New-York tribune., 1868-05-26
THE N1TIONAL EXPENDITURES.

THE NATIONAL EXPENDITURES.
The NJ Y Times assails the Republican
iority of Congress for nearly everything it does
or fails to do, the abolition of the excise on
Home Manufactures excepted. AS that aboli-
ton was demurred to by THE TRIBUNE, it is
heartily approved by The Times. We thought
it wiser to make the requisite retrenchments
| first, and take off the taxes just so soon as it
was demonstrated that they could be spared.
"Ne no,n camOred The Times " first repeal
the taxes then cOntrive the ways and means
of doing without them.' And that wrong end
foremost course was taken.
Now The Times assails Congress as guilty of
prodigality; but hOwi The Navy Department
demanded Thirty-seven Millions for the en-
suing fiscal year Congress has cut down this
amount nearly One-half. The War Depart
ment estimates. though indorsed by Gen. Grant,
have likewise been pared down in the Appro-
priation bill. We hope and trust that similar
retrenchments will be made in other branches
of the public service; but, after the Public
Debt, these two are much the most exactng.
What appropriations has Congress made that
The Times would have reduced2 Why not
specify, instead of uttering such vague, random
charges as the following?
Congress holds the pursestrings and with them the
power OF keeping the expenditures OF the Government
within prescribed limits. Had II eXeted lts power tn9
negligence or extravaganza OF the departments W3ud
| adapted 70 the reduced income Congress. however,
has done nothing Of the sort. Mr. Hooper carry IN the
session. introduced proposition to limit taxation and
expenditure within t3OOOOOOOO but remedy so rough yet
sure encountered only frowns. 10 was quietly snied
out and nothing like It has since been heard Of great
deal said about taxation, but OF retrenohment literally
nothing Expenditures go on at the war rate: Not so
tempted Aud the Administration remains expensive be-
| cause Congress- which determines how much or how
word word in behalf Of dat strict economy which the Rcpnb
can party rightly declares to be an imperative duty
We do not understand that Mr.. Hooper's
proposition was "snuiled out y but that matters
| little. Passing forty such resolves would have
amounted to nothing; for the Appropriation
| bills limit the expenditure, and these are not
affected by any abstract proposition. One good
| line in those bills is worth ream of abstrac-
tions. 1t is not true that the Expenditures
L" 20 on at the war rate" In the last year Of
the war. our Army and Navy absorbed nearly
or quite One Thousand Millions of Dollars; ;
next year, they will not cost One Hundred Mil
lions. And there have been other retrench-
ments.
Yet we trust that Congress will not hesitate
to be taught, even by an enemy. We must
have saving at both ends. The Whisky thieves
must somehow be routed and the Sixty or
Eighty Millions per annum of revenue that
they now steal must be restored TO the Treas
ury. We joyfuly believe that Gen. Schenck
has n rod in pickle for these gentry that they
will feel and remember their premonitory
shrieks through convenient journals assure MS
that it will be well laid on. IL Whisky and
Tobacco paid as they should pay, we should
| have ample revenue. We trust they Will be
! made TO pay ere long.
Then a sharp look -out must be kept for plaus-
ible devices for absorbing Public Money. Here
is a River and HarbOr bill reported to the
House that calls for over Six Millions OF Dol
laas-twicc as much rs was expended when we
owed no considerable Debt and had Income in
abundance We guess that bill may as well
stand over till next Winter" 90 into Summer
" quarters as Gen. Scott suggested as to his
soldiers fighting the Seminoles. We heartily
approve appropriations for Rivers and Harbors; ;
but not when we have nothing to appropriate.
SO of many kindred projects now being urged
upon Congress.
Let us have the Southern States restored at
| the earliest moment, under rulers of their own
choice and let usawithdraw the Freedmen's
Bureau from each just so soon as there shall
be loyal magistrates and loyal courts to secure
Justice to the Blacks. This cannot be too
quickly hurried up. But the great reform in
order is the reduction of our Army to a skele-
| ton. Keep the organization and the officers; but
stop recruiting and let the great body of the
rank and file desert, as they soon will. Station
the officers of a regiment at or near Santa Fe,
another near Tucson, another at Laramie, an
other at Bent's Fort, and so on. BE sure that
the commanders are capable and discreet then
authorize each to call out from 100 to 1000
mounted volunteers whenever he shall need
them, paying 81 per day, beside rations, for
each man and his horse. Whenever Indian
h0stties are threatened, let the Colonel Com
mandant call out and provision so many men
as he shall deem necessary, swearing each to
serve so long as required. Such force would
be worth more to fight the Indians of the Plains
and Mountains than a full Army corps, with its
wagons and siege-train complete. Were such
force called out directly after an Indian
massacre, it would never again be needed in
that quarter Why may we not have the ex-
pertinent made2
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We print on another page very full particu-
lars of the wonderful earthquakes and volcanic
|