The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-05
UNCLE IS A sPENDER
TIME AT HAND WHEN HE'LL GET
RID OF THREE BILLION.
Draft Upon Sammy's Purse Strings Is
Something Fierce; Larger Sums
Meet the Expensive Tastes of the
Kind Old Gentleman.

Washington, March I'm the face
of present conditions billion dollar
congress- sounds like the acme OF
economy. The expression was used at
one time to brighten the country into
an attempt to persuade senator's and
representatives to retrench. 1t is not
probable that the people would be sat
isfied today with a congress that stop
mark. The country needs many things
and it can't get all or nearly all for
the amount named.
The billion-do dollar was succeeded by
the people are on the way to the meet
ing with the three bllion-dollar con-
gresS. As nearly as can be computed
the appropriations authorized for the
support of the government at this ses-
sion will amount to about Sl,040,OOO,-
600, or $32, 100000 more than was APP
propriated last year. This means that
the sixtieth congress will have voted
an expenditure in excess of two bill
lions The three billion mark is not as
far away as it seems to be in figures.
Congress is not to blame for the huge
sums that must be spent for the sup
port of government industries. OF
course there is some waste at times.
Some of the public buildings authorized
serve no particular purpose except that
IS ho of no
congressman of the favored districts.
1t is likely also that some of the river
and harbor surveys and the subsequent
improvements are not worth the money
expended upon them. In the main
however, money voted by congress goes
to pay for things without which the
country cannot get along.
Next year the navy will cost about
$l37 100000. The money has been pro-
vided in the naval bill passed at this
session Senator Hale chairman of the
naval affairs committee of the senate,
has said that next winter congress
probably will find it necessary to APP
propriate $l60,000,000 to meet the eX-
penses of the great sea establishment.
\ democratic senator-Bacon of Georgia
other year will exceed the figures given
by the senator from Maine by 100000
600
Larger Sums to Be Demanded.
next regular session is to be asked for
larger sums than the present one. The
naval bill offers only one instance.
There has been no rivers and harbors
bill at this session in comparison with
the usual measures of this kind. The
bill carries considerably less than $lo,-
OOOOOO-a mere bagatelle beside some
of tine appropriations of the past and
some of those to come. The present
measure is intended largely for the
continuation of work already author
lied and for surveys to determine
whether suggested work will be justi-
fable.
The army must be supported, and
then there is the Panama canal, to say
nothing of expenditures for mainte,
which are with us year in and year
out and cannot be classed as extra
ordinary. There is no reason to doubt
that because of the absence of pub
lie buildings bill this year the pres
sure for one next year Will be
strong. The representatives always are
urgent for an appropriation for public
buildings, voted in the form of a
bill which to the reverent and the IL
reverent alike is known as the pork
barrel" The ordinary public buildings
bill carries about $30,000,0O0. 1t is safe
to add this sum to the other appropri-
ations which will be made.
Every new member who comes to
Washington in March will be deter
mined TO vote against extravaganza.
His constituents have drilled into him
the necessity of stopping some of the
awful waste that goes on yearly
in Washington" but he soon learns
that the legitimate expenses of gov
eminent are heavy and that what the
constituents considered extravaganza
was merely money put into big ships
higher pay for officers and men of the
army and navy, the canal and other
things without which the government
could not progress. When the mem
bers become accustomed to dealing
with huge figures it is not so hard
to get their minds fixed on the little
additional it will require to erect
structures in various parts of the