The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-06-10
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS RE-
SPONSIBLE FOR EXTRAVA-
CANOE

UANSE
A we'll known newspaper defender
of the Wilson administration says
that "The expenditures allowed by the
last Congress, in view of the declara-
ton of the Baltimore convention, with
regard to economy, was disgrace.
No preceding Republican Congress had
gone the length of Democratic Con-
gress elected on a platform of econ
| omy. The last one made record for
extravaganza. 1t embarrassed the
President and brought down ridicule
| upon his administration"
All of which is true except that the
censure is grossly misplaced when it
is loaded upon Congress. and also ex-
cepting the statement that Congress
embarrassed the President. If the
President has been embarrassed, it is
due solely to his own action. He has
absolute control over his cabinet. That
cabinet asked for appropriations to
the amount of $84,000,000 more than
the last Congress appropriated,
though the total appropriations of
that Democratic Congress were $177,-
600, 900 more than were made by the
last Republican Congress. The real
fact is that by asking for so much
money the Wilson cabinet embarrass-
ed Congress and made its work far
more difficult than it should have been.
If the Democratic Congress had re-
ceived any cooperation whatver from
the President in its effort to econo-
mize. there might have been a differ
ent story to tell. But the President in
his address to the two houses of Con-
gress, at the opening of the last ses-
sion, said that the American people
are not jealous of the amount of
money appropriated if they get what
they want for their money. No words
could have been uttered more plainly
inviting Congress to extravaganza. If
that language means anything, it
means that if the people get money
for local public buildings and other
public improvements commonly but
often enormously referred to as
pork" they will not critise the ad-
ministration. Of course President
Wilson put it in the more dignified
language of the college professor. but
its meaning could not have been other.
wise than a call for larger public
expenditures.
Undoubtedly, President Wilson will
send an economy message to the next
congress, and attempt to pose before
the country as the watchdog of the
treasury. But the American people
are possessed of more than average
intelligence and have habit of read
ing and remembering. Moreover, the
people are honest enough, and coura-
geous enough. to place the responsible
ity exactly where it belongs, despite
the studied efforts of the Presidents
friends to shift the responsibility en-
tirely to Congress. where only lesser
degree of blame should be placed
1t is true that the Democratic Con-
gress passed eXtravagant appropria-
ton bills, but it did so under pressure
from the Executive Departments. Not
one of those appropriations became
or presumably would become a law
without the consent of the President,
who holds the power of veto.
Now, if the defenders of and apollo
gists for the President can get any
consolation out of the record. they are
welcome to exploit it to their hearts
content. Not one of them has the
hardihood to challenge the veracity of
the fighting Democratic Chairman of
the House Appropriations Committee,
Hon. j. j. Fitzgerald, who in an ad-
dress to Congress, told of the excess
sive recommendations of members of
the cabinet. An issue of that kind,
between Wilson and Fitzgerald might
very easily start movement for Fitz-
gerald as a nominee of the Democratic
party in the place of Wilson. If the
campaign is to be on a platform of
economy. certainly the Democrats
would find it easier to support Fitz-
gerald than Wilson.