The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-20
EcoNoMY.

There snothipg more catching than cant. A few
chandse and large sales Of public lands during the
rage of speculation aud land fever in the West,
OVERLOOKING the national Golfers with treasure; when
Congress, too, catching the fever Of exiravagance
were voting prcposterous of money to every
conceivable object of public expenditure, the mag
ntude of the country and the wealth of Uncle Sam
were tho favorte subjects of cant with the great
herd of hrd-rate politicians. At the time when the
question was chow to spend the public money" and
each mans wits were exercised in the invention of
schemes for squandcring portions of it in his
own locality, he the legislator of true courage
who then raised his voice against the rcgning ex-
travagance, and denounced with burning Indignation
the ruling vice of the hour He the true friend
of economy who with the power to grasp large sums
| turned from the tempting treasure and contended
with manly and patriotic firmness for economy.
Then the few were for retrenchment, the many for
The circumstances of the treasury changed
since the times we have described. Importatons
have fallen down to the minimum figures of pressure
aud hard times. Land sales have subsidized with the
abatement of the western fever, and only one dollar
comes into the treasury from their proceeds now,
where five did before Thus there is no money in the
treasury TO vote away upon extravagant and useless
| projects of expenditure, and economy has become
rampant. There being no longer any treasure to
distribute, extravaganza and expenditure have
become horrid bugbears and all the can't is for
| omy He is the bold man now who stands up against
1 AZ far and eutle
for the policy Of administering the government Of
great and free country scale of expenditure APP
portioncd to its magnitude and accordant with 0
wishes of proud and liberal people. Now, the
few arc for Just and liberal scale Of expenditure
and the many for a mean aud narrow economy which
costs them nothing but long yarns Of cant, spun ont
/ by the hour. q
/ The only subject in regard to which the ex-
travagance of past years is persisted in at
present by the advocates of an economy which
now costs them nothing, is that of the pub
lie lands. The treasury is empty, and nothing
/ can be obtained from that source Hurrah ! there
FORE for economy. But vast tracts of land lie a
i tempting booty in the West these may be voted
to grateful constituencies for next after money in
the hard cash. the masses most coveous OF land.
! 1t has thus happened that amidst the most re-
mendous din aud camor for economy, bills have
been voted during the present session donating lands
TO the amount ofhundreds ofmillions ofdolars worth
!. Nor is this all. Although there is money in the
treasury at present, there will certainly be goody
sums of it hereafter, and mortgage upon its future
! resources would not be bad idea. SO pension
! bill has been partially passed mortgaging the
! funds Of the treasury for twenty years TO
4 come for instamcnts of ten twelve millions per
annum Nevertheless, the cant cry for economy still
1 goes on Cut down present expenditure at any sacr
fee to the public interests pile up future charges
/ against the treasury, mountain high. Such is the
4 new economy "Ohl Liberty, what crimes are
4 committed in thy name" 1t the liberty of the
guiotinc, thc fsltaaes, and the nopades, against
which Madam ROLAND exclaimed. What shall we
say of the Economy @ which gets ready for whiting
down expenditures by voting away sl5o, 900 900 Of
public lands and 100000, 900 Of pension gratuihes
at couple of strokes