The Washington times., 1909-10-26
Officials Believe Another Bill
lion Dollar Session Is
Coming.
WON'T CUT DOWN
APPROPRIATIONS
Pressure Will Be Brought to Bear
for Liberal Sized Pork
Barrels"
By JOHN SNURE.

By JOHN SNURE.
That Congress will not cut the appro.
priations for the next fiscal year below
those made in the last session Of tn,
Sixty-irst Congress is the conviction Of
many members Of Congress and official.
who have been studying the appropria
tions situation with care.
This means that the coming reguIal
session of Congress is likely to author
lie the expenditure of more than S1.000,
100000. In other words, ia looks as II an.
other $1,000, 100000 session were ahead, II
spite Of al the talk there has been about
economy.
Previous Records Broken.
The total appropriations made by the
last session of the Sixty-frst Congress
amounted in round numbers TO s., 044, eco,
600 This broke all previous records
For years back the appropriations have
been mounting up, session BY session.
They have been going up at the rate OF
about S500oo,0O0 a year. On this basis
the appropriation next session would
mount well toward the 81, 100, 10000 mark.
But since the Administration of Pres
ident Taft began a strong effort has
been made to effect economy. That is,
emofts have been made by the White
House and the Cabinet officers to reduce
the estimates which are annually sent &c
Congress. Considerable success has been
met IN this. It has been absolutely need
fuI for this cutting Of estimates to be
made for the reason that a few lines
OF law on a recent appropriation meas
Gre PASSED 10y Congress requires the
President to send to Congress estimates
which are within the limits OF the esti-
mated revenue for the next fiscal year
or TO advise Congress how the additional
revenue IS to be obtained
AS the President would naturally not
ike 10 advocate a bond issue or some
this law to try to hold down the es-
Inmates. President Taft. when the es-
Inmates are sent to Congress, will be
able to make a showing Of material
be IN the estimates for the army and
navy Most but not all Of the other
departments viii effect reductions IN
estimates.
VIII Defer Expenditures.
Not all OF these reductions in esti-
mates will represent actual savings.
Some OF the reductions win be brought
about by so-t Of damming up the ex-
penditures-that is, by deferrfng expen-
ditures until a future time
However the estimates which win be
sent 70 Congress win not by any means
represent al the money which Congress
VIII appropriate When the appropria-
ton bills are taken up in the commit
tee there viii be a lot OF pulling and
hauling to get this thing allowed and
that item granted. It is even intimeted
that some of the department heads will
make reductions in estimates with the
hope that Congress will be generous
and VIII refuse TO appropriate as scan
tily as the estimates might justify.
Representative Tawney, chairman Of
has indicated that there viii be moth
ing OF this sort doing so far as ne is
concerned
Moreover. there Will be strong pres
sure for liberal appropriations for two
purposes dear TO fhe hearts of mem
bers or the House and Senate With
a campaign in sight there will be great
S eeInand Ior pork" This substance
IN the river and harbor measure. F1f-
forts viii be made 70 get both Of them
the coming session. If public build
ing Oil and river and harbor bill
OF any size are passed. the total aggre-
gate OF the appropriation bills will 60
Tar beyond the billion mark and viii
equal, II not excel. the appropriations
or last session
Waterways improvements.
Just how comprehensive a scheme OF
waterway improvement the joint wa
terwGys commission Of Congress Is 60
Ing 10 recommend as the result Of its
trip 20 Europe IS not yet known. Sen
ator Burton has indicated that the com
mission does not now favor a water
way bond issue. The commission will
probably not favor the fourteen-foot
channel for the Mississippi. It Will
not make its fun report until the win
ter Of 1910 It is possible that the de-
~ IN making the complete report will
Be used to hold back a rIYer and har.
Dor bin in the coming session Of Con.
Eress. II so. IT viii be only after a
lot OF argument with gentlemen who
are yeaTning FOR rich river and har-
Dor allowances.
The advocates Of the deeper water
way for the Mississippi are not going
70 do much holding back an account OF
Mr. Burton or anyone else. They are
determined to deepen the Mississippi to
fourteen feet and they are enthusiast
tic and well organized. They will do
their utmost 20 get an allowance OF
some sort the coming session with an
authorization for survey and are like
~ 70 join forces with those who want
other river and harbor appropriations
II viii not be easy 10 brush these forces
aside by economy talk.
Pressure for expenditures In a num-
Der Of other directions viii be strong
For instance. IL will probably be neces-
sary 70 organize the customs court
This will require several hundred thou
sand dollars. II the proposed inter
state commerce court IS authorized
this will require another ample appro-
priatfon Of probably several hundred
thousand dollars more
And IN a number Of directions not now
f0reseen, there viii be found channels
for the outlay Of Government money
which will tend to make 10 extremely
difficult for Congress 20 hold the APP
propriatlons below the marx set by the
last regular session.