The Washington times., 1911-05-26
ECONOMY CHECK
HAS BEEN SET ON
ALL HOUSE PROBES
Investigation Not to Be AL
lowed to Cost More Than
Necessary.

An investigation of investigations is
the latest wrinkle for the Democratic
House, which is on a still hunt for the
demon extravaganza. In other words,
the Committee on Accounts has decided
that Investigations are all right, pro-
,viding they do not cost too much, and
the committee has decided upon a
Tightening of the purse strings. ..
Take the investigation of the Steel
trust, which is now under way. The
. Committee on Accounts AYERS that $25r-
S. 600 is sufficient for the expense ac-
count of the special investigating COM
. mittee. With the expenditure of this
sum 1t is reasoned that the investi-
gators should learn all about steel and
its monopolistic making, all the way
from a steel hatpin to an iron glrder
for a railroad bridge.
Careful Censorship.
Furthermore, the expense account of
the steel committee is to be approved
by the full committee, o. KID by the
chairman thereof, and finally censored
by the Committee on Accounts. When
all this is done the Democrats feel that
no charge can be brought that the
House has expended more than it has
gained
The word has been passed along that
other investigating committees of the
House-and there are a dozen of them
must also be careful in their spend
ing of the public funds. The Commit
tee on Accounts, constituting itself as a
guardian of the expenses of the House,
will. sit on the lid and tightly clamp
down the dollars.
The committee has come across a
horrible example or 50. Scanning the
expense account of the Olcott committee
that Investigated the alleged ship sub
sidy scandal, the Democratic commit
tee finds that $500 was expended for
advice" That word will not go in
this year OF economy. Advice is sup
posed to be free, and the Democrats
are wondering, just what sort of ad-
vice the Olcott committee received at
the rate Of $500 per.
Democrats Exact Prudence.
1t is charged in Republican quarters
that the Democrats are afraid to trust
even themselves. Prudence is the word
substituted for fear, under the Demo-
cratic plan of reasoning. 1t is not de-
sired that over-zealous House commit
tees shall spend 81 to ascertain where
Republican extravaganza has cost 81.
The Democrats feel that there is a
wealth of campaign material in expos
publican administrations. They feel
also that the trusts need to be brought
out into the open, but If these results
can be accomplished at small eXpSnse
so much better for the Democratic
record when the mighty issues of 1872
are threshed out on the stump
Therefore, the House Committee on
Accounts met in solemn session and de-
creed that expense accounts must be
carefully sCrutiniZed, and that economy
should be the watchword of all Demo-
cratic inquisitors.
Economically, Fearlessly.
The various Investigations to be un-
deTtaken by the new House have but
fairly started. 1t was thought best to
get in on the ground floor with a sug-
gestion that junkets, large witness
fees. liberal clerk hire, and large print
ing bills will not be approved by the
Committee on Accounts, and that, in
each instance, information must be COL
lected economically, but fearlessly and
diligently.
Afteer ordaining which, the Committee
on Accounts, placing a limit on the
Steel trust investigating committee, ad-
journed to think over the allowance
that will be granted to the several Sc
lect and standing committees that are
to probe the Government departments
and other trusts, large and small.