The Washington times., 1909-02-21
AT Rate Appropriation Bills
Are Swelling End Is
Not Yet.
SOLEMN WARMING
AVAILS BUT LITTLE
Expenditures Are Piling Up at
Rate Not Exceeded Even
During Civil War.

Regardless of the fact there is the
evcr-increasing deficit in the Treas
ury, which will be little below
$l1lo0,0OO by the time this ses-
sion Of Congress is 1T an end. the
appropriations by this session Will ex-
ceed those made year ago. At the
rate the appropriation bills are swelling
now, the total appropriations by this
session Of Congress Will amount To
about S1.O3S. 600, 600. This viii break all
records Of appropriations in the history
OF the United States Government, not
even excepting the days OF the civil
war, when great armies were eating up
treasure that staggered the country.
The total appropriations made at the
last session OF COgTess for the fiscal
year which is now current, and wlfich
Will end on June 50 amounted u
Sl,O0S. .S97,5f3 That figure broke the record
up TO that time. The indications are
that the appropriations made by this
session, which are for the fiscal year
which will begin July =, will be about
100000 greater than those made by
the first session Of the SiXtieth Con-
gress.
Billion Mark Passed.
have well passed by when anyone need
he surprised by reference % a billion
dollar session Of Congress. or when any
one need be astouished at a tVO-biIlion
Congress II is not many years since
the expression, "a biIlion-dOIlar Con
gress," made the entire country sit UP
and take notice.
Now, the nation appears TO have
passed the two-billion mark, and TO be
advancing to a new standard of ex-
penditure. no one knows wnere. Sena-
tor Hale only few days ago gave the
Senate solemn warning that enormously
increased allowances for the Navy De
partrnent might be looked for next ses-
sion OF Congress, and that the country
was on the high road toward a bond
issue
1t is conceded on nearly every hand
that extraordinary methods for raising
revenue to meet the deficit in the
Treasury will have TO be taken by the
special session OF Congress which will
convene March u, and no one has yet
solved the question Of just how the stu
alton will be met.
Warning Sounded
At the outset Of this session, warn
Gus high quarters that this session
would have to exercise great economy.
These warnings were uttered time ard
again in most impressive fashion Some
folks doubtless began TO suspect that the
purse strings Of the Government would
really be frightened
II looked at times as II the watchdogs
Of the Treasury would bay and bark,
and growl this year with unusual
vehemence and unusual effectiveness.
But an examination Of the appropria-
tions bills does not disclose that these
aforesaid watchdOgs have frightened
anyone to any great extent The dis
position 10 break into the strong box
Of Uncle Sam has been as Unsuitable as
ever, and il is hard 10 see that il has
been successfully curbed at any point.
Run Heavier.
The army bill this gear will run about
100000 heavier than last year. the Dis
trict Of Columbia bill about S2glG,OyJ
heavier, the navy bill about SI4OO0,0O0
heavier, and the pOstoffce bill about
S12,0000O0 heavier. Then. there is an in
crease Of about S15.0l0OOO in the sundry
civil bill. Last session, there WAS no
river and harbor bill. and so the Treas
ury is called on for about $1,000, 900 more
IN this direction than last year.
few bills only show decreases, and
these are but small. Regardless Of the
Increasing deficit in the Treasury, il is
almost impossible 20 discern where =
successful effort has been made 10 hold
appropriations IN check. And where
one effort 20 stop the leak has been sue
cessful. new leaks have broken out ard
more than coUnterac-ed the stOppage.