New-York daily tribune., 1859-01-13
FROM flashing TON.
ECONOMY AND PLTNDER.
of tk. n. Y. Tribune.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 1859.
Among the events Of special interest ddrng
the last week in Congress was the debate IN the
Senate on "Wednesday in regard to economy.
The Government is ashore for want Of funds.
The Treosusry is scooped dry, and, in The lash
language Of the Exchange, 1t has TO stiA in order
to get on. This exposure of It's condition is made
the occasion for numerous public professions OF nos
tility to extravaganza and waste, which csn only
be productive Of borse-laugh when contracted
with the practices Of mang Of these who are most
profuse in their professions. People tGik about
holding up and then rote for spending. But taking
is nothing. The only true tell-tale of your legs-
lator is bis rOtes. He may talk himself blind about
bis virtues, his scruples and bis purposes, but who
believes him when be votes IN direct hostility 70 his
professiOnsl
Neither the Executive Government nor Congress,
as a whole, has any intention Of retrenching the
National expenditures in any direction. On the
contrary the crowd is as fierce to day for swelling
those expenditures as ever. The only hindrance i'
want Of money. The only resson The water is not
let on, is because of the want of head. The gates
1It Uut lho POhu ApNi' nS'S'
was crew Of California miners waiting for the
rainy season, more anxious OF more eager in watch
ing the sky than are the Treasury msgDates IN
waiting the signs Of the revival os business, and
the conieqGent replenshmen. of Uncle Sam's
re,ervoirs.
The only way to check the spendthrift party is
to keep them short This consideration operates
.f I'll "a. in +la
minds Of many members Of Congress as to altering
the present tariff; ard it looks now ss though
nothing would be dJne with it. The party In
power viii not agree upon any fisca system which
looks TO the Just protection of the industrial In
terests of the country its basis; and, therefore,
no man who wants to see such ~ stem established
has any interest in any bungling fcheme to increase
the revenue simply to raise means to add TO an al.
ready too lavish national expenditure.
AIr. Cobb is burly and keeps TO work, expecting
and prophesyiDg that things will all come round
right. In the Spring he thinks everything will
come right in the Fall, and in the Fall, that the
Spring Will tight everything. Disappointed hitherto
in each expectation, be still continues to derive
comfort from a semi-annual renewal of the same
hopes. He is ne nearer their fruitiou now from
any cause now visible, except the mere lapse of
time, than he was year ago. What the country
needs is the remuneIatye employment Of its labor.
This il has not now in either of the three great
branches OF industry, Commerce, Manufactures or
Agriculture The only one Of these three great
interests that can be effected by legislation, d.
rectly is manufactures. a judcious application OF
legislative stimulus 10 this branch OF industry would
start the wheels Of business and quicken the
enterprise and activities of the whole country
But this stimulus il viii not get under the present
Administration, or from the party 10 power TINS
source Of improvement will, therefore, remain dry
for the present. As = commerce, this is, 70 a
great extent the handmsid and dependent of the
manufacturing interests in the present age Of the
world. Beside this, it it lsbOring under heavy
losd Of its own creating There i. a great gut of
shipping all over the world, and lime is requisite
10 relieve IL Agriculture alone remains 70 quicken
the demsud for labor, and enhance It's price. But
the price Of Agricultural products. Of biesdstufs
especially, sGords DO encouragement or promise
The business prospects of the country are thu.
under cloud, and there they ere likely to remain
I'll We have a change of Administration, and get
one that IL not hesitate to stimulate tie national
industry bys "judciouS tariff" There is no other
way out of our existing lethsrsy, except by some
accidental circumstance A short cIop 10 Europe
might answer the purpose. But nothing short Of
some form Of war, pesdlenee or fauile ia some
quarter Of the globe, can set our business aTairs
going with any kind OF activity, in the ab,encs of
al judicious legislation having that end in view.
Mr.. Cobb, therefore, and the plunderers gener-
eIaly, may Is well be patient. The thing mo.t
likely to happen is the fighting Of the next Presi-
dental election the hard times The RerQbI.-
can party viii have, IN the next cauyss. the aid Of
sound national policy Of administration 70 back
It's uncOnGuerable principles. The party 10 power,
therefore, if i, can bring neither war nor famine 20
its aid, may Us well ge. ready TO sing lis nHue
diIaiitis.
In fact it is wholly unreasonable to expect any,
thing Of an Administration ike this. which ha, M
unity Of sentiment upon the only ppbtc question
which touches the pockets Of the people. The
debating school exercises of President buchanan
and Secretary Cobb over the tarif-one contend.
ing for specific duties, and the other Justify op-
posing them-sre amusing enough to mere spee.a-
tors, but are childish and contemplate when
viewed in the light Of the urgent needs of q
National industry lying PROSTATE. 1t i.sprry
Spectacle to see members Of an Administration
spending neir strength in combating the views Of