Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-08
CUT down EXPENSE
ORDER TO REDUCE ESTIMATES
ISSUED TO CHAiRMEN OF
COMMITTEES
COST OF GOVERNING is HIGH
Army and Navy Need Much Money
Waterway Improvement Advo-
Gates Expect Another Rivers
and Harbors Bill
Rx GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLIN TON.
Washington.-De leaders in
both houses have passed the word TO
the chairmen OF committees which
| deal with appropriations that they
must cut the supply estimates as deep
ly as they can without running the
danger Of Gripping the government
service. The Democratic party, as is
the custom with all parties, is pledged
to economy in government, but the
leaders have been little frightened
by the size Of the estimates which
have been transmitted by the secre-
taries of the different departments.
OF course, everybody realizes that
the population of the United States
continually is growing, and that it
costs more to run the machinery of
government for 00,000,0 coo of people
than it does for half that number or
two-thirds that number. Moreover,
our branching out in 1898 as in a
sense world power. has added to our
expenditures.
Prior to the Spanish war the gov
eTnment's bills for the navy were a
great many millions less than they are
today. The army appropriation bills
also were much smaller, for today
the land forces of the United States
are three times as great as they were
prior to the time our troops went into
Cuba. 1t costs money to run an army
and navy, and the bigger they are
the more they cost
Rely on the income Tax.
The Democrats believe that from
the income tax they will get enough
money to Offset the losses which may
come through diminished customs re-
ceipts. There are more goods on the
free list today than there were Before
and the duties on a good many arti-
cles have been cut. The income tax
receipts have been Yariously estimat-
ed but they probably will amount to
about S70,000,000 a year.
Recently there was a meeting of the
chairmen of the house committees
which are charged with preparing ap-
preparation bills. Speaker Clark
called the meeting and an agreement
was made that the appropriations
should be held down to the actual ne
cessities of the government and to the
demands of such public works as are
now in the process of completion.
The friends OF the river and har-
Dor legislation, according to the men
who give to the press the views of the
organization which looks after i'm
proved waterways, do not seem to
think the agreement to cut the appro-
priation bills win mean that there will
be no river and harbor legislation this
winter Rivers and harbors recently
have been classed by some people
with the public buildings appropria-
lions as pork barrel measures. This
is resented by the men who want the
waterways improved and the foods
held in check
Waterway Men Hopeful.
According to a statement put out
by the bureau Of publicity Of the Ma
tionai Rivers and Harbors congress,
Representative Sparkman of Florida,
chairman Of the rivers and harbors
committee Of the house of represen-
tatiyes, has said:
We will have a river and harbor
bill at this session to take care Of
projects for which estimates have
been made up to March 4, 1915. It
is difficult to tell at this time what
estimates, or any Of them, will be cut,
notwithstanding that | see in the pub
lie prints that the order has gone
forth to pare appropriations to fit ex-
listing conditions. Cur purpose is to
keep work moving on rivers and har-
bors up to the close of the short SEES
sion OF the present congress, which
will be March 4, 1915, when another
river and harbor bill will become d
law"
1t is perhaps probable that the chief
thing which gives hope to the pro-
ponents OF river and harbor improve
ments is the remembrance of the
floods of last spring, which did such
enormous damage in the middle west
AS has been said before in dispatches
from Washington, there are two plans
for the prevention Of future floods,
Louisiana and the other that of Sen
ator Newlands of Nevada. Mr.. Rams
dell wants large sum of money
spent to build leyees on the big riv-
ers to hold the water in the streams,
while Mr. Newlands wants large con
tinuing appropriations to build reser-
yoirs for the control of floods and for
other means OF bringing about the
same thing Congress this winter
probably will debate these two plans
at length.
1t seems to be fully determined that
the house committee on naval affairs
will recommend the construction of
two big battleships this year. The
army Will get its usual amount OF
money. and the chief pruning per-
haps. will come in other departments.
although the post Office department.
which Is largely, if not entirely self
supporting, will get anything addition
| al over its receipts which it may need.
Wilson's Antitrust Advisers.
Already President Wilson has
a pretty clear idea, it is said,
/ of what he wants to accomplish
| IN the way of antitrust legislation.
| The thing left to decide is just how to
accomplish it. It seems to be now