New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-15
BY REPRESENTATIVE r. II. GIL
LETT.

tons made BY the administration at
the last session, and the appropria-
| tons actually made by the Congress In
response 10 those recommendations
were the largest ever known. exceed
ing the largest Of those which they had
so unsparingly condemned BY about
$l00,0O0,00O. But during the last ses-
J sion they could al least plead mex
| perience. IL was their first taste ~
power and responsibility FOR MANY
years. They could claim that their
rev tariff law and their new income
. tax law had not yet been tested, and
there was a chance that they might
/ produce ample revenue, even Tor the
enormous and inordnate appropria-
| tons.
At this session they had no such eX-
/ cuse. Their revenue laws had been
tested They had experience by which
they could forecast the income Of mex
year. And in the light Of this knowl-
edge, in the midst OF great Europeau
war disturbing all commercial and
financial activities, with every indica-
ton that expenditure must be rad
cally curtaied II il was not 20 exceed
the income despite all this the admin
istration requested larger approprs-
tions than had ever been requested o.
any other Congress. and Congress has
granted larger appropriations than had
ever been granted until last year.
Thought Only of Spending.
Apparently both the administration.
which first suggested the expenditures.
tpd the Congress, which finally author
led them. were reckless of how the
money was TO be provided they
thught only of how the money could
be spent. Their appetites must be
gratificd. regardless OF cost Ard so /
believe nv their seli-indulGence they
have paved the way for an enormous
deficit next year. which must be met
either by borrowing money or by nov
and veXatious taxes.
What was there to justify house
. keeping on this magnificent scale? The
, cash in the Treasury general fund had
shrunk from Slil 100000 on july ], the
beginning OF the fiscal year. 20 $4,000
600 on December :. That means that
during the five preceding months the
expenses of the government had eX-
I ceeded its income by S66.000,000. We
had been running behind at the rate
Of $13,0O0,OOO a month. How much OF
the insuficiency Of income was due 10
+ the Democratic revenue laws and how
much to the European war ! will no.
here discuss, for both conditions
seemed likely 70 endure through the
reXt fiscal year, and I'M forecastlng
probable revenue it would be only pru-
dent to assume their continuance.
But the estimates submitted by this
80. h,,,f h.. f..tt
not primarily with Congress. The EX-
ecutivc has been more reckless and i'm
proydent thar Congress. and with less
excuse. In this session the approprl-
atoms have been Sl7000000 less than
asked by the administration. In The
last session they were 100000 les
If Congress a. both sessions had ap-
propriated all that the administration
recommended the huge total of APP
preparations would be SS3 100000 great
CT still. SO the prevalent opinion thai
Congress is mainly to blame is moor
rect. It is the Executive which Is pri-
marlv at fault II ought 70 be vastly
. easier for the President and Cabinet
"a small executive body. exempt from
the dangers OF logrolling. to survey the
whole field. calculate the revenues and
cut the estimates TO CORE pond. But
/ they have been wholly recrcant to that
duty
With the evidence Of falling rove
nues plainly before them they have
not hcsitated TO demand increased eX-
pendltures, and instead OF obeyIng the
law and guiding Congress TO obvious
and imperative economics Congress
has been obliged 10 restrain and prune
their reckless estimates. As long a
the Executive shows 10 appreciation
of his re possibility in adv ising how
20 make the two ends meet, Congress,
/ with its large membership and DIVER
sity Of interests. can hardly be expected
TO assume the entire possibility ana
practise Self-denial.
President Failed in Duty.
The estimates submitted 70 Congress
al the beginning Of the session in De
cembe last, including those submitted
by supplemental communication, were
palpably far in excess of any estimate
I of the possible revenues for the year.
The President, instead Of advising Con-
gress, as he was commanded to by
the law. how, in his judgment, the
estimated appropriations could with
least injury to the public service be
reduced so as 10 bring the approprla-
tons within the estimated revenues"
said in his annual message:
81 assert with the greatest confidence
that the people OF the United States
are not Jealous OF the amount their
government costs if they are sure that
they get what they need and desire for
the outlay
The appropriations OF this session
have shamefully disregarded the prin-
ciples of sound business and true
economy. With revenues falling and
precarious, with business and CONNER
cal conditions feverish and uncertain.
with a steady monthly deficit and no
assured prospect OF its relief, and with
cash fund reduced 10 n point that
has generally been deemed unsafe. the
administration has recommended and
J the Congress has authorized eNpendi-
lures on larger scale than ever be
fore. and no step has been taken to
meet the prospective deficit. | can see
in such conduct no sign Of judgment
or foresight or prudence. Il seems 10
me reckless gamble. a blind trust
that some happy chance will effect
deliverance which no sound reason can
anticipate.