The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-07-22
Appropriations for Year Will
Reach Enormous T0ataI
of 81, 12l 900, 900
$23 900, 900 MORE
THAN PREVIOUS YEAR
Senate Committee Has Approved Plan
for AN Issue of $5O0,0oO,0O0 in
Bonds to Be Loaned to the States
for Highway Improvements.

WASHINGTON, July 22-The Demo
cratic party, pledged to economy in ex
penditures by a platform plank which de-
noanced Republican extravaganza, is
facing a record breaking budget. With
the sundry civil, Indian and general de-
ficiency bills in conference and all other
annual budgets except the rivers and har-
hors bill out of the way, "A conservative
estimate. shows that the appropriate lions for
the current fiscal year, inclusive of the
postotfice budget and the permanent an
nual appropriations approximately will be
81, 121 100000 as compared with 81 ,O9S.-
100000 last year. With few minor ex-
ceptlons there have been increases all
along the line in the annual supply bills.
Economies have been effected here and
there by the Democrats, only to be over
come by the passage of deficiency bills or
| by enlarged totals of the principal bud
| gets.
| If the Republican flibuster in the Sen
ate should kill eventually the rivers and
har bors BILL with its 500, 100000 OF
appropriations and authorizations, the
total of the prospective budget will be re-
duced but the record for the entire Con
gress will not benefit IN the end, owing to
the nsistence upon public buildings
1 pork barrel next winter The rivers
ana harbors pork barrel" would doubt
| less again be passed by the House next
winter and the Senate now has a House
| biz proposing an outlay Of $4,000, 600
for good roads.
/ The postoffice budget for the year Is
i $2G, 900 more than that of last year
the army bill shows a $1,000. 900 increase
the pension budget S1l 100000, the agr
cultural S1,O00000, and rivers and har
hors 1900, 600.
$500. 100000 for Good Roads.
The most sweeping proposal for high
way betteTment presented to Congress II
recent years was approved when the Sen
ate committee on post offices and pos
; roads by a vote of 5 to I decided to re
port the so-called Bourne plan, which III
; wolves q possible issue of $4,000, 900 IL
federal bonds to raise funds for loans I,
the states. The bill also provides for al
immediate federal appropriation of , pc
cent of the total amount as a maintenance
fund. The bill provides for the issuanc
OF bonds for not more than 5000. OOO,oO'
at > per cent interest to run % years
: Not more than S100,000OO0 would b
r issued in any one year This money woul
+, TO borrow it, the borrowing right of eac
f state to be fixed at a ratio derived fror
: its population, area. public highway mile
n age. and the assessed value of its taXabl
J. property as compared with similar stats
Il ties for the whole country. In one year
). state could borrow only 20 per cent ,
O the total amount 10 which it was entitled
Z 4 state wishing to borrow from the fe,
- era fund would do 80 by depositing {
I'll security its of 3O-year bonds at pc
t, cent interest The difference of 1 pc
/. cent between the interest on the state an
IF federal bonds would go to establishing
d redemption fund for the states. AT Il
/ end of the 30 years the states would haN
Il to redeem 30 per cent of the face value
- their bonds The whole system would
guided by federal highway commissc
acting in an advisory capacity, having ii
~ right to establish local branches