The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-12
How the Nations Resources are
Wasted.


While our country is engaged in the
most costly war that history has ever re-
corded, it is humiliating to read of the
fearful waste and perversion, if not abso-
lutte fraud, connected with the use Of the
vast resources of the nation. As a single
instance, which might be multiplied by
thousands, take the following, from the
Washington correspondent of the New
York Commercial, which is radical jour-
nal and cannot be accused, in publishing
such a fact, of being actuated by hostility
to the government:
The contingent expenses" of the House of
Representatives for the present fiscal year will
amount to the enormous sum of $110 1902. TO-
which is $15, 900 more than was ever appropri-
ated for this purpose before. One item of this
is for folding documents, for which $4,000 has
just been asked as a deficiency, of which-so
the Clerk of the House states at least 1924, 900
aoW required during the Presidential campaign"
cat least 1924, 200 will be required dur
ing the Presidential campaign!" This
means that the Clerk is to expend that
enormous amount in the work of folding
campaign documents, which will be ranked
by congressman, and sent through the
mails at even still greater expense to the
country. We have reason to believe that
the same reckless squandering prevails, to
great extent, in all the expenditures of
Congress. 1t is only a.day Or two since
that friend, in this city, OF a person lately
appointed to a position in the gift Of one OF
our Senators, told us that the appointee
had written that he had got " a frst-rate
situation that his salary was "siX dol
lars q day, with nothing to do, and two
men to help him" What adds to the dis
grace OF such statement, was the eXnlta-
zion with which it was made, as If it was
q thing to be proud OF, that he had actually
swinde the government ard the people,
in pocketing such an exorbitant salary for
no services whatever.
There re many people who seem deter
mined to shut their eyes, and 70 stop thsr
ears, to all such revelations, lest the adj
ministration should be brought into disre~
pute, and be- held accountable for them.
Such persons are not dealing honestly with
their own consciences. Imagining that
the resources of the country are b0undless,
they appear willing that any political
favorte may enrich himself at tile expense
OF the people, if e country can Only stand
such plundering, and still prosecute the
war. But the country cannot stand it.
There Is q limit to our resources, and that
limit viii be found much sooner than they
expect. The appropriations made by the
Thirty-seventh Congress (ndt the present.
for the war, foot up in the aggregate
to $2,12S, $4,000. This figure, the New
York Jou,n0j Of C0mD1erce says, exceeds
One-eighth of the total amount Of the true
value of the real estate and personal prop
erty of all the States and Territories, which
according to the late censils is $1G,159,-
G16,O6S. Deficiency bills to meet the in
adequacy of many OF the appropriations are
now the order of the day in Congress, and
if what is asked is voted, and we take into
account the pensions and war claims yet 50
be paid, together with State and local dis
bursements the expenditures on behalf of
the war up to September last will be nearer
$4,000, 900, 000-one-quarter the amount
of the value of the country y than
$4,000, 100000.
Tie Jo,trnM Of Commerce. forcefully
says: mo mere eloquence Of words can
add to the force of this summary 1t tells
of the devotion of the people, and the free
dom with which they have lavished their
treasure for the maintenance of the ma
ton life. If the results produced have
not correspondent to the means furnished,
this. is certainly no reason why those who
have confided such treasures to the hand
of authority should be defrauded of their
just honor. Ii the truth ever comes to
light, there will be fearful reve alton of
waste; perversion, and f aud connected
with the use of these vast resources; and
this betrayal of conf 'ence will stand out
on the page with blacker hue, in striking
contrast with the generous trust # those
who have emptied the nations purse to
the lap of authority"
Military Matters.