The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-20
POLITICS AT
THE CAPITOL

Continued from Page Five.)
Senators Aldrich and Hale, is likely
to become a law, but not until after
there is a strenuous fight. The Demo-
Gratis are well organized to debate it,,
and also to make politics out of it.
Some of the best-informed Republic
cans doubt the political wisdom of
the measure, especially the provision
to use State and municipal bonds as
basis for an emergency currency. These
Republicans say such law would en-
hae1ce the value of a large class of
bonds, which would enable Democrats
to accuse the party of legislating for
the benefit of the bondholders. cue
TO their plans may be seen in the adj
vocacy by Senator Bailey of Texas of
a bill that would authorize the govern
ment to issue greenbacks as emer-
gency money in time of panic or de-
preston.
Over in the House the Republicans
have a. tremendous task ahead in keep
ing down the appropriations, so that
there shall not be a deficit in the
Treasury. The receipts from customs
and internal revenue have been falling
off many millions and the governments
expenditures are now considerably in
excess of it's receipts. While there is
an enormous surplus of about $780,
0OO, 900 this would rapidly disappear in
the next nine months unless receipts
pick UP and business improves. The
pressure for appropriations is very
great in Congress. The army and navy
ablishments have become more ex-
pensive than ever. It has recently
10 ha+
the navy appropriations this year must
be at least $25 000,0 900 less than the es-
Inmates.
A deficit would be a great disadvan-
tage to the administration in a pres
idential campaign. The Republican
Congress realizes the responsibility up
on it. Not only must there be no more
money appropriated than there will be
in the Treasury but it will be the part
of wisdom not to vote appropriations
that will assure larger expenditures
after July / next, when the fiscal year
for which the present Congress is APP
propriating begins, than there are re-
ceipts.
This requires the closest watchful-
ness, for the totals authorized by Leg
islation piles up daily and quickly gets
TO dangerous figure. The military ex-
penditures can not be greatly curtail-
ed. The country wants a large army
and a large navy, especially a large
navy, and it is willing to pay gener-
Gus sums for pensions to the Civil War
veterans and their widows Increases
in pay for officers of the army and
navy and for the enlisted men of both
services seem to be approved by the
country, as well as a considerable in
crease in the pension list. Those au-
will mean expenditures of
many more millions of dollars annually
To make them it has been decided
to suspend practically for one year the
extensive internal improvements for
which very large sums have been vot-
ed in recent years. That, however, |
win provoke much criticism from am
bilious towns and cities and from COM /
mercial and industrial organizations /
1t will be taken up in the campaign |
and hammered into the heads of voters /
for all it may be worth
Politics. politics and the coming cam |
paign. Everything in Washington /
hanks to those subjects in what |
Uncle Joe" Cannon calls the last |
analysis. And the Republican Con- |
gress as well as the Republican adj |
has its perplexities.
ERNEST G. WALKER.