The Washington times., 1913-12-13

Reed, Speaker of the House. startled
the country by frank talk about
billion-dollar Congress-" Today, the
national legislative body has not only
passed the point where 1t IL two
billion-dollar Congress. but 1t Is moving
rapidly in the direction Of three
.bifiion-dollar Congress.
At the present rate Of growth in ex-
penditures. It win not be long before
each Congress-the life Of a Congress
being TWO years-appropriates Hoe0. ooO,-
600. Beyond all question. the country y
on the high road to such staggering
expenditures. and travelling that road
rapidly. One has only to give study to
the appropriations and expenditures OF
the Government in recent years to per-
'ceive the truth Of this assertion.
In the past the country rarely touched
such heights Of Extravaganza. even In
war time. But times have changed. and
Congress now sets golden streams In
motion with q reckIessness and abandon
that have seldom, il ever. been parai-
leIed In the worlds history.
More Than Billion.
How many people have. ever stopped
to reflect that the Government, AZ run
today. requires 5000. 900 for each day IN
the year to keep it going? This does
not even omit Sundays.
However. q glance at the annual ap-
Of Congress will make it
plain that this enormous daily outlay
Is made. For the current fiscal year.
ending next June 30. Congress has ap-
in round numbers 81. LOO, 100000
This means considerably more than
100000 per day. And besides. the
8, 100. .00o, 900 named does not include a
large sum In contracts authorized to be
entered into by the Government The
total Of these authorizations not con-
sidered in the N,lOo.ooo0Oo Is about SsS-
$4,000.
From these figures It Is apparent that
It Is entirely within the bounds Of truth
to refer to ConRress as a 1920, ,0000 900
affair. II Door old Tom Reed could
arise from his grave and examine the
statements for a few
he would have to admit that
his reference to billion dollar Congress
was now outgrown. obsolete. and behind
the times.
One Of the biggest problems before
the preeent regular session of Congress
Is the appropriations. The present Con-
gress Is Democratic IN both branches
and q Democrat presides In the White
House. For the first time In many years
the Democrats are In complete control
Of the Government.
Mere Political Sham.
For many years the Democrats on the
stump and In Congress have been assail-
ng the Republicans for extravagant ap-
But the assaults have
been the merest sham Of politics. Evil
1ence Of this Is seen In the fact that In
The last Congress, wherein the House
= as controlled by the Democrats, the
went on their swollen
way unchecked. And the annual esti-
ciates for the appropriations for the
lext fiscal year, which were sent to
Congress by Secretary OF the Treasury
at the outset of the session.
after being overlooked by the Cabinet
reads and the President. were $500. .00
higher than the appropriations for the
resent fiscal year, exclusive of de-
ioiepcies and miscellaneous. Or, in
iuding deficiency and miscellaneous
the estimates for the |
oming fiscal year as made by the Will
on administration are higher by about
10. 100000 than all appropriations for the |
resent fiscal year.
The things which is already perfectly
pparent Is this, that Democratic Ad-
and a Democratic Con,I
ress are not going to be any more |
uccessful in stopping the flood CT the
ides Of expenditure for Government |
urposes than Republican Administra-
ions and Republican Congresses Ex-
ravagant appropriations of public |
Moneys are ron-partisan.
Exceed Last Years Estimates.
Total estimates of expenditures sent
D Congress this month-that is, esti- 4
lates for appropriations for the COM
lg fiscal year-are 81, los, 100000 These
stimates exceed the estimates which
he Taft Administration sent to the last /
ession OF the preceding Congress.
Comparing the estimates which have /
Ist been seat to Congress with the ap-
ropriations for the current fiscal year,
ne striking fact appears that the esti-
lates for the coming fiscal year ex-
eed the appropriations for the present
seal year n all cases except the al