Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-10
Total of Appropriations at
Last Session of Congress.
STATEMENTS BY LEADERS
Representative Tawney's Applauds
Presidents Scrutiny of Estimates.
COMPUTES SURPLUS REVENUE
Mr.. Livingston Deplores rampant
Expenditures" and Warns the
People Against Militarism.

Appropriations at the last session Of
Congress aggregated s1,O25.4S96 662. ac
| cording to the statements issued today
| by former Representative Tawney of
Minnesota and Livingston of Georgia,
| who were, respectively, chairman and
ranking democrat of the House appro-
priations committee in the last Congress.
Mr.. Tawney says this is less than 81 .OO0.-
600 in excess of the total estimates OF
President Taft, on which the apprOpria-
tons are based, pays high tribute to the
executive for good. faith in Scrutinizins
estimates and computes that the surplus
OF revenues next year will be not less
| than SIG. $4,000. which with any part of
| the Treasury cash balance may be APP
piled to the sinking fund.
Statement by Mr.. Livingston.
Against this Mr.. Livingston says the
| last sessions record demonstrated that
until the democratic party comes into
complete control of the government this
billion dollar mark for sessions ap-
propriatiOns, established four years ago,
| at the first session of the Sixtieth Con-
gress, cannot be substantially lowered, If
lowered at ALL
Mr.. Tawney renews his recommendation
| for the consolidation of the appropriating
jurisdiction of the House under a single
committee of sufficient size to be repre-
sentative of all sections of the country
and Of all branches of the public service.
Eight committees now consider and re-
port appropriation bills, and Mr.. Taw-
ney says no reform is more important.
The committee on appropriations, which
reports more than half of the total ap-
~fr<y &~l rrsv,
the first regular session of the last Con-
gress Sic. .9S3, ,925 less than the estimates,
while the appropriations by all the other
approprtating committees, according to
Mr.. Tawney. were $27.931, 4O2 in excess
Of the estimates.
Would Have Saved $62, ,OOO, 600.
Mr.. Tawney claims that If this con-
solidating reform had been effected it
would have saved $62,O0O,OOO at that ses-
sion alone. Mr.. Tawney says one Of the
evils incident to this divided appropria-
ton jurisdiction is the practice of max
ing appropriations Immediately available.
large portions OF many appropriation bills
being in fact designed to cover UP de-
ficiencies in the preceding year. He
points out that the aggregate for the
past session. which inclndes $4.OO0,000 for
the Appalachian forest reserve, is 81, 5OO.-
600 less than the aggregate for the pre-
ceding session Of Congress. and that the
aggregate OF the entire last Congress,
which exact aggregate is not given in his
statement, Is an increase of $500, 700 over
the preceding Congress.
Mr.. Tawney says that in the six years
Of his Craftsmanship of the appropriations
committee the estimates have amounted
to 6,O01, ,257, 1872, of which Congress grant
ed all but $166, ,662, ,264.
Militarism a Menace.
Declaring that the democrats want to
save the people Of this country from the
danger which threatens them because of
the rampant expenditures Of their money
that has been going on for the past
twelve years. Mr.. Livingston in his
statement contends that mlitarism is a
menace and the democratic accession will
prevent national bankruptcy. He says 1t
is superhuman task to restore expendi-
lures to a normal level because Of the
enormous liability fastened upon the
Treasury ''by the statutory increase of
the enlisted strength of the army and
the navy fourfold since Mr.. Roosevelt
was so unhappily called to the executive
office of the republic"
Sounding a note of alarm against
Threatened onerous' direct tax. with all
its inquisitorial features, Mr.. Livingston
says that II that day comes, 1.-The people
will rise in their might with a cry that
will be heard to the remotest corners of
their posterity the manacles of burden
some taxation fostered by the republican
party. That day is not distant unless we
stop instanter in this precipitOus money
World Wonders.
Mr.. Livingston says the nations of the
old world stand agape and wonder over
the magnitude of appropriations and in
foIn fix,it Il
appropriations for the Fffty-third Con-
gress, the last democratic one. aggre-
eating S917 .O13. .523. with those Of the last
Congress for the two fiscal years 1911 and
1912, aggregating $2,O53, 391 291, and de-.
clares that in twelve years there has
been more than 500 per cent increase in
all expenditures. the army and navy each
increasing more than 400 per cent He
bespeaks for the incoming democratic
House economy. particularly in those gov
ernment departments relating to the
enormous expenditures for war pur-
poses"
Where Reductions Were Made.
According to Mr.. Tawney the appropri-
atoms for the entire Sixty-first Congress
were only 100000 greater than those for
the Sixtieth Congress. notwithstanding
the country is two years older. in all
that that period of time means and
measures for the richest and most pro-
gressive people in the world
In this connection Mr.. Tawney brings
out the fact that deducting an increase
of $50 $50, ,751 so for rivers and harbors
and an increase of $5,931 100 for the
isthmian canal. appropriated by the Six
ty-first Congress over the Sixtieth, the
| total appropriations for all other pur-
poses were $3S. .351 961 .46 less in the Six
! fv.6rst than in the StXtieth.
Equally interesting and most crafty
L tha