The present Congress and the last Congress authorized the construction of no new public buildings. COMPARISON OF APPROPRIATIONS. The appropriations made at the present and extraordinary session of Congress, as shown in the statement marked "Table B," and which I shall submit as part of my remarks, are : Less than the appropriations made at the last session of the last Less than the appropriations made at the first session of the last Less than the appropriations made at the last session of the Fifty- Less than the appropriations made at the first session of the Fiftyfirst Congress by.. And less than the estimates submitted by.... $28,835,989.70 " 16,931,819.20 1 50,555,491.78 3,787,879.14 29,994,471.20 The table referred to is compiled from the official records, including therein, for the Fifty-first Congress, expenditures under indefinite appropriations made by that Congress and under permanent appropriations authorized by said Congress after the estimates for permanent appropriations were submitted by the Secretary of the Treasury, all of which are fuily explained in foot notes to the table. APPROPRIATIONS ENTAILED BY THE FIFTY-FIRST CONGRESS. In the statement marked "Table C" and submitted here with there are shown appropriations made at this session and also by the Ffty-second Congress and by the Fifty-first Congress, pursuant to laws enacted during the Fifty-first Congress: This statement shows that of the appropriation made at this session, $65,723,441.92 were required under laws passed during the Fifty-first Congress; that only $34,574,191.01 were appropriated by the first session of the Fifty-first Congress under those laws; that of the appropriations made during the two sessions of the last Congress $175,736,618.79 were the result of those laws, and that only $127,309,111.68 were appropriated at both sessions of the Fifty-first Congress under those laws which it passed entailing such enormous obligations upon its successors. OFFICES ABOLISHED SALARIES REDUCED. During the present session of Congress the salaried list of the Government has been reduced by more than 600 in number and over $700,000 in annual cost, and more salaries have been reduced than increased. The Fifty-first Congress specifically added, net, to the salaried list of the Government 1,705 new offices, at a total annual cost of $2,048,350.82, and specifically increased, net, 1,214 salaries, at a total ann ial cost of $247,724.82. The Fifty-second Congress, exclusive of the authority to increase the enlistment of apprentice boys in the Navy by 750, added, net, to the salaried list of the Government, 158 new officers, at a total annual cost of $134,790. The latter Congress, exclusive of the nominal increase which it authorized in the monthly pay of the station-keepers and surfmen of the Life-Saving Service, and of the sergeants in the Army, reduced, net, 177 salaries, at an annual saving of $36,105. DIMINISHING REVENUES. The revenue of the Government from all sources, exclusive of postal receipts, which are dedicated solely to the postal service, have been, since and including the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, as follows: The net ordinary expenditures of the Government, including interest on the public debt, and exclusive of requirements of the sinking fund for the fiscal years 1886, 1887, and 1888, they constituting the three full years of Mr. Cleveland's former administration, were as follows: And for the fiscal years 1890, 1891, and 1892, they being the three full years of Mr. Harrison's administration, such expenditures were as follows: This vast difference in the increase of expenditures of the three years last named over those first given can only be attributed to a recklessness of appropriation and expenditure by the then dominant party. It is true that the regular annual appropriations at the first session of the Fifty-first Congress for the fiscal year 1891 amounted to but $363,132,116.95, but when the amount of the permanent annual appropriations at the first session of that Congress, $131,324, 131.70, being $32,448,224.41 greater than for the year 1890, is considered, it may be readily seen in what the appropriations were made and the expenditures swollen by the Republican administration. From a constantly increasing expenditure and continual decreasing revenues unquestionably resulted the serious and embarrassing condition of thə public Treasury when the present administration assumed control of the Govern ment. TABLE A.-Tabular history of appropriation bills, first and second sessions of the Fifty-third Congress; estimates and appropriations for the fisca. year 1894-'95; and appropriations for the fiscal year 1893-'94, passed at the last session of the Fifty-second Congress. Indian........ Navy Further urgent deficiency, Further urgent deficiency, Deficiency, 1894, and prior Total a One-half of the amounts for the District of Columbia payable by the United States, except amounts for the water department (estimated for 1895 at $265,033.93) which are payable from the revenues of the water department. b Includes all expenses of the postal service payable from postal revenues and out of the Treasury. e This is the amount estimated for rivers and harbors for 1895, exclusive of $4,885,000 required to meet contracts authorized by law d No river and harbor bill was passed for 1894, but the sum of $14,166,153 was included in the sundry civil act to carry out contracts e This amount includes $14,166,153 to carry out contracts authorized by law for river and harbor improvements, and for improvements f This amount includes $3,974,646.14 judgments and claims audited and certified as due several Pacific Railroad companies. This amount includes $14,149,724.85 deficiency for pensions for the fiscal year 1893. No amount is included in the estimates of permanent annual appropriations for 1895 for bounty on sugar, for the reason stated in the i This is the amount submitted by the Secretary of the Treasury in the annual estimates for the fiscal year 1894, the exact amount TABLE B.-Appropriations made by the Fifty-first and Fifty-second Congresses, and by extra and first regular sessions of the Fifty-third Congress, fiscal years 1891 to 1895, inclusive. a Deficiencies included as follows: 1891, on account of 1890, $25,321,907.25; 1892, on account of 1891, $29,335,598.34; 1893, on account of 1892, $7,674,332; 1894, on account of 1893, $14,149,724.85. b This amount includes $1,362,059.16 actual expenditures under indefinite appropriations for pay and bounty claims. d This amount includes $15,227,000 for refund of direct taxes in addition to the specific sum of $500,000 appropriated for that purpose. $4,915,285,28; in all. $29,695,678,70. |