The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-18
GreQnteltiQe

Cutting Down Expenditures.
Heretofore the heads IF departments
have generally had their own way with
appropriation bills. They have made
the estimates In detail, and filled the
blanks to suit themselves and their re-
tainers. Members of the Ways and
Means Committee have found it drv
and disagreeable work to investigate
the multitudinous details and sinuous
intricacies ofthe public service. Hence
the large and ever increasing demands
upon Congress for money. But this
session the Speaker Of the House was
careful to select for the Committee on
appropriations members whose past
records proved that they were sincerely
and earnestly in favor OF economy aud
retrenchment. Nominally the Chair
man of this committee is Mr.. Thad-
deus Stevens, but the real head is Elihu
B. Washburne. The health of the for.
mer is too feeble to permit him to dis.
charge its arduous duties. Mr.. Wash
burne is, therefore, practically Chair
man; aud he is assisted aud supported
by Spalding, Blaine, Beaman, Butler
\ AG k"O IQeln-
bers have no heart in business OF re-.
trenchment. 1t is not their policy or
desire to cut down the extraVHgant de-
mRnds OF their confederates in the de-
partments, or allow the republicans
aoy credit for retrenchment-but TO
keep expenses up to high-water mark,
and then charge upon the Radicals the
responsibility. .
Mr.. Washburne and his associates
have resolved to take no department
estimates on trust. Every item is
challenged and scrutinized. The SEQ
retRries and Bureau Chiefs are sent for
and Cross.examined in regard to the
needs and uses OF so much money.
Outside evidence Is also sought and
considered. 1t is astonishing how the
department estimates have melted
down under this scrutiny. Tens and
hundreds of thousands, and whole mil
lions, have been stricken off the esti-
mates. The committee have discovered
multitudes of useless expenditures
they have found every branch of the
public service covered over with barn
acles and leecheS absorbing public
treasure, and rendering no service in
return.
In regard to army appropriations,
General Grant has given the committee
invaluable assistance. He has taken
hold with both hands to reduce the cost
Va Eho I'LL lIdEY H6ldDllSu-
ment. The appropriation for the army
| next year will be cut down to $33, 600,
600. Here is a saving on last year OF
more than $50. 0OO, 600 in this one branch
| of public service. The Army Appro-
priation Bill contains a provision for
the reduction OF the army to twenty
| i've regiments OF infantry, seven OF
cavalry and five of artillery, which
will reduce the whole force to twenty
five or thirty thousand men, or even
less. During Buchanan's administra-
ton the expenses of the army aver
aged 81, ,00O,O0O in gold, per annum, for
the support of nineteen regiments oI
1900 men, while General Grant asks
| only S33 600, COO of deprecated paper for
the support OF thirty-seven regiments
OF 25, ,0OO men.
The Secretary of the Navy modestly
! demanded S47 900, 600 TO sQuander upon
his supernumeraries, naval paReants
and useless squadrons. The committee
have clipped of $29, 900, 900, leaving
him SIS, ,0OO, 600, which is u strong hint
10 bring home half Il dozen OF his fleets
which are junketing about the coasts
of Europe, exhibiting the gold lace
and buttons of their officers to the adj
miratton or otherwise OF foreign courts.
1t is not unlikely that Congress will
reduce the appropriations even below
the sum reported by the committee.
pruning down the army and navy. The
knife will be applied to every branch
of public service unsparingIy until an
aggregate of one hundred millions of dol
lars are saved to the tax-paYers-as sum
which represents three-tourths OF the
interest of the whole national debt.
This enormous relief to the people will
be due to the patriotism of Republi-
can Congress, as every dollar of re-
| trenChment has to be made in the face
of the active, bitter opposition of John
sons Cabinet and chiefs of bureaus,
with the sole exceptions of fStanton and
Grant. The Ways and Means Commit
tee are following close after the Appro-
priation Committee, and as fast as the
latter lop off an expense the former
rescind tax of equal amount. The
taxes will be reduced one hundred mil.
| lions or more. From four hundred and
thirty millions they will be pared down
| to about three hundred millions, which
must not only support the government
but leave Il considerable sum TO apply
in payment of the principal of the
debt. --L- .. d q.
| THE decigcIson of the Supreme Court