Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-06-04
THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.
Congressman Fitzgerald Pre- diets a
Staggering Deficit.

Mr.. Tawney was followed by Mr. Fitz-
gerald OF New York, ranking minority
member Of the appropriations committee
in the absence OF Mr.. Livingston Of
Georgia. Nh Fitzgerald reviewed the APP
propriatiOns OF the session from demo-
cratic standpoint He arraiEned the Re-
publican party meroilessly for what he
stigmatized as a Shameful sduandering
81 the public funds" He predicted
staggering deficit TO nc impending and
denounced the President. the executive
departments of the government and tho
republicans in Congress as its causes.
The country" said Mr.. Fitzgerald.
would have benefited had the recon-
mcndations of the committees charged
with the preparation Of the supply bills
been more generally hended Ny the
House. The opportunities OF IN pse ont
side are sufficiently difficult to resist.
without having the membership Of the
House take sides against its committees
on questions of expenditure"
He turned neat compliment TO Mr..
TIA whey, the republican chairman Of the
committee on appropriations.
The Congress-" continued Mr. FitZ-
gerald. SIS now about to adjourn. This
our history Extravaganza has run riot
the treasury has been depleted the pub
liz money has been lamefully squan-
dered.
The responsibility rests with the Re-
publican party, II cannot evade the is
sue. Every energy seems To have been
concentrated upon the task of emptying
the treasury and of making imperative
tho ISSUANCE Of bonds by tho next admin
istration In order TO dcfray the ordinary
expenditures of the government The
dreaded handwriting has apparently been
seen uron the wall and the Republican
party is demoraizcd and shaken
HAVE EXCEEDED ESTIMATES.
The appropriations for the next fiscal
year aggregate the enormous sum of
sooS,s04, as against aggregate est-
mates by departments OF Sl.077 449. 2ss."
Mr.. Fitzgerald quoted the estimated
revenues for the fiscal year 1910 Ureas-
ury figures rs ss7s. l2So1l, and he de-
clared, I'VE shall demonstrate later that
| this estimate Is In all proba bility at
| least 100000 600 too large"
| Training his fire on the administration,
Mr.. Fitzgerald continued;
| after the war with Spain under the
presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. the
cost of maintaining the government for
tho four following years was 10 per cent
greater than during the same period
when the war was waged. Evidently Mr.
Speaker some things are expensive and
come high"
Making a further comparison. Mr., Fitz-
gerald said;
"Inder Roosevelt in his second admin
istration. the per capita appropriation
for the army for the four year period arr
1895, more than two and one-half times
the amount under cleveland; for tn,
navy A9. more than three times thu
amount under Cleveland; for fortified
lions 81 cents, more than 80 per cent. In
crease over Cleveland; and the average
per capita cost for the three services un
der Roosevelt is IS 90 two and one-fourtl
times as great as under Cleveland
After entering into n more detailed Sc
OF comparisons at large, comprising fig
ures from Great Britain's fiscal records
Mr. Fitzgerald continued;
NO WARNING FROM PRESIDENT.
surely these significant facts have no
| permeatcd the recesses OF the Whit
| House nor found even a temporary lodG
ment in the active brain of the Fresi
! dents. No other conclusion can satisfac
| torily be reached for upon no othe
| theory Is It conceivable that the admin
istration would have submitted estimate'