Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-09-14
PENROSE SAYS DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESS EXTRAVAGANT AND
IGNORED NATIONAL INTEREST

defense. The revenue law does not
give any consideration to these pur-
poses, which are of overwhelming
| Importance in view of conditions
which will confront the United States
when the war in Europe is concluded
World Crisis overlooked
"The revenue law, therefore, from
| a Republican point of view, as de-
clared in the platform of the party
promulgated at the Chicago conven-
! ton. is wrong in principle and en-
tirely overlooks the serious Internal
ional crisis which we will have to face
Additional revenue is necessary by the
failure of existing laws to produce
sufficient revenue. But even with
the great burdensome increase of tax
alton provided in the present law
there will not be produced sufficient
revenue to overcome the deficit in the
treasury caused by extravaganza in
appropriations.
1T was sufficient to call attention
to the fact that appropriations made
at the recent session of Congress will
aggregate approximately $1,700, 600,
900, as against s1.114, 000,0 900 for the
fiscal year 1915, an amount that al
| most staggered the country at the
time. In other words. there have
been appropriated at the recent ses-
sion a larger amount OF money than
ever before in the history of the coun-
try. 1t is misleading to state that the
additional amount appropriated al
this session has been required for
preparedness alone. The fact is that
the appropriations for preparedness
will not exceed $S90,O0O,0O0 demon.
strating that entirely outside of pre-
paredness this Congress has made APP
| preparations of approximately $780,
100000 more than any preceding
| Congress.
10000 Offices Created
| mot only is the statement that ad-
ditional revenue is needed for pre-
paredness entirely misleading, but the
fact is that the wasteful and ill-ad-
vised appropriations FOR projects that
were unnecessary, ill-considered and
certainly not urgent, the creation OF
over twenty thousand of additional
offices at an annual expense of some
$40,000,000, and general extravaganza
in expenditures in all departments OF
the government, together with the
failure of existing legislation passed
under the present administration to
provide sufficient revenue, even under
normal conditions, place the respon-
sibility distinctly on the party in pow
er to devise ways and means to pro-
vide sufficient revenues for treasury
already facing a large deficit
Even with the additional taxes
provided by the revenue law it is
declared that it will be necessary to
take from the balance in the general
fund nearly $70,000,0O0 to meet the
requirement of greater Aisburse-
ments. At the rate at which the gen.
| eral balance is disappearing there
will be no general balance, but more
likely a deficit at the end of this fisca
year. The general balance has re-
Gently been running below $30,000,-
600, obviously insufficient to meet the
requirements of the '$70,000,000 con.
templated by the transfer for current
disbursements.
I'm other words the treasury of the
United States. by reason of reckless
extravaganza and improvident ex.
| penditures, is bankrupt in that the
revenues will fail to meet the expendi.
lures. Moreover, Notwithstanding the
adherence which the Democratic
party has expressed against borrow.
ing money on account OF the adverse
effect of such borrowing in Cleveland,
second administration, the party IL