The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-12
In Thirteen Years ST.
1896, 1893, 1873. 85 H as
Been Expended.
TOTAL INCLUDES
MUCH CIVIL WORK
Chairman of House Committee
Receives Staggering Compila-
ton Of Figures From General
Oliver Showing What Uncle
Sam Spends on His War
Department
Especial TO The Tlmes-DIspa,ch. ]

tSpec!ai 10 The Ti!nes- Dl Dispatch
Washington. February ll.-From the
battle OF Manila Bay. Mayl. 1898, until
the beginning Of the current fiscal
year OF July !. :oii. the grand aggre.
gate expenditures for the support of
me army and the maintenance OF the
war Department Vas i.s9o.Ss3,42S.S5.
This covers all the expenses Of the
army and the expenditures on river
and harbor work. which is done under
the supervision OF the army. az well
as the maintenance OF the general
CIVIL establishment OF The War De-
partInent, claims Of one kind and an
other. ana such things 1t does not
lhciude expenditures Tor the Panama
Canal. which the arm5 IS constructing.
or Tor pensions. which arc handled by
The Interior Department.
Inls is the amount spent In thirteen
years and two months out OF appro-
pr<at!ons eggIegating s2.l2l SOOs53
e"a'!ab!= for use by the War Depart
ment since Admiral Dewey fired the
"snot that vas heard round the world"
The difference between these two vast
sums-S22t sQI,525-represents unex-
pended balances covered back into the
Treasury. and the live balances car
r!cd forward at the beginning OF the
current fiscal year. There was APP
pFopriated for the fiscal year 1912. in
addition. Si3s.20s.sss
TotHls Are Striking.
Thcac are only the striking totals
from q staggering compilation OF fig
ures Oh military expenditures received
by Representative Harvey Helm OF
kentucky. chairman Of the House Com
n!ttee on Expenditures In the War
Department. from General Robert Shaw
Oliver. Assistant Secretary OF War
Chairman Helm called upon General
Oliver for this information On Novem-
ner II. lell, nearly three months ago.
The response. in the shape of four
huge table,, was received yesterday.
and IS tctnH analysed.
No reference is made In the com
munlcaton from Genera! Oliver 10 ex-
pcnd!tures By the naval establishment
but Representative Helm naturally
sought comparisons for the may. and
was surprised 10 learn the, the actual
expenditures by the War Department
during tie last thirteen years exceed
;he aggregate appropriations made for
the naval establishment in the last
twcnty-eight years. According 10 the
rccapitulatlon In the Official navy year
BOOK. the total appropriations for the
Navy Department and the naval cstab-
ltshrnent fr the beginning 81 the
new navy in 1853. unul July /. 1871.
was Sl,7I1, Tells. OF which sI,5i7,-
aS9.39?.sS. was carried in reguIar an
nua! appropriation bills. AMI Sl6i.lO4,-
i2e.+s, carried In deficiency ana addi-
t!onal acts.
The Halfway Point.
Tho aa,tle OF Manila Bay was the
halfway point between the founding
OF the new navy and the beginning Of
the current Asca! year. and IL Will be
surprising 10 many studeEts of the
subject to know that actual expendi-
lures by the War Department since
1855 have been $l.ssG,ss3,4?SS5 as
compared with actual appropriations
of SIN 5a3.725.l6 for The navy since
its found!ng in 1883.
The actual appropriations for the
support OF the army and the niainten-
ance OF the War Department from May
4. 1895, until March 4. 1911. has aggre-
gated so.20+,39O,o6s.s2.
This includes the appropriations
made In the last session OF the SIXTY
First Congress for the current fiscal
year of 1912. AS there was a balance
of S55.6lJ.Ss40l available for the use
Of the army ana the War Department
on May I. 1895, this latter sum. added
TO the aggregate appropriated since
that date. gives grand total OF ST.
4G0001 ,952.63 which has been available
for the use OF the army since May i.
1925
This entire sum has not beer. spent.
To july | last the amount spent was
S96,S93,32S.S5, Of which Si.459.3S5,-
SASH was spe!t on the military es-
adjustment ana s337, ,o2?.3S on the
side OF the civil establishment OF thu
War Department Since May l. 1895,
various amounts have been covered into
the surplus fund of the treasury from
all appropriations under the control
OF the War Department which became
no longer available or required FOR en-
pcr.dture The total reverted in this
manner 10 the surplus fund I'm fourteen
years has aggre "a ted i50.S3S5I9 nn
June so. 1911, there was an un - pended
balance from continuing. Permanent, an
nual and indefinite appropriations or
Department. besides appropriations
which became available on July |. 1911
for the fiscal year 1912. aggr ,gating
SlSS. 206,a99.
The oliver statement discloses Inc
extent 10 which expenditures are made
pursuant TO permanent" legislation.
During the past foUrteen years the
amounts available under these per
manent" acts OF Congress have been
sSi.567,0S3.Sl for the military establish
ment, of which s77.237.56G has been
spent, while for the civil branc;i of tn :
department the amount available under
per1nancpt law has been $23.071.l73.6T
Of which s22,5I099i has been actually
expended.
Military Branch Largest item.
Under the military branch Of the cs-
Establishment the largest item under
.'permanent" legislation has been Sl5-
S12dO5, under various laws making
permanent annual appropriations for
arming and equipring the m!itia. This
fund started with slS6.Tl7, available on
May |, 1898, and the amounts available
hava been: 1899, 100000; 800, $500, 900:
1901, si,O00,090; 1902. $l,0oo,0o0; 1909.
1000 900; 1901, $1,O00.0O0; 1905, $1,000
900: 1906. s1,o12,io5; 1907, S2.ooO,co0;