The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-02-10

washington, Jan. oO.-DemOCTdllC
members of the house appropriations
committee are preparing to challenge
the claim Of Chairman. Good that
$3.50, 100000 or more has been
"saved" by slashing the estimates of
the executive departments.
1t is the contention of the Demo-
Gratis that this is largely paper
saving;" that deficiency bills will fol-
low appropriation bills cut below rea-
sonable limits and that a mere re-
duction of departmental estimates
means little on the final balance
sheet. The departments always ask
for more than they expect to get, and
all estimates are cut, year after year,
but the slashing process has never
been so ruthlessly followed as in this
congress.
Points to Weak Spots.
Representative James F. Byrnes,
of South Carolina, minority mem
Der Of the appropriations committee,
pointed out today what he termed
weak spots in the arguments of those
who boast of saving $1,0O0,OO0,000
to $1,000, 100000 in the appropria-
tions this year. Mr.. Byrnes said he
soon would prepare detailed state
ment showing that these reductions
in estimates are not so important and
economical as represented and that
Republican boasts of rigid economy
will not bear analysis.
"Off hand" said Mr.. Byrnes today,
81 can think Of a number of items
listed as a saving which deserve no
such name. In the sundry civil bill,
for instance, the majority of the COM
mittee Topped off about s400,000,0O0
in the estimates of the shipping
board and this is represented as hav-
ing been saved.
''The fact is the committee allow
ed some millions for the shipping
board and directed it to get more
money through the sale of ships and
ship yards, from unexpended bal
ances, ship contracts, and so on. Ex-
isting law, including he Jones Mer-
chant Marine law, directs that money
received from the sale of shipping
board property, such as ships, shall
be turned into the treasury.
Same as an Appropriation.
"Therefore, instead of turning this
money into the treasury it will go
to the shipping board, which amounts
to the same thing as if the commit
tee had appropriated outright for the
board.
"Ten million dollars for the nj
trate plant as Muscle Shoals was also
cut out of the sundry bill, after we
have expended millions on the pro-
ject. Congress has not yet determ-
ined it's policy regarding continu-
alton of this plant, so it cannot be
claimed that this sum of $40, 100000
was eliminated from the estimates.
"If 81, 100000 will be saved
this session, why does not the party
in power go ahead and prepare to
reduce taxes by similar amount?
Instead of that, committees are meet
ing to devise additional means OF
raising taxes.
"Going back to the estimates, the
rivers and harbors will carry only
100000 instead of the s57,OOO,-
600 asked for by the engineers. Is
this amount saved if these improve
| ments are necessary? The needs Oh
| commerce must be met and it is tal1
to assume these Improvements will
be made some day, and some members
question the economy of practically
stopping river and harbor work ano
holding appropriations down to mere
maintenance items.
sIt is claimed there was a saving o.
100000 in the agricultural Dill
hut this amount includes S9,OOO,OOt
disallowed for the continued purchas'
ine of forest lands under the Weeks