.
"Coerclye appropriations" by the ex-
ecut5T- departments Of the government
were made the subject of criticism by
Mr.. L.ittauer. He said the practise had
become well established by long usage
when the head OF a department arbi-
trarily forced Congress to meet his de-
mands for money. The most common
method OF accomplishing this was to
use up any particular appropriation In
less than the year for which 1t was IN
tended TO cover and then demanding of
Congress q deficiency appropriation.
The effort to remedy this by the last
Congress had been only partially sue
cessfu, and the pending bill, he said,
went a step farther.
Mr.. Lattauer cited this provision In
the pending bill; To reimburse the
appropriation, miscellaneous expendi-
lures OF the department Of Justice for
the fiscal year 1905, the amount ex-
pended for portrait OF former Atty
Gen. p c. Knox, s2.6l6'
"Who ordered that pictureT de-
manded Mr., Gaines OF Tennessee
Mr.. Littauer remarked that he under
stood w. Fl. Moody the present attor-
nty -Efiltidis
Mr.. Adams asked II 1t had not been
the custom for the portraits of retiring
cabinet officers to be painted at gov
eminent expense and hung In the offices
| OF the department.
The reply was that this had been the
| custom. but IL the provision In the pend
| ing bill WAS adopted 1t would not here
! after be the custom.
/ This provision makes 1t unlawful for
| department head to ask an emergency
| appropriation unless he can show that
| something unusual has occurred since
| the apportionment OF the appropriation
to make the emergency absolutely nee
| essary.
| Mr. Brundlge of Arkansas favored
| this provision. and favored reducing
| the expenses Of collecting the revenues
| of the government. He stirred up con-
siderable contention on the Dmocratlc
side by citing several ports OF entry
| where no collections were made from
| one years end TO another.
| Mr. Brundige criticised the slowness
| OF the Panama canal construction. With
the expenditure OF $26000,000 which, he
| said, would be the amount used when
the appropriation carried by the bill
had been used. II would only then have
been determined what character OF ca
nal should be built.
| Mr. Livingston OF Georgia, the senior