The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-03-16
OVER A BILLION
CONGRESS SPENT
Tawney Gives Aggregate Of
Appropriations.
CREATION OF ONE COMMITTEE
Statement by Chairman Of Recent
Appropriations Committee and
Representative Livingston,
Democratic Member.

Washington, D. c. - Appropria-
tions at the last session of Congress
aggregated $1,025, ,4S9, ,662, according
to the statements issued by former
Representatives Tawney, Of Mime
sofa, and Livingston, of Georgia, who
were respectively chairman and rank
ing Democrat of the House Appropri-
ations Committee In the last Con-
gress. Mr.. Tawney says this is less
than $1,000,000 in excess OF the to-
tai estimates of President Taft, on
which the appropriations are based,
pays high tribute to the executive for
good faith In scrutinizing estimates
and computes that the surplus Of
revenues next year will be not less
than S26,542,000, which with any
part Of the Treasury cash balance
may be applied to the sinking fund.
Against this Mr.. Livingston says
the last sessions record demonstrat-
ed that until the Democratic party
comes into complete control of the
government this billion-dollar mark
for sessions appropriations, estab-
lished four years ago at the III S, sIs-
sion of the Sixtieth Congress, can
not substantially be lowered, If low
cred at all"
Would Have One Committe.
Mr.. Tawney renews his recon-
mendation for the consolidation Of
the appropriating jurisdiction of the
House under single committee of
sufficient size TO be representative
of all sections OF the country and Of
all branches OF the public service.
Eight committees now consider and
report appropriation bills, and Mr.
Tawney says no reform Is more i'm
portant The Committee on Appro-
priations, which reports more than
half OF the total appropriations OF
Congress, reported during the first
regular session Of the last Congress
S16,393,925 less than the estimates,
while the appropriations by all the
other appropriating committees, ac-
cording to Mr. Tawney, were $27,-
931 ,402 in excess of the estimates.
Mr.. Tawney claims that II this con-
solidating reform had been effected
1t would have saved s62, 100000 at
that session alone.
Mr.. Tawney says one of the evils
incident to this divided appropria-
tion jurisdiction Is the practice of
making appropriation Immediately
available, large portions OF many ap-
preparation bills being in fact, design
ed TO cover up deficiencies in the
preceding year. He points out that
the aggregate for the past session,
which includes S4,000,000 for the
Appalachian forest reserve, is So
100000 less than the aggregate for
the preceding session Of Congress
and at the aggregate the entire
last Congress, which exact aggregate
is not given in his statement, is an
increase of 100000 over the pre-
ceding Congress.
Six Billion in Six Six Years.
Mr.. Tawrfey says that in the six
years of his craftsmanship OF the APP
propriations Committee the estimates
have amounted to s6,061,257,132, OF
which Congress granted all but $685.
662,264.
Declaring that the Democrats want
to save the people OF the country
from the danger which threatens
them because OF the rampant expend-
iture Of their money that has been
going on for the past IL years, Mr..
Livingston, in his statement, con-
tends that militaIlsm is menace
and that Democratic accession will
prevent national bankruptcy. He
says 1t is superhuman task to re-
store expenditures to a normal level,
because of the enormous liability fas-
tened upon the Treasury by the stat
utory increase on the emitted strength
OF the Army and Navy fourfold since
Mr. Roosevelt was so unhappily call
ed to the executive Office of the Re-
public.