The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-03-20
MONEY VOTED
BREAKS RECORD

Statements issued by Chairman Ftz.
gerald of the House appropriations
committee, and Representative Gilbert,
the ranking Republican member, agree
that the appropriations of the last SEES
sion of Congress totaled $1,115, 121, 400;
that contracts involving additional ap-
preparations of $37, 400, 900 were au-
thorized and that a treasury deficit is
probable. Both statement agreed that
the present lack of system in making
federal appropriations is slipshod and
ought to be remedied.
Chairman Fitzgerald statement did
not give the totals OF appropriations
for the entire Sixty-third Congress. Mr..
Gillett placed that total tat $2,331, 000,
600, which, he said,w was $1l3,0 00, 900
greater than that of the Sixty-second
Congress and $177 100000 more than
the last Republican Congress approprl-
ated.
MI. Fitzgerald estimated that should
the condition of the treasury continue
as at present until June 80, the total
deficit would be $l33, 000, 200, offset,
however, by the income tax collec-
Cions, which are estimated at about
$4,000, 900.
Mr.. Gillett asserted in his state
ment that the treasury has not been
so empty since the Cleveland admin
istration.'
Chairman Fitzgerald declared the
tariff was in no way responsible and
until the outbreak of the European
war the new law proved an effective
revenue producer. Mr.. Gillett did not
agree with that.
Mr.. Fitzgerald said the effect of the
war is worldwide and as it goes on
reduction of customs imports and their
revenue viii continue. At some length
ne discussed the need of economy.
1.-The finances of the government
must be readjusted, - he said. "To
make the work of the House of Rep
r~esentatives really effective there
must be a radical change in its metht
DDS of handling appropriations. Many
times the present system has been
condemned as illogical and unscien-
tifc. Real reform is impossible with
committees of the House framing
appropriation bills, while seven of the
committees have Legislative Jurisdic-
ton for matters for which they recon-
mend appropriations. Further consider
alton deepens my conviction that Que
committee should be given control of
all appropriations and that 10 legisla-
ton should be contained in the appro-
bills.
Mr.. Gillett assaulted the Democratic
for what he characterized as
extravaganza, as follows:
1.-THE appropriations of this session
lave shamefully disregarded the prln-
of sound bushes and true econ
omy. With revenues falling and pre-
c~ari0us, with business and commercial
conditions feverish and uncertain,
with a steady monthly deficit and 10
assured prospect of it's relief and
with a lash fund reduced to a point
that has generally been deemed un-
safe, the administration has recon-
mended and Congress has authorized
expenditures on a larger scale than
ever before and no step has been ia
ken to meet the prospective deficit.
THAT is not the way the finances
of a government should be admins
tered. There ought to be some proper
ton between income and outgo and
their relations ought not to be ignored
and their accommodation left to
That seems to have been the
only fiscal policy of this session.
1.-The executive has been more reck-
less and improvident than Congress
and with less excuse. 1t is the execu-
tive primarily at fault. 1t ought to be
vastly easier for the President and a
small executive body exempt from the
hangers of log-rolling, to survey the
whole field, calculate the revenues, and
tut the estimates to correspond. -
Herald-Republican.