Evening star., 1909-03-06
BLAME ON ROOSEVELT
RESPONSIBLE for LaWIesS Ex-
travagance, Says Livingston.
APPROPRIATIONS DIVERTED
Annual Democratic Comment on the
Nations Finances.
HIT AT EXECUTIVE CHOICE"
"Innumerable Commissions, Councils
and Boards Drain Funds
Misapplied.
APPROPRIATIONS DIVERTED
HIT AT EXECUTIVE CHOICE"

Representative Livingston of Georgia.
senior democratic member of the House
appropriations committee. has replied
to the annual financial statement OF
Chairman Tawney of that committee.
Mr.. Livingston. from democratic
viewpoint. gives what he considers the
real reason for the present state OF the
Treasury.
Mr.. Livingston's statement follows:
The appropriations made at this
session Of Congress reached the enor-
nous sum of S1.044, Ola .29s.23.
This stupendous amount exceeds the
appropriations made last session by
So, ,616, ,754.67 and is greater than the
appropriations of any two sessions of
Congress made prior to 1898.
cit is all but inconceivable that the
national expenditures should be thIs
doubled within the comparatively brief
period Of a decade.
Expenses Exceed Income.
Gwen after deducting for the reauirs-
ments of the sinking fund Of $60.OOO,0O0,
for the redemption Of national bank
notes $50, ,OOO.O .O0O and $2O.262. 800. 50 ror
deficiencies that are provided for, the
remaining sum Of this sessions enor-
nous drafts upon the Treasury IS $685.
151, 1854, an amount exceeding the
total estimated revenues of the next
fiscal year by $1OS410.756.54.
-Four years ago l sought to sound
note of warning with reference to what
I then conceived to be the near ap-
proach of the time when our rapidly
increasing expenditures would overta.e
and exceed the revenues Of the coun-
try: when the buckle OF expenditures
and the tongue of revenues would be SO
wide asunder that it would strain be-
yond endurance the possibilities Of the
ingenuity and devices of the repubii
and discriminating high protective
tariff, to bring them together
That condition is upon us. and it
remains to be seen by what devious
ways the dominant party will, during
the approaching session Of Congress-
compel further exactions from a pa
tlent and overburdened people, in order
to afford preteXt for continuing the
nigh protective tariff system Of revenue
that Is demanded by the great monop
ollstlc interests of the country as
price of their long continued support OF
the republican party.
Executive Choice" Denounced.
Congress ought not alone be held re-
sponsible for these excessive expendi-
lures. On the contrary, it should be com
mended for the millions it has refused to
appropriate, notwithstanding the pres
sure brought to bear by the executive and
the badgering OF innumerable interests
on all sides clamoring to get their hands
into the Treasury. Had the executive
departments prevailed in their efforts at
this session. as manifested by the official
estimates submitted to Congress, the ap-
propriations would have been swollen
beyond the gigantic figures attained by
more than $J9,OOOOCO.
1t should also be borne in mind that
We have been living under a new era. in
troduced into our system of public ex-
pendltures by the retiring administration.
an era that has established that the pub
lie moneys may be expended not alone
under authority of law. but also by 'eX-
ecutive choice as illustrated by in
| boards appointed solely by the President
The existence and activities of these
bodies have made no inconsiderable drain
upon funds appropriated for specific and
legitimate functions of government by
| misapplying the same to expenses OF
Junketing about the country and in di-
verting the services of department en-
ployes from their proper and lawful oc-
cupations.
"The appropriation made for we'll de-
fined contingent objects of expenditure in
the mint at Philadelphia was in part il
legally used to pay an eXtravagant sum.
without knowledge or consent Of Congress-
for new designs Of gold coins. which act
to pay obligations previously incurred by
contract we have had to appropriate at
this session.
Serviceable Building Torn Down.
"A good and serviceable building has
been torn down in Washington because its
location and design Jared upon the artis-
tic sensibilities Of persons in high official
station. and now public funds provided
for other purposes will doubtless be used
to embellish the vacant spot and make it
pleasing to the eye, and the government
VIII continue to pay 100000 annually for
rent OF buildings in Washington for Office
and storage purposes.
THE we'll defined duties of the executive
department, legislative department, and
the reserved rights Of the states as vel!
as the duties and obligations OF the states,
have all been evaded and stupendous sum,
OF money spent as the result OF such yio-
latfons Of constitutional restrictions and
limitations. To such an extent have these
abuses been practiced that today Congress
is being besieged to spend millions OF dol
lars that is clearly not within the restric-
tions placed by the Constitution upon the
powers OF Congress; all OF which is fast
building up a great centralized govern
ment, and, of course, minimizing the
rights and duties Of the states.
Il most emphatically concur with the
chairman of the committee that not i'm the
history OF appropriations by Congress has
it been SO difficult to hold down the ap-
propriations to the revenues of the GOV
ernment. ! say, without fear Of success
full contradiction, that your committee
has faithfully endeavored to do so. No
chairman or committee On appropriations
has been more faithful or industrious i'm
the discharge Of their duties, and the
chairman OF that committee deserves the
thanks of this House and the country for
his earnest and energetic efforts to dis
charge his duty as the chairman of that
committee"
BECOMING MORE SERIOUS.
Controversy Between Austria Hun