Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-20

In economy. There was no consideration
Of politics in this matter. The commit tee
ing up anything or diminishing the total
appropriations Of the bill 1t was done
Tor the purpose OF pointing a moral and
to bring attention to the fact that the
item for longevity pay for three or four
years. I want to inform the gentleman
that this morning ] ascertained from the
auditor that the last appropriation made
II In excess of what will be needed by
probably $4,000 In mex. years bill, il
I can influence tho situation. Ii is my pur-
pose to Inappropriate that $4,000 lust as
we reappropriated this, in order that
there may not be an unexpended balance
for teachers pay that can be used as a
basis for operation by some other bill
that Is before a committee Of this Con-
gress.''
Mr.. Carlin Gets the Floor.
Mr.. Carlin secured the floor,
1T Is we'll for the House to under
stand he said. "that We cannot always
safely rely upon the system of reason
ing which my good friend the chairman
of this committee yesterday denominat-
ed sane reasoning. and Of which he boast
ed. He told this House, in response to
my statement. that economy had cen
perfected and that corruption had err
haps been avoided. I made the ate
ment to the House that TODAY | would
produce the figures to show that il the
paragraph for which the gentleman was
contending In the bill become a law the
munity would lose $4,000 in their sala-
ries. He stated that that was not the
case. The appropriation referred to, to
be exact. IN the paragraph is $500,
Ioday. while l was on my feet. in order
to elicit the fact that the appropriation
commit tee. through this sane system
of reasoning, had actually made a mis-
take Of $4,000, the chairman of the conf
mlttee on appropriations called for the
regular order In order to take me off my
Ieet, SO as to give the gentleman from
Texas CMr. Burleson), the chairman of
the subcommittee, an opportunity to make
his explanation to the House before
could call attention to the error. But
happened to know that although the reg
uiar order took me off my feet at that
time 1t can not take me off my feet now
Let us see If we are right. am
not so sure that we are correct now. 1
understand that the actual amount of
money paid last year for longevity pay
was $355,O0O. II that is true, then there
Is not an unexpended balance of $4,000"
Wants to Help Teachers.
do you want information?" asked Mr..
Burleson.
OF course" rejoined Mr.. Carlin. II am
trying to save these ladies their pay"
For the fiscal year 1911, $27S, 9c4.27 was
paid said Mr.. Burleson.
Yes. and here is what you said yes
terday replied Mr.. Carlin. You said: The
auditor stated that he did not have the
data upon which calculation could be
made. and he felt sure that a reduction
OF $1,000 could safely be made. But in
asmuch as an excess appropriation OF
S76,0 had been made the year before.
we reached the conclusion that S3VO,OOO
was ample at this time
Now, let us see what you said In addi-
ton to that. In response to my ques-
ton OF what the necessity was for putting
the paragraph in the bill, you replied:
For the simple reason We do not propose
to appropriate an amount in excess of
what Is needed. 1t leads to extravaganza
gentleman would not contend for an ap-
preparation that leads to such ends?
Again, wish to quote from the gentle
man. insisted upon his reading a let
1t would show that 1t would require at
least $373, 600 to pay the ladies this year
and despite that statement from the au-
ditor. he was insisting upon the para
graph appropriating only $3O0.OOO and
this is what he said: The same author
tiles that made the calculation for the
years 1902 1910 and 1911, suppose,
made the calculation for the gentleman
from Virginia, and vet in the year 1900
there was an excess appropriation Of S15.-
317 SO; in the year 1910 there was an ex-
cess appropriation Of $19,S49.O2; and in
1911 there was an excess appropriation of
s76,C15.7S. Does the gentleman from Vir-
ginia, In the face of those figures. in
sist that that is good administration"
Thinks a Mistake Made.
Again the gentleman from Texas stat
. T~rv@Jy So
had that same information before we
ever acted on the item. The information
we secured from the superintendent of
public instruction was obtained from the
auditor
Now, 1 have but one desire in this
matter, and that Is to see that these good
women receive their pay. / was sure
that the gentleman had fallen into an
error and 1 wanted to point it out. The
gentleman asked for an Appropriation OF
$3O0.OOO, and after l called atten ion to it
yesterday he asked for $4,000 more Inis
morning, before had r cnafice to say a
word. Something happened between ye.-
terday afternoon and this ming. Ii
the gentleman had that infol mation yes
terday, and the gentleman intenAed to
change that item, the gentleman would
simply have had to state so and that
would have ended a long controversy
covering an hour
Knew What They Were Doing.
Bear me witness" says Mr. Burleson.
that requested that the gentleman &C.
lay until we reached this item, when, 1
told him, this matter would be fully ais
cussed. We did have the information
that is furnished in the letter alluded to
by the gentleman. We had it from the
auditor. We knew exactly what We were
doing when we appropriated the $500 QUO.
We intended to make available the ex-
cess, the uneXpended balance, for 1911, in
order to bring notice home to the people
who had been making these excessive .S-
Inmates that the committee on approp- l.
atoms knew exactly what was Deiug
uone."
Then We can understand" remarked
Mr.. Carlin, sarcaStically, that it is the
policy of the committee on appropri-
atoms that whenever they arc going to
ask for $376,000 they will print in the
bill 100000. and then offer an amend
ment on the floor. That is the gentle
mans sane system to which he re-
terred yesterday"
Il am not responsible for the gentle
mans process of reasoning" suggested
MIR. Bur1eson.
Controversy Grows Pointed.
Surely not" responded Mr.. Carlin.
and sometimes the gentleman does not
seem to be responsible for his own.
The fact remains before the committee
chairman Of the committee that he put
paragraph in this bill appro-
pria ting only $500, 900 for the school teach