The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-02-13
Appropriation Bill Up.

The sections of the urgent deficien-
cy appropriation bill relating to exc
cutive departments were reached in
the Senate Mr. Bacon, Of Georgia, in
quired concerning the operation of
the law prohibition executive depart,
ments from incurring liabilities fol
which appropriation is not made
Mr.. Hale explained that the law Of
1906 had made such prohibition but
he added, there is an exception in fa-
vor of the War Department and Navy
Department This exception ne hop
ed would be done away with.
Senator Clay, Of Georgia, condem.
ned the appropriation of between $4,-
100000 and $5,OO0,0OO for the Navy
Department in this bill for purposes
not provided for by law.
Mr.. Hale declared that there always
had been Deficiencies and that there
always will be. He regarded them as
inevitable.
Mr.. Clay persisted in his opposition
and said that he would not be sur
prised to see the appropriations for
the navy reach $175, 100000 annual
ly, according to the rate Of increase,
going on now. He also predicted
that within 10 years the expenses of
the Postoffice Department would bo
increased to $225,0O0,000 a year. All
Of the deficiency appropriations COM
planned of in connection with unau-
thorized expenditures were retained
in the bill.
Pension Bill Reported.
The House committee on approp-
riations reported favorably the pen
sion bill for the fiscal year ending
June 3Oth, 1909. The bill as report
ed abolishes the pension agencies al
Augusta, Me-, Boston, Buffalo, Chica-
go, Columbus, O.; Concord, n. H.;
Des Moines, Detroit, indianapolis,
Knoxville, Tenn; Louisville, Ky;
Milwaukee, New York City, Philadei-
phia, Pittsburg, San Francisco and
| Topeka and consolidates them in one
central distributing agency at Wash
ington.
The bill as reported carries a to-
tai pension appropriation of $780,
| 969 COO, which is $4,000 less than
| the aggregate estimate-the exact
sum saved by the consolidation Of
the agencies.
There was paid to 967,371 pension
ers IL the last fiscal year the total
Gum of $13S,030,S94; and the total of
pensions that has been paid for all
wars and for the regular establish
ment since The foundation of the re-
public is $3,&9S, S,015,732.
"There is now living" says the re-
port, "no soldier or soldiers widow
of the revolutionary war and there is
no pension soldier living Of the war
of 1912 but at the end of the last
fiscal year there were on the roll $50
widows Of soldiers of that war
Deficiency Bill Passes.
The senate passed the urgent diff
cheney bill, carrying an appropriation
of over $24,000,000. The large def
cheney appropriation for the navy
brought out considerable discussion
Of the subject of executive depart
ments. making expenditures not pro-
Sided for in appropriating.
The deficiency appropriations for
the Panama canal gave rise to Dem
ocratie criticism of the publication
Of ,paperby the canal commission
at Panama and incidentally Senator
Teller declared that he believed the
lock canal at Panama would some
day be declared a failure and that a
sea level canal would take its place.
The senate devoted two hours to
consideration of che criminal code
sbill and ct 4:20 D. m. adjourned.