The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-03
TUESDAY MORNING, DIG. 8.
Upon the subject ofnational retrench.
ment and reform, we copy the follow.


ment and reform, we copy the follow
Ing extaact from one of our exchanges:
It Is not without evident satisfaction
that the people Of the country observe
a disposition In Congress to reduce the
expenditures OF the Government, and
1t Is especially becoming In that body
10 set tho example OF Scrupulous econo.
my 10 the conduct of It's own proceed
inRs. Not less than five resolutions
have already been submitted, the great
er part Of them In the House OF Repre-
sentAtives, which have In view the re.
ductlon OF the public expenditures. OF
these, three relate to the general ex-
penses of the Government and the re-
manning two to the expenses incident
10 session of Congress. One of the
latter Is the very timely resolution OF
Mr.. Spalding, OF Ohio, for stopping
the investigations OF travelling commit.
tees In "places remote from the capitol
and at great expense to the people;"
and the other Is the proposition OF Mr..
Washbutne, of Illinois, providing for
q rule that hereafter no testimony taken
before committee of the House, shall
go TO the public printer until the Com
mittee on Printing has decided that the
printing of such testimony Is called for
by some public interest. By these res
olutiOns, should they go into effect,
will have tendency to restrict the
wasteful tendencies which are now so
glaring In the matters to which they
relate. Investigating committees have
lately become very common and they
carry on their inquiries all over the
country. They, for the most part, have
party ends In view, and their sessions
are always enormously expensive in
proportion to the good which they ever
accomplish.
In the matter OF useless printing, the
waste is still more glazing and unjust
liable. The government, we suppose,
will always and 1t necessary 10 print
n great number OF documents, which
nobody will ever care 10 read. But
the rule now seems TO be that every
thing Is TO be printed that member OF
Congress may utter in public, whether
in speech or report; and much more
than this, for members are now per-
mitted 10 put into the Congressional
Globe speeches which they never de-
uyered, and which, as everybody
knows, they have paid somebody else
10 write for them. II Is time the whole
systems were torn up, rootand branch;
but IN the present condition OF the
country, those who have 10 bear
the burdens OF taxation will be
glad TO see even so slight check
placed upon the business Of Congress-
Ional boOk.making, as Is contemplated
by Mr.. Washburne'a resolution. There
Is scarcely u garrett or II store.room iu
the land that Is not numbered with vol.
umes OF this sort, every one OF which
bears witness to ~wasteful public ex.
pendIture. 1t Is, however, drawn back
even upon resolution like this, that
the House OF Representatives, we be.
lieve, on the same day, ordered the
Printing OF eight shousand copies OF
ths entire batch OF Impeachment re.
ports, These, with the testimony OF
the witnesses, will make closely
printed volume about as large as u
family bible, for learning whose con.
tents, not only the public, but the mem
bers OF Congress themselves, will after
all depend upon the abstracts contain.
ed IN the newspapers.
The three resolutions TO which we
have referred as relating to the general
expenditures OF the government, are
matters OF even greater interest and
importance. One OF them looks to the
reduction Of the army, a measure, by
the wsy, IN which General Grant, In his
recent order upon the subject, has au.
ticipated the action OF Congress. An.
other contemplAtes the reduction OF the
naval forces of the country and the
cessation Of work on the ships.of-war
now building and equipping at the
navy yards, and third declares
that In the present condition OF our
finances, It Is inexpedient for the gov
eminent topurchase any more terrific.
ry, and gives warning IN advance
that the House will not feel obliged to
pass appropriation bills for such u pur-
pose. Good resolutions like these, II
they are carried Into effect, will imme-
dIately make themselves felt In the
condition OF the national treasury,
and also In the tone OF the people.
There has never been time
in our whole history when eoononY-In
all national expenditures WAS demand
ed 80 imperatively us at present. Not
only should everything like waste or
extravaganCH be avoided, but II should
now be the aim and effort Of legislatO tors
10 tighten to the utmost the burdens
that rest no heavily upon the industry
Of the people. They wish TO maintain
the national credit and to discharge the
national debt In NIL honor and faith,
and they ask that Congress in lis wis.
dom will devise the least buTdensome
mode Of doing this, aud especially that
twill not add by needless expenditures
TO the debt which IN already 40 iormi.
dAble In liz dimensions. Every finan.
ciAl difficulty that we ARE called TO en-.
counter is very greatly enhanced by the
Increased expenditures OF til govern
ment. Could wsgO back TO the scale Of
expenditure which prevailed before the
war, We should experience nm Immense
relief In every department Of industry,
and The whole country rejoice ut seeing
tho lace OF Congress now turning In
that direction.