Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-02-27
Mr.. TAWNEY'S JOKER
MONEY SAVER FOR
NCLE SAM
CONGRESS BUSHES IN
LAST DAYS OF SESSION
With Most of the Big Supply
Measures Out of the Way
Ship Subsidy Bill Stands
Some Show of Passage.
Especial correspondence Morning journal

Especial Correspondence Morning journal. /
Washington, Feb. 2I.-With adj
fournment time approaching the
wheels in congress are whirring louder
and louder, and all steam is being
crowded or to finish the run of the
congressional train. record breaking
fashion. Congress has really done very
well, all things considered. All of the
appropriation bills are out of the way
except the general deficiency. and it
is known how much that carries. The
Santo Domingo treaty got through by
4 narrow margin, but none too much.
The ship subsidy bin may be provided
through, but it is in imminent danger.
OF course there are a score of meas
ures, some minor n some major.
that MAY be crowded through in the
last six days of rule suspension, but
There will be many people disap-
pointed in the death of pet
There is an interesting feature
about the general deficiency bill. 1t
has been reduced very materially this
year and all because of the disagree
able jail clause, so to speak, that Mr..
Tawney put into it at the beginning
of the session. 1t will be remembered
there was a good deal of ak oven it
at the time, and many people were
wondering how it would work. 1t
used to be the habit of cabinet Off
GERS and bureau chiefs to go merrily
on and pile up the expenses of their
departments regardless Of whether
they had the money or not, feeling
assured hat any deficiency they might
create would be taken care of in the
general deficiency bill the following
session. This was a very nice scheme.
hut it also nullifed the appropriation
limitations hat congress tried to inn
pose. Then came the proviso of Mr..
TaWney. He made it a misdemeanor
for any government official to create
a deficiency unless there We're some
urgent and extraordinary reason FOR
II. Thc idea of putting a cabinet Off
Ger in jail for a little honest indiscrc-
ton of this sort suggested opera
bouffe. But the cabinet officers We're
not taking any chances and the result
was that the several departments were
run very close to the line, and at the
end of this a instead of having a
general deficiency of We $22, 000, 000
there was but little fover $500, 600.
TO be sure the whole Of the general
deficiency bill was larger than that.
II carried over $11, 000, 600, but these
were items that were genuine emcr-
gencics. The Cuban expedition cost
this government over $~6,25O,0OO. and
the service pension bill cost another
million. Then there was nearly 81
100000 on account of the postal SER
vice. But the expenditures of the de-
partments as a rule were held down
with a remarkably tight hand. and the
Tawney resolution is regarded as one
of the most valuable and effective
pieces of legislation that has been en-
acted for vears.
The fight over submarine boats has
bobbed up at the end of the session,
as it is very prone to do. Eve since
the submarine boat has been a mod
ern possibility, there has been a fight
between the two prominent subma-
rine boat companies for the govern
ment contract. Both of the companies
have a great deal of money behind
them, and they are willing to spend 1t
freely. But it seemed that no one COM
pany at the beginning of the pat agi-
tation. which was some six years ago.
got in and spent a large sum of
money first. OF course there may be
no senators or representatives who
stock in either company. though
rumor says otherwise. but anyhow,
one of them got the inside track and
kept 1t even since. Each year
there, has been preparations for COM
tests. but something has US
ualIy INTERVIEWED. and the same old
company has kept on doing the gov
eminent work. This year it looks as
another Joker" has been in
serted in the appropriation bill and
the anne comedy of futile competition
is likely 10 be Tc-enaCted.
4
The women of the United States
have been camping on the trail ol
Smoot this week and giving nm
more trouble than he has ever haG III
his two years fight to keep his seat
The League of Women's Organiza-
which includes everything IN ,
he United States that wears skirts, 81,
sent a big lobby, though they did not =
'all it a lobby. to Washington, and set 4,
up temperance headquarters at one at :
he biggest hotels. They We're out Tor ,
Shoots scalp. ana were deter ,
mined to have it. They were much eN- .
'itcd this week when the president con- ,
yratulated Mr.. Smoot on his defense :
'I himself in the senate. or coursc' a
I MormOnism were the inSidlous =
power for evil that II is Frequently ,
the situation would be sell- )
but Mr.. Shoots picture OF tha >
ituation showed rathe a harmless U
hurch organization with polygamy az q
n obsolescent institution. Noboo! ;,
ever claimed that Reed Smopt -
himself was anything but a straight "
lean citizen. and II seems rather .
likely that If the Mormon ~hierarcnN :,
wanted such sinister work done IN ~
Washington they would have picked =
nat a worse man to do g.. Mt. Smool I,
.olds his seat IN the senate BY q very u
trOng majority.