The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-03-18
APPROPRIATIONS TO
TOTAL BIG AMOUNT
Expenditures Of Congress to Cost Bill
lion Dollars Many Economies
Show Difference
= NAILS HARD TIMES LIE
Senator Simons in Speech Calls At
tention to Fact That Men of Lead
ing Industries Expect Big Year

From Congressman C. H. Tavenner
Washington, March 1S-It begins
to look now as of this were coins
to be another billion-dollar session
of Congress. In fact, the appropria
ton bill which have already passet
the House, added to the estimate O.
the amounts to be carried in ap
preparation bills yet to be introduced
apparently show that the total o.
appropriations will be in the neigh
borhood Of SLIGO, 900, 900.
No doubt, there will be much Re.
publican glee when it is finally de.
termined that the Democratic Con
gress is to spend more than billion
dollars in single session. But a
little analysis of the figures is sure
to show marked Democratic econo-
mics in the expenditure of the pub
hes money, in compliance with the
pledge in the last national Democra-
tic platform.
In the first place, although the
country has grown, and government
activities have increased in extent
and cost, yet the expense of govern
ment to the people is not to be great
er in the lump sum this year than for
several years past. Only economy
in administration could have accom-
plished this fact. At the rate ex-
penditures were increasing under Re-
publican rule, the expectation this
year would have been for a 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 this year, is a
credit to the administration and Con-
gress.
But while Congress was holding
expenditures within bounds, it was
authorizing actual new departures in
governmental activity for the benefit
OF the people. In this category
comes the new work in the construc-
tion of good roads, which is to cost
the government 25,00O,OOO this
year. There has been no cheese-par.
ing and no false, penny-pinching eco.
nomy by the Democrats. All Of the
important government 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
expenditure Of public money. The
Republicans were lavish because they
relied upon huge revenues derived
from high protective duties, which
fall most heavily upon the toilers
and bread winners. An euua
amount of money is to be spent by
the Democratic Congress this year
but the burden of supplying this rev
cnue falls much more heavily thar
ever before on those who can afford
to pay for government. The tax ha!
beeR taken off the principle neces
slhes OF life. It has been kept or
the luxuries, and the income tax
falling upon the rich and well-to-dt
is to he the largest single item O;
taxation.
Simmons Nails Hard Times Lie
Senator Simmons very effectuall,
nailed in it's coffin the Republican
calamity howl. This old propert,
spectre of the Republican stage man
ayers was not only nailed in it's cot
fin by the North Carolina senator
but SO many nails We're driven int
the coffin that they almost covere
UP the silver name plate.
The Senator inserted in his re
marks interviews with literally hun
dreds of business men-officers O
chambers of commerce and board Q
trade, the presidents and manager
of the leading industries of the Unite
States. And scarcely without excep
tion they expressed the opinion tina
business is good now, but that the fu
ture indicates a boom year. Eve
the talk of idle men in the cities wa
shown to be based on no abnorma
condition. 1t, will probably tax
some courage to make another hard
fimas cnaonh in tho cooo+o