Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-07
MAJORITY PARTY IN HOUSE
sLAst4lNo APPROPRIATIONS
RIGHT AND LEFT.
SENATE WILL HAVE CAV
WHEN BILLS REACH THERE
Upper House Will Insist on Necessary
Appropriations to Meet Expendi-
turss-Lena Struggle Forssssn, With
Final compromiss on Important
Measures.
Especial Correspondence. ]

Washington. Feb. Eager to make
a record for economy In these piping
times Of politics. the democratic men,
bers OF the committees charged with
the fashioning of the appropriations
bills are making life troubled dream
for officials Of the various departments
who have to 60 before them to ask for
appropriations.
These officials are being put on the
grill and are frequently done to a
good brown turn before they are per-
mitted to leave IT, Chairman Fitzger-
aid. OF the committee. and his iieuten-
their efforts to find some items in the
departmental estimates which can be
slashed and when an official asks for
something he is much more likely to
get .coldly critical catechism than he
is to get that which he wants allowed.
To Slash Right and Left.
One Of the things which the demo-
Gratis are taking fall out Of is the
hiRh-grade imported rugs which the
republicans have fallen into the way OF
purchasing The other day when Chief
Clerk Wilmeth Of the treasury depart
ment. was before the committee and
was asking for money for rugs and
was pointing out that there was need
for more funds for this purpose. he
was told that II the department pur-
chased good domestic rugs instead of
imported Persian and Kashmir rugs.
the appropriation made last year for
this purpose would have been ample.
This il a sample Of the way the dem
ocratss are setting the watchdogs on
the contingent funds Of the various de-
partments.
The house democratic leaders have
been figuring up how much they can
save BY cutting the estimates right and
left They plan to take a whack at every
appropriation bill that comes along.
They profess to believe they can save
from s75,O00.o00 to 3200,00o,ooO. as
cor, pared with the usual appropraa-
tions and authorizations made by the
republicans This Is what the leaders
are talking among themselves. They
are urging their colleagues to see to
it that the billion dollar mark is not
reached.
Only for Political Effect. @
The democrats are going to slash the
appropriation bills so heavily that ev-
erybody foresees long and hard
struggle between the house and the
senate. The senate will insist that
many OF the cuts proposed by the
democrats are nothing more or lesa
than politics and that the items must
be restored House democratic leaders
insist they will not yield as to most
Of the reductions.
It u foreseen that there IS going to
be 30 much difficulty between the two
houses in agreeing on the appropria-
ton bills that there is serious talk
now Of a recess Of congress from
sometime In summer until after the
elections. It Is suggested that congress
might come back at once after the
elections and then agree on such OF
the appropriation bills as could not be
agreed on earlier. This plan however
would leave some Of the departments
sadly handicapped in the early part OF
the coming fiscal year The probabili-
ties are that in the case of each Of the
appropriation bills or supply bills. after
a due amount Of controversy in con-
ference. agreements will be reached
and this before the end Of the current
fiscal year.