The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-02
TAFT'S ECONOMY
 SLOGAN REALIZED So Say Republicans of the
 Recent Congress JIM TAWNEY SAYS SD Frantic Efforts of Republicans to Regain Public Favor Will Figure
 in the Next Congress
 Appropriations
Fly JONATHAN WINFIELD

Fly JONATHAN WlNFIELO
 Washington. April 1.--(Special) )-Accord- ing to republican members of the Sixty first Congress, President Tafts economy slogan, sounded two years ago, has been realized to the fullest extent It would seem too. that these stand-pat republl- cans have the statistics, figures and other solid facts upon which to prove their contention. In the first place Jim Tawney, familiarly known as the watch dog of the treasury" says so, and MT Tawney doesn't usually say anything unless he has the facts and figures at hand to prove his statement. In the next place, statistics show that the a2pro- priations called for by the various cabi- net officers, heads of commissions, the Judiciary and other independent depart ments of the government, very nearly equal the estimates. This condition, 1t is said, has not occurred in years.
 The last Congress as predicted by lead ing democrats, like several of its pre- decessors, was a bilion-dollar Congress notwithstanding the fact that it only ex- isted for three months. Its successor the Sixty-second Congress, will reffuire all the skill of the democrats in both the House and the Senate to bring the ex- pense of the government for the fiscal year below that mark. If left to Rep resentative Fitzgerald of New York, who will be the new chairman of the House committee on appropriations, it will un- doubtedly be brought about His fol- lowers have already declared that sweep ing reforms are to be made in the ad- ministration of the government depart ments and it is supposed that MT. fitz- gerald and his co-Workers will endeavor to cut appropriations far below the es- inmates made under the Taft policy of retrenchment
 The appropriations for the last Congress exceeded those of the Sixtieth Congress by only $610 GOO in face of the fact that the country has expanded wonderfully within the past two years, and in a period of progression where steadily appropria- tions seemed to be necessary to carry on the governments work. In MT. Tawneys words, "The economy of the House bears eloquent testimony to the good faith and successful effort of President Taft in his execution of the law requiring closer scrutiny of expenditures a, sN
 The appropriation under the administra- - third and Firty-fourth Congresses were $1,S7l, ,509, ,57S.e Under the Roosevelt admin istration during the Fifty-ninth and Six tieth Congresses a total O. S3r s42, 203,577 was spentY s2.052, 709. 400 being expended during the Sxtieth Congress- During the first session of. the Sxty-first Congress under President Taft, Congress appro- prlated $1 LOFT 133, ,446 and at the second ses- sion, or the Congfess just closed, this sos frpH tai for the sixty-first Congress of $2.- 052, ,623, ,10s. z ssg E 14t az
 During the last Congress the expenses of maintaining our army and navy were materially cut, $S,000. 600 being lopped off the army estimates and $2,000000 in the navy To equalize the situation, however the sundry civil and other measures that were introduced in the Congress were proportionately swollen. Attempts were made to increase the expenditures of the government by millions of dollars just before the close of the session by num- bers of representatives and senators who have seen their last days in the National Congress as members The efforts, how ever, were blocked by President Taft and few senators and representatives close to the administration. President Taft threatened to use the veto while the members of Congress successfully fought these various measures as they came in the House and Senate by fili- buster methods.
 MT. Tawney, who is the retiring chair man of the House committee on appro- priations, in speaking of the subject of reducing the expenditures of the gov ernment, recommends, after six years of experience at the head of this commit tee, that all appropriation matters should be consolidated in the hands of one large and representative committee. It is fIof of hn un1o CHM ply bils six are now handled under the rules of the House by the committee on appropriations, and that in these bills there was appropriated during the first regular session of the last Congress $16.- 100000 less than the estimates, while the committees have jurisdiction over the re- maining seven supply bills appropriated sa7 600 0OO more than the estimates sub mitted for consideration The point IS made by NSr. Tawney that there should be an equalization of the appropriations, so that the expenditures of the govern ment could be put in business like man. ner
 Representative l.. F. Livingston of Georgia. the ranking democratic member of the House, in statement says that the record of the last session of Congress in appropriating $1,025. 4S9,6 661 for 1912 denl- onstrated that until the democratic party comes into complete control or the gov ernment the DllllOn-uOildI CoHSTcSoSo Wih continue, and that not until then will there oe any material reductions in the appropriations that Congress make from year to year.
 The republicans, however. on the other hand, refute this statement and say that even with the democrats in control of every branch of the government service, 1t will be impossible to materially re- duce the governments legitimate ex- penses. It Is pointed out that the army and navy expenses have been increased greatly within the last three years. and that to reduce expenses would be almost impossible.
 Representative Livingston, however says that the country must turn to the dem ocrats for relief from the burdens of militarism or the people will find them selves face to face with submission to onorous methods of direct taxation. He proposes that Congress undo the legisla- tion fastened on the American people hv President Roosevelt In increasing the army and navy, abolish certain institu- ] lions of the government that in his opin- ion are not necessary and adopt more ,,n-fo-date business methods in the de- partments In this way. he stated. with careful legislaton, billion-dollar Congress will cease. and the real economy such as the republicans have been endeavor- inc, to obtain. will be brought about. Y
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