Show I I j WHITE HOUSE EXTRAVAGANCE t I Executive Can Cn Fling Money at atthe atthe atthe the Birds Nowadays I CONGRESS FOOTS THE BILL BILLt BILLI t 4 FACTS IN DEBATE YESTERDAY Feb 12 In the Vi VV i house today the conference re report report report port on the bill to create a gen general general eral staff in the army arm was adopted After some further routine business of a minor character the house went into committee of the whole and re resumed resumed resumed the further consideration of the sundry civil appropriation bill When the item appropriating for the care repair and of the executive mansion man ion to be expend expended ed as the president might determine was reached Mr Gaines of Tennessee asked why this appropriation had been increased from to Mr Cannon replied by b calling attention to the enlargement of the White House and the construction of the new ex cx executive executive offices These changes he said increased the expenses Mr Gaines read from the report of Colonel Bingham extracts ascribing the Increase of the expenses at the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House to the large amount of enter entertaining I 1 taming done by the president Mr Gaines aines said he did not believe the peo people pIe should be taxed for these endless chain entertainments He said he was sorry orry had been be n spent to remodel rem d 1 the old White House Cannon Disappointed Mr Ir Cannon in fn reply said he was glad the old White House had hd been overhauled but he confessed that the new executive offices had disappointed him I think said he we were entitled to a better building for the money Mr Cannon recalled re led the fact that dur ing Jacksons administration the land landscape landscape gardening of the White House grounds was a political Issue He men mentioned mentioned mentioned this he said to show how the American people sometimes Uran ran amuck Mr Fitzgerald of New York referred to toa toa toa a newspaper report taht Colonel Bing hams transfer had been due to his hold holding holdIng ing lag up certain vouchers in connection with the White House improvements and his opposition to the character of or these improvements He also criticised the lan Ian language language guage of the for the care repair and which he did not think actually described the purposes for tor which the appropriation was made Will not the gentleman state that Colonel Bingham states that he was transferred at his own ow request asked Mr Graham Gram of Pennsylvania Oh ih h replied Mr Fitzgerald it i is the th common thing for officers whose future is in the service serce to make statements statement ex cx exonerating e their superiors But it i In my opinion O reflects upon the president of the l rt hit United Jf States to have it Pf Intimated i that an officer is being coerced in approving expenditures tion his judgment does not sane sanc sanction sc ton je Imitation of Mr MI Cockran of Missour t the subject raised by 1 the pending item Iem was wasI wasI I well wen worthy of serious sero consideration lon He Hei F inv i against the growing gowing extravagance I gance of ot official circles the I mend manil mal for increased salaries and nd allow allowances alow ances ace He described official functions as asan asan asan an attempt to t imitate court our circles abroad He said that fifty years yeas ago the White House receptions were vere very ver differ different der derent different ent and far simpler simple than they are to to today day dav da It I was s a fact he h said sai that poor por men today t could not positions In Inthe Inthe inthe the the cabinet or on the bench because of the social expenses e entailed and he thought that at an a argument arment for a return to the simpler methods method of the older days Mr Cannon replying to Mr Fitzgerald said so far as he knew kew there was no con conflict cn conflict between Colonel Bingham and the secretary secreta of war over the approval of vouchers As to the language langua e of the item under discussion he thought It I proper There was nothing he said sId to prevent the president at his own expense entertaining as he h chose Mr Simms Simma of Tennessee T in criticisms criticising the work of the architect who made the White hite house improvements improvement denominated denominate the executive office a hen coop cop which would invite Invie the attack atack of anarchists An amendment offered by b Mr rr Gaines to reduce the appropriation from 60 to ion 60 was voted down dO without divis division dIvision division Philippine Item Item Mr r Jones of Virginia made a a point of order against the Item Iem to ta appropriate 1 for tho the relief of the distress in inthe Inthe SO the Philippines by the purchase and taid ad distribution or sale of farm far implements farm far animals supplies and necessaries of life arid and through the employment ment of labor laborIn laborI in the construction of government wagon roads railroads and other public works work He withdrew the point of order however upon the understanding with wih Mr r Cannon that the word railroads should shou d be b I stricken out and that provision should be made for a detailed report of expendi expenditures tans tures turfS under the th appropriation I The point was subsequently renewed I I by br Mr Greene of Pennsylvania but was wasI I overruled by b the tho chair I i The amount mount suggested by Mr Cannon Cannoni j I I was offered by b him and he explained the therea reasons rea ons which moved the thE committee al almost almost almost comite most ly to report the item He had read rad the recommendations of o the he president and the thE Philippine commission lol urging the necessity n fity for some such mess meas measure mes Cuba and Per Por Porto ure ur of relief as that tat given por to Rico Mr 11 Benton of Missouri of the appropriations committee commit e supported the P I s Mr Jones g e of or Virginia moved move to reduce from the appropriation tIe Mr RobYn Robinson on of of Indiana thought thou ht i if f there was necessity it for relieving distress distress in the thc WS Philippines the money Ioney should be te loaned and not donated After some e debate dOnate by Williams Illinois Mr Crumpacker Indiana am and others Mr Jones on amendment was voted vote down 21 to 56 5 Mr Cannons amendment was wis adopted without division division After com corn w only pages the com corn committee substituted rose Saturday was wa fSr for tomorrow rose for the consideration of prIvate bills in order that the house might I proceed bis with the te sundry civil bill bi tomor tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow row At the he house houe adjourned |