The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-30
BILLION DOLLAR SESSIONS
CONGRESS FANS TO KEEP DOWN
EXPENDITURES.

Indications mat the Appropgtatioas %
the Present session % C0ngress VIM
ENeeed Those % the Lass sesslon.
Whlch Footed Up 20 - .Oaa, OOO. 600.
WASHINGTON. May 2a-Despts the
warnings Of thu Administration it is
already apparent that the appropriations
Of the present Congress will b. conaidera-
bly, in excess Of one billion dollars. Every
effort has been made by the leaders 70
hold expenditures within a billion. but
they admit that they have failed. In
creased appropriations have been granted
for practically every department. Of the
Government except tn army and the
Indian service. and there viii DO reduo-
ton also in the sundry civil expsnses.
u was only = few yeaFa $50 that Polin-
cal ISSUE was made OUT Of billion dol
lar Congress. Now Congress ApprO-
PIRATES a billion or more every session.
The expenditures authorised Tor the
current fiscal year footed up 70 o. ,Ott.-
10000. The indications are that the
appropriation Of this session will 20
beyond that amount. There IL . prospect
that thu leaders by cutting TO the bons
authorized expenditures in supply bills
yet pending and other measures may
DO able 10 hold the appropriations 70 the
figures Of q year ago. but they haven't
much hope Of attaining this end.
Although the Administration az the out
set Of the session strongly urged a policy
Of TetreRchment members have been a.
importuhAts for appropriations - ever.
For example. q river and harbOr bill
which Ia now in conference was put
through the two houses. II calls for an
expenditure ol about tSs 900. An
omnibus public building bill Ia now on
the Ways. Demands for public buildings
were made in the Senate and the House
that Il granted would have resulted in an
appropriation Of ti2S. OOO. 900. The bill
20 be- reported by tbs HOUSE COMMITTEES
having jurisdiction will appropriate about
$50. coo 600 for public buildings. The
senate will add az least five millions 20 this
amount.
Il is known that President Taft. OBJ
serving that appropriations generally
were mounting up. has not booked with
favor on the river aud harbor and the
public buildings bills. There has been
talk from time % time that Il passed
he would probably veto them. II is not
yet assured that these measures will be
approved wv the President u all de-
pends upon statement soon 20 be prs-
pared showing precisely the aggregate
amount authorized In the appropriation
bills and other measures involving the
expenditure Of money
All " the appropriation bills have been
% ed with the exception u the z,indry
civil and the general deficiency bills
The former measure u nov pending IN
the House lt carries Sill co go. which
u t7S .OO0. 90 less than the amount apprO-
pristed On the ~ se account q yearago.
Az a result 81 the inability ~ the
leaders this session % hOld down ex-
pendibre IN aEitation h % be started
next yeal 10 effect reforms VA the uiethOd
u preparing appropriation bins. bspre-
sentative lawusy. chairman ~ the
Committee on Appropriations and other
Ieaders % the House Cuntend thrt on the
supply balls should he prepared by one
great committee Il h pointed out that
the estima tes submitted 10 Congress this
year by the executive departments we're
lower hy uanv millions u dollars than
those forwarded year ago. yet m the
iace 1t this showing expenditures airs 10
be made on a. large a -clle % IN the pre-
ceding session.
The point IL made by Chairman Tavney
and others that divided responsibility in
the matter ~ preparing appropriation
bills Ia the House cOets the Government
milhOn- IT dollars a year lie c0ntsnds
that most of the increa-es IN aPproprta-
iiona have been authorized by com-
mitioss other than the Committee On
Appropriations thai handle supply bills.
He expects 10 make au effort VA the next
session 20 have all the appropriation
bills prepared by the Committee on AD-
nropriationk In order that the com
miti@r may b. ahie to care for tho
additional WOFk he will suggest that It's
membership he doubled This plan vas
favored -pme years agu BE- speaker Can
non. who was for many wears chairman
~ The Committee ca Appropriations A
speech was made by Senator Ald-iCh
some months ago. in which he sad thni
u expenditure we're made on business
lines Enforcement could save s30D
1Oo IN alyea~ A. result the senate
PASSED a bill providing for the appoint
ment ~ a ,7Ommis-ton 10 investigate aud
report "a Congress just "a hat reforms
should b. male iH the matter ~ APP
preparations Chairman Iawu~y n OPP
posed 20 the passage Of the bill Tie de-
clarss that Congress has the remedy In
IN own hands Il % will apply b. BY this
he means that al appropriation bills
should be framed by one committee The
Committee ON appropriations ~" will
make a speech on the subj sCt before
t'unVrssss, AL lUtIrna