Imperial Valley press., 1914-03-30
TAVENNER'S VIEWS
FROM WASHINGTON

(By Congressman c. H. Tavenner)
Washington, March 2S.-It begins to
look now as if this were going to be
another billion-do session of Con-
gress. In fact, the appropriation bills
which have already passed the House,
added to the estimate of the amounts
to be carried in appropriation bills
yet to be introduced, apparently show
that the total of appropriations will
be in the neighborhood Of $1,100,000,-
900.
No doubt there will be much Re-
publican glee when it is finally de-
termined that the Democratic Congress
is to spend more than billion dol
lars in a single session. But lit
tie analysis of the figures is sure to
show marked Democratic economies
in the expenditure of the public's
money, in compliance with the pledge
of the last national Democratic plat
form.
In the first place, though the coun-
try has grown, and government activ-
tiles have increased in extent and cost,
yet the expense of government to the
people is not to be greater in the
lump sum this year than for several
years past. Only economy in admin
istration could have accomplished this
fact. At the rate expenditures were
increasing under Republican rule, the
expectation this year would have been
for budget of upwards of billion
and a quarter of dollars. That the
Democrats have held expenses to the
past levels (thus actually decreasing
the per capita cost of government thi;
year, is a credit to the administra
But while Congress was holding ex-
penditures within bounds it was au-
thorizing actual new departures in
governmental activity for the benefip
of the people. In this category comes
the new work in the construction of
good roads, which is to cost the gov
ernment $25,0OO,000 this year. There
has been no cheese-paring and no
false, penny -pinching economy by the
Democrats. All of the important gov
ernment activities are taken care of,
as. in the past. The money has been
saved by economy in administration.
by greater efficiency The people get
the benefit of this.
But there is one big difference be-
tween Republican and Democratic ex-
penditure of public money. The Re-
publicans were lavish because they re-
lied upon huge revenues derived from
high protective duties, which fall
most heavily upon the toilers and
breadwinners. An equal amount of
money is to be spent by the. Demo-
cratic congress this year, but the bur-
den of supplying this revenue falls
much more heavily than ever before
on those who can afford to pay the
government. The tax has been tax
en- off the principal necessities of life.
1t has been kept on the luxuries, and
the income tax, falling upon the rich
and well-to-do is to be the largest sin
gle item of taxation.
Simmons Nails Hards Times Lie.
Senator Simmons very effectually
nailed in it's coffin the Republican
calamity howl This old property
spectre of the Republican stage man.
ayers was not only nailed in it's cof-
fin by the North Carolina senator,
but so many, nails were driven into
the coffin that they almost covered
up the silver name plate.
The senator inserted in his re-
marks interviews with literally hun
dreds of business men-officers of
chambers of commerce and boards Of
trade, the presidents and managers
of the leading industries of the Unit
ed States; and scarcely without ex
ception they expressed the opinion
that business is good now, but that
the future indicates a boom year.
Even the talk of idle men in the cities
was shown to be based on no abnor-
NAL condition. 1t will probably tax.
some courage to make another hard
times speech in the Senate.