The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-06-14
CONGRESSIONAL ExrRAvAoARca
A Two Billion Dollar Congress Pc.
dietcd-Lavish Expenditures.

This congress win go into history
ms the most eXtravaGant OF any OF its
predecessors. The appropriations will
be close to $4,000, 100000 II is almost
certain that when the figures are cast
up Of the appropriations for Tits so5-
sion, the amount will exceed $1,000.
100000. The Fifty.hrst congress,
1s99-O1, was the FIRST billion.dollar
congress, as II appropriated $780,.
650.1O9, and the people very promptly
turned the rascals out" when the
time came to do the voting What
Will they do with the Republican
party of the Fifty-ninth congress for
doubling that former extravaganza?
The estimates OF the treasury do
partment for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1908, which the present con-
gress is appropriating for amounted
to sS00,000OO These estimates. as
they always are, were considered all
that was necessary to run all the de-
partments Of the government with
liberality, but congress will probably
exceed that amount by over 5000, 000-
600.
These figures are startling, and
some of the Republican leaders stand
aghast at their magnitude, and fear.
Ing the wrath OF the plundered people.
are sounding notes of warning Never
has congress been more liberal In
its treatment OF claimants. particular
ly those asking for private pensions.
The bars have been thrown down in
this kind Of legislation and thousands
of private pension bills have been
rushed through both houses in record
time. 1t was said that the new service
pension law would make these private
pensions nearly unnecessary, but the
prediction has been anything but veri.
fed. II was found necessary to APP
propriate $15,OO0,O00 extra to pay the
new service pensions, and II is stated
that President Roosevelt felt impelled
to request the house and senate com.
mittees to go slow on those private
pension bills now the service pension
bill is law.
The congress has not only increased
its own salaries, but those OF thou.
sands OF others and every appropria.
ton bill that passes adds to the to-
tai. The. army bill, the navy bill, the
river and harbor bill are all greater
than ever before, except during the
civil war.
There is perhaps method % this
madness of the Republican majority
to pile up the appropriations, so aD to
expend all, or more. than the income
of the government and thus be able
TO declare that tariff revision Is i'm
possible, in view of the enormous
amount of money necessary to run the
government. But this excuse will not
prevent the demand for tariff reform
for some schedules, at least, would
produce more revenue than they now
do, II the rate OF duty was decreased.
Those who voted for Republican
candidates for congress are to blame
for this extravaganza. They elected n
large Republican majority without
even pledge of economy, and their
representatives have virtually run
wild" The Sixtieth congress will but
be a repetition of the present one, ex.
cept as tho approach of the national
election leads II TO be more cautious |
on account Of fear of the people.
The voters will have another chance
for retrenchment and reform at the !,
national election OF 1908, and Demo. !
Gratis can do no better service to their !
country than by arranging to have
honest and capable candidates to vote
for at that important election.
HIInAN CNANnAlc oENINEn