The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-12-04
CONGRESS ASKED
TO APPROPRIATE
$4,000 FOR new
P0ST0FFICE HERE
Treasury Department at Opening Ses-
sion of 9th Congress Asks for
Appropriation.
WILL TAKE 81, ,654,S19,654 TO
RUN GOVERNMENT NEXT YEAR
President Wilson Expected to Give
Message to Congress Tomorrow;
Food Embargo Up.
(By United Press)

(By United Press)
Washington, Dec. 4.-The treas
ury department at the convening at
noon today of the Gath congress for
it's dying session, asked for an ap-
preparation of $4,000 for the con-
tinuation of the new federal build
ing at Bemidji, Minn., and $4,000
for the completion of the Little
Falls, Minn., postoffice.
The treasury department asked
congress for $40, O,497 ,404 for the fiscal
year ending June, 1918, for the COM
pletion of public buildings. The last
budget was slightly over seven mil
lion dollars.
Seventeen members of the senate
and 70 odd "lame duck" members of
the house today began their final leg
fades March 4 on this congress, they
will gather up their togas and start
for home and private citizenship.
These ''lame ducks" are those the
populace turned thumbs down upon
in the last election. Their services
range anywhere from little less
than a year, in the case of Senator
Tom Taggart of Indiana, to % years
in the cases of Senator Clarence D.
Clark of Wyoming and Representa-
tive Sparkman of Florida, Clark run
ming third in the point of service
in the senate, and Sparkman fourth
in continuous service in the house.
The political history of the ses-
sion depends on how the members
having the balance of power-a Pro-
hibitionist, Socialist, couple of
Independents and several members,
who may vote any way at all-shape
is their party preference
When the call is sounded for the
election of a speaker, the country
will find out whether the house is
really Democratic or Republican.
President Wilson will address con-
gress, tomorrow. : ~-..->- ...@>-~-
Representative Fitzgerald and his
threatened food embargo legislation
was the center of interest when the
session began. Fitzgera1d's declara-
tion late in November that he would
introduce a resolution for a food en-
barge to keep products in the United
States and reduce the cost of living
stirred up political hornets nest.
Senator Borah of Idaho announced
before the opening of the session
that he would introduce a bill ask
ing for the repeal of the army reor-
ganiZation bill because of the Sec
tions referring to state militias.
Packed galleries greeted the gavels
of Speaker Clark and Vice President
Marshall as chattering members of
the two houses, in most cases meeting
for the first time since the eventful
day in September when they rushed
through the Adamson eight-hour bill
law, turned to hear the familiar ad-
monition to '"be in ORDER"
Senator Gallinger and Senator
Kern, Republican, and Democratic
floor leaders, respectively, were
named senate members of the joint
committee to notify President Will
son that congress was ready to hear
him. The house named as it's men,
bers Majority Leader Kitchin, Min
ority Leader Mann and Representa-
tive Fitzgerald, chairman of the ap-
preparations committee.
Estimates of departments were
submitted to congress this afternoon.
1t will take $1,654, ,654.O3 to
run the government of the United
States from June 80, 1917, to June
80, 1918, according to estimates of
the heads of the various branches
of the government Of the country. OF
this grand total of more than a bill
lion and a half dollars, the various
establishments estimates are set
forth as follows:
Legislative, 1851, ,626.45.
Executive, $32,929,365.9O.
Judicial, 1895, 5,79O.
I Department of agriculture, $685.
096,075. >..
Foreign intercourse, $5,7OO,626.66.
Military establishment, $30O,694,-
684.52.
Naval establishment, $366,O70,-
651.67.
Indian affairs, $12,230,356.67.
Pensions, $155, 100000.
Panama canal, 25,145,562.35.
Public works, $145,
Postal service, $325,355,82O.
Miscellaneous, $106,914,73S.93.
Permanent annual appropriations,
$143,
The total estimate for the needs of
the government during the next fis-
cal year exceed by $87,957,559.9S,
the amount appropriated for the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1917. s's
With the exception of the postal
service the needs for defense and
preparedness as shown in the report,
constitute the largest single items
For the pay of the navy $51,O23,-
776.15 is required, exclusive of that
of the. marine corps, which requires
$7,133,0O2.78. For the ship build
ing program for the year 96,962, 200
is osked and IS, ,133, 900 will be neces-
sary for extending the aviation