Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-08-27
lev to sesp the Government in Bsb,.


was lured on to foo, bills Of which iJ
could have no conception at the outset.
A similar oase-worse, If any tbjng-ex-
isn at New Orleans. There, the site for
a custon-house was the gil Of the city,
aud the appropriations began Ia lSij
with S500 tor a plan. During the next
ten years annual appropriations followed
vars tue from 100000 10 ss2 900, the
total then reaching a iittle over S2,000,- f
600 The finance report ot 1886 puis
down the total amount OF appropriations
at S2.3s5.25o, aud asked 5000 10
oarry forward the work TO June OF lhe
present year. Congress granted tbc sum;
and the last report, therefore, asked for
S350,0O0 to take the work up to June OF
next year. But with laudable fear, no
doubt, that this yearly demand would, IN
time, excite some complaint, the report
added that the amount required 70 COM
plete the work is 81, ,45A63I.' This ad-
ded to the amount OF former appropria
lions would make the total estimated cost
of the custom-house, exclusive of furnish
ing, S3,225,039 This is the estimate
OF the superintendent, and the country
will be fortunate il the entire cost is any
less than three and half millions Of dol
lars. The custom-housy i'll this city cost
about 81 100000, aud that in the city Of
New York a little less than sl,200,00o.
But to aggrayate the absurd and reck-
! less cost ofthe New Orleans custom house,
+ Il is built on such unsuitable foundations
that not only four years ago had the front
walls bulged out several inches but
l from the beginning TO the present time
the whole fabric has been gradually
sinking into the ground. Il has gone
down nineteen inches since the tendency
was first accurately observed in 1881,
says the last report which is at the rate
Of three inches annually. The ratio is
decreasing, bu. whether this is owing to
the less weight now added yearly, or not,
the superintendent viii not undertake 10
say. Tins Is certainly a wonderful trap
to catch the public moneys Of the United
States!
Bat il our late Democratic adminislra-
tions have shown great proficiency in the
art of sinking an immense share Of the
revenues in one place, they have been
no less ingenious in getting up plans for
their extra distribution. Gen. Pierce
alone is said to have added more than
three hundred clerks to the cusiom-house
I in n. Y, to have increased their number
in most localities, aud to have made the
average annual expense Of collecting the
p. revenue this side Of the Rocky Mountains
nearly hall a million more than it was
during Mr. Fillmore administration
Mr.. Cobb, the present head Of the 1rea-
sury Department, began stiIl more ann
bitiously. Under Mr.. Fillmore the aciu-
al cost Of collecting the revenue east Of
California was about S2,000,0 600 annual
". Mr. Cobb demanded Of Congress
! s. 100000 annually for the same pur-
pose, but obtained S.. 100000. Thi. is
entirely out Of proportion with the IN
crease Of ihe revenue Or the means Of liv-
ing. Il is but tie natural aggregate Of
the same reckless prodigalily, going on
from year TO year, Of which, as 10 a sim
gle particular, the New Orleans CUSTOM
house is q conspicuous monument IL Is
no use 10 point TO our growth Of popula-
ton and 20 tbe increase of expenses in-
cideHt thereto, for an examination will
not bea- out The Inference desired. Mr.
Boyee. the Democratic free trader, ha.
carefully compared the expenditure oI
1857 with those OF 1928, and he shows
that while the latter averaged lillIe les.
than ninety-Gye cents to every indiyidu.
al Of the country population, the former
Mr. Buelauan's expeuaitures-ayer-
4 age s2,28 per man Of the present popula
ton
Makc,iheu, every reasonable allowance
which the ease requires, ard atilI tb.
facts we have cited show that the sin o
oar present financial management Is IN
eyeasibie proaigaitgy. The government
Ike many an individual, has not harvest
Cd lie resources, and il has reeklzasly ia
creased 81 expenditure Il las beer
> f9olishiy building palaces for public uses
when neat and durable structures, ol 4
quarter Of fi.e expense iu many cases
would have been preferable. Il hs.
largely increased lhe number d IS en-
4 aioyees. a portion q whom are describes
+ by tie Wasbiagton raion lha Admins
lralioa organ. a. 'e.sarabie seasengsu
sAo devote fur oy 6ss hours u iaalg
kacs AZ g.esF desks. aa3 tie bslanee o