The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1858-03-26
State Government Expenses.


Had the enemies of our State Admins
tration been half as wise as they were
wicked, the charge of extravaganza is the
last they would ever have made; since 1t
has been the cause of oyerhauling the rec
ords of their own administrations, and cs-
tablishing the fact in almost every instance
and item, that greater economy has been
practiscd by the Republicans than was
done by themselves; and they are not able
to put their finger upon a solitary instance
where the expense has been increased, but
what good reasons can be giyen-rcasons
satisfactory to every candid man.
We care not whether they take the eX-
penseS Of the government for three years,
item by item, or in the aggregate; we are
not afraid TO compare with the bowling
Deryishes who represent dctunct admin
istration and party that made a loan, re-
pudiated half Of it, and then let the inter
est become equal in amount to the princi-
pal.
They do not like to go into any compar-
ison. They just stand aud horl! But
we propose to compare the records and
in the presen. article, we will compare the
expense of our three years, 1893, '6, and
y, with their last three, 1852, 3, and +,
considering ut this time only the lcgiti
mate expense of the Government, as such
exclusive of public improvements, State
Prison, and payment Of debts. Those
must constitute an article by themselves.
Taking The figures then, as we find them
in the records, we find these expenses for
six years past as follows: and we remark,
that we have included December in the
last year of Locofoco rule, iSjl-to bring
the time down to It's close, and also De
eember 1897, in that year, making each
vi' those two years comprise II months.
1852. S42, 1872 GG
1888. $GS ,Gj4 4S
1851. Sl32 ,S23 27
Three years Of LocotocOism. S244,2 ,270 Il
1888. S72,950 50
1896. S60,339 45
1857. $l09,374 G3
Three years Rcpublican;sm, S242,GG4 90
Locofoco excess, 81 l,G05 81
We might be wei satisfied to leave this
subject here; but to do SO, would be doing
injustice to the Republican Administration
It's the reader Will see. During the first
period Of three years, there was one ses-
sion of the Legislature, in 1888 while in
virv Tuvuyr t,0siu'l, 49,. : :
and 1857. (Thls has nothing to do with
the extra scssion-which was in 1858. J
Certainly, then, in estimating the compar-
ativc economy of the two periods, this
should be considered; as the Legislature
is Il Constitutional expense, and the Re-
publicans are not responsible for the fact
Of two sessions in the above period. 1t Is
Il legitimate question, however, which
party hcl the same Number Of sessions at
the least expense; and "a We had two in
the above period, while our opponents had
but one, the expense Of one session should
be deducted from our aggregate expenses,
as shown in the above table rightly to ex-
hibit the comParatire economy Of the two
parties.
Let Us then, look first at the actual ex-
pensc of the several sessions We include
Legislative printing, repairs of Legislative
Hall, debentures Of members, &c.
1853, Locofoco, s3S,S2G IS
1855, Republican, S35, ,4j6 -
1897, LII 10
Total of , sessions, s67, ,167 Sc
Average each, S33, ,5S3 93
Averaging for each session, 1922 40
less than the Locofoco session in 1888.
Now no one can fail to see, that in our
comparison, one half the expense of the
two sessions should be credited to the Re
publican account This shows the follow
ing result.
Balance as above shown, s 1,G05 81
Half of the two sessions, So, ,5S3 90
Total, $50, $50 II
Showing the expense Of the State Gov
ernmcnt for which the Administration
can be held responsible, to be $50, lS0 fl
less for the three years Of Republican rule,
than for the last three of the party who
ask to be rcinstatcd in power, because OF
the " extravaganza, theft, and fraud OF
q c present Administration And all this,
without taking into account the rapid
growth of our population and still greater
increase Of wealth, and greatly increased
expenses naturally consequent thereon.
NNL,t eb,ull l., .ba ipcvno sn &c ovppne(