Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-11-12
WHAT THE ADMINISTRA-
TTON DOING

are deeply immersed in statistics,
showing how many drives General
Grant takes, how many dinners he
eats, and how many cigars he,
smokes, another class of statistics,
from another source, is from time to
time put before the public, also
bearing on the same question of the
"President's policy.'' The critics,
however, are so intently occupied
with the horse and cigar question
that they naturally have little time
for the other matters which only
relate to public retrenchment and
reform.
Let us look, however, at these
latter statistics a moment. In the
first place, we have to-day an official
announcement from the Treasury
Department, that during the month
of October seven millions more
were taken from the national debt,
making total decrease for the
eight months and less of Grants
Administration of more than SIXTY
FOUR MILLIONS. This is pretty good
for start, especially from an Ad-
ministration which is assailed by it's
opponents as "neglecting the public
interests" Let us hope that it will
go on 'neglecting" them in the
same way through the remaining
third of the year.
In the next place, we are told
that the exhibit of Departmental
expenses before Congress will pro
badly show that they are all (unless
possibly the Interior) keeping with
in the narrow limits Of the appro
priations made last year, while the
New Department has confined itself
thus far to its unexpected balance,
and has not touched its appropria-
tions for the current fiscal year.
These appropriations are only about
fifteen millions, at any rate, and dur
ing the first quarter of the year
saving of 100000 over the first
quarter of the previous year was
effected. This is the Department
about which we have heard as much,
in connection with the alleged "mis-
management and general "ignor
ance" of Admiral Porter and Messrs.
Borie and Robson. Can we not get
more of the same kind of "misman-
agement'' in other quarters ?
But the War Department exhibits
the most remarkable figures, to
show what the Administration is
dotng. This was the Department
most narrowly watched at first, as
General Grants personal influence
and responsibility were supposed to
be here most conspicuously mani
fest. Well, the army expenditures
for the first quarter of the last fiscal
year were 1927, 7,696, PA; those of the
quarter of the present fiscal year
were SIS, ,141 ,262-leavidg a differ
ence to be passed to the account of
army economy of $12,754,9S in the
first three months. Making all al
lowances for relative decrease in
the ratio of savings in other quar-
ters, there is yet no reasonable
doubt that, with peace continuing,
the Departments expenses will fall
short of $5O,OOO,OOO this year; and
this, contrasted with the $SO,000,-
900 of last year, gives a gain OF
S3O,OOO,OOO. The reduction Of the
army by Congress, the change in
our Indian policy under Grant, and
the discharge of clerks and other
civilian employees, are the secrets OF
this gain: "It is so perilous to
peace,' we are told, 'sto put sol
dier at the head of affairs"
Finally, in the Postoffice Depart
melt, the expense of the mail ser
vice has been reduced over $4,000
already, and we are assured, 'this
Department will be very nearly il
not quite self-sustaining during the
current year" In the general civil
service, we are informed that the
cost of collecting the internal reve
nue. has been reduced by fifteen pei
cent, as compared with last year
while by the discharge Of superflu
! Gus clerks, in the Treasury Depart
ment alone, a saving Of 100000
per annum has been effected.
Upon the whole, we are inclined
to think that the Administration
''neglect," which it's critics com
plain of, very strongly resembles
what, in private affairs, we are &C
customed to call activity, prospect
/ tv. frugality. and reform.