Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-05
Ends at Noon Thursday
And the 61st Begins.
The Pension Appropriation Bill
Passes Both Houses.
Mr.. Tawney Takes Parting Fling at
The Outgoing Administration.

Washington, March 4.-The Coil
Congress came to an end at noon today
| and the G1st began as imperceptibly
| that the change was scarcely notice
able.
The final act, though unofficial, inso-
| far as the House was concerned, took
place in the Senate chamber, when
b, tn Houses witnessed the incoming
of the now administration.
The Senate will meet at noon tomor-
row to consider President Taft's NOM
in atoms, but the House will not con-
veae again until the beginning of the
extra session Of Congress to be called
for the 18th instant.
The Senate met at $40 o'clock, but
the proceedings were confined to the
most routine work, mainly, adoption
of the complete report of the conferees
ON the pension appropriation BILL the
last of the great supply measures,
wflich the House also passed within
orc hour of adjournment and the ap-
pointment of one or two commissions
in accordance with recent COMPRESSION
al enactments. Vice President Fair
banks delivered an address in response
to resolutions thanking him for his
conduct of the office.
Immediately after adjournment Of
the 60th Congress the proclamation of
the President calling the Senate in ex-
traordinary session to consider Presi-
Dental appointments was read at the
direction of the new Vice President,
Mr. Sherman. Utterly lacking in all the
stirring incidents usually marking the
80 ~
II 591a o'clock was declared by Speak
er Cannon to be adjourned without
day. Having reconvened at 40 o'clock
in the morning, the two hours were
spent in clearing up conference reports
and passing a few bills of no great
public interest. Speaker Cannon re-
ceived a unanimous vote of thanks,
which he acknowledged amid loud APP
plause.
During the session Chairman Tawney
of the appropriations committee in the
House declared that the expenditures
of the government have at no time
except in war increased as rapidly as
during the past eight years, primarily
caused by popular and executive de-
mands upon Congress for appropria-
tions for the exercise of rights and
functions belonging exclusively to the
states and the abnormal and unneces-
sary war expenditures in time OF
peace.
Appropriations during the past eight
years, including the fiscal year 1910,
he said. were equal to $7,007, SS9, 1873, and
he declared that at the end of the
present fiscal year there will be de-
ficit of $15O, 900, 900. He severely critlclz-
ed the executive branch for submitting
estimates of expenditures far in excess
of receipts He placed the approprla-
lions of the expiring administration at
81, O4 l,014,29
Mr. Livingston. Ga, the ranking MI
nority member of the committee. char
acterized the appropriations as STU
pendous, saying they exceeded as
sessions by s35.615,754 and were great
er than any two sessions prior to 1898.
He declared Congress should be COM
mendnd for the millions it refused to
Notwithstanding the pres
sure brought to bear by the executive
and the hadgering of innumerable IN
terests on all sides, clamorlng to get
their hands into the treasury"