The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-07-08
REPUBLICAN SAVING
IS CALLED ABSURD
BYRNES ASKS WHY, THEN, TAXES
WE'RE NOT REDUCED.
Asserts Indirect Appropriations Bring
Total for $50 Days of Con-
gress to So, ,4OS, $780, 1927.

Representative James F. Byrnes OF
South Carolina, a Democratic member
of the appropriations committee, chal-
lenged the statement of Representa-
tive Mondell, Republican floor leader
in the house, that the Republican con-
gress had saved the taxpayers more
than a billion dollars.
"If Mr.. Mondell's statement is
true" said Mr.. Byrnes, why have
they not reduced taxes in correspon-
ding amount?"
Mr.. Mondell, in his financial state
ment at the close of the session, as
serted that the appropriations by this
congress for the fiscal year beginning
July 1, next, amount to S4,S59,S90,-
327.3O.
'SThis is the truth, but not the
whole TRUTH said Mr.. Byrnes. "As
member of the house appropriations
committee, want the people to know
that in addition to the direct appro-
priation of the sum mentioned, this
congress has be re-appropriations and
authorizations made available for ex-
penditure at least s543,4OO,OOo ad-
ditional, making the total amount
available for expenditure s5,4O3,39O,-
327.30.
'This is almost five times as much
as has ever been spent by the govern
ment in a single year in time of peace,
the largest amount heretofore appro-
priated being s1,114,937,O12.O2 for
the fiscal year 1916. This Republi-
can congress was in session exactly
$50 days and an authorized expendi-
ture of s5,4O3,39O,927. means that
the money of the people was appro-
priated at the rate of s36,OQ0,OO0 a
day and that to meet the expenditures
for the next year it will be necessary
to levy an average tax of $50 upon
every man, woman and child in
America.
Tells of Indirect Appropriations.
1nasmuch as it is advisable that
the public should know the total ex-
penditures authorized by congress, it
is unfortunate that for political ex-
pediency this Republican congress
should have resorted to appropriating
money in indirect ways, making abso-
lutely misleading any statement of di-
rect appropriations.
For instance, of the s543, 1000
made available for expenditure over
and above the direct appropriations,
there are reappropriations amounting
to s156, 6,600,000. This means that
of appropriations heretofore made for
expenditure during the present fiscal
year 100000 was not expended
and under the law should be turned
back into the treasury July /. Con-
gress, however, provided that this
amount should be made available for
expenditure next year and has made a
corresponding reduction in the
amount of direct appropriations.
another plan by which the Repub-
lican congress has endeavored to mis-
lead the people is illustrated in the
appropriations for the shipping board.
This year the shipping board asked
for s225,000,000. The congress did
not make the direct appropriation, but
directed that 1925, 100000 Of the pro-
seeds of the sale of ships should not
be turned into the treasury but should
be made available for expenditure
during the next year. The Republican
leaders include this amount in the
total alleged reduction of estimates
and call it saving but blind man
can see and fool can understand
that the money is going to be spent,
and it matters little to the taxpayer
which one of his pockets it comes out
of.
''Another instance of this effort to
mislead the people by this pretended
reduction of appropriations is in the
deficiency bill, where the railroad ad-
ministration asked for s420, 100000
to wind up it's affairs Congress ap-
propriated directly s3OO,000,0 1000, and
instead Of appropriating the remain
ing S12O, 100000, directed that the
railroad administration be allowed to
use $30,00O,O0O out of the loan fund
in the transportation act
This money will be spent and the
loan fund will be reimbursed after
the election. The balance of s90,-
100000 was provided by directing
the war finance corporation to pur-
chase, at par, s9O,OOO,000 Liberty
bonds held by the railroad admins