The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-03-31
Penny wise and Pound Foolish.

Congress in its financial measures re-
minds one of bevy of boys pitching cents.
Now the little gamblers are quarrelling to
desperation for the saving of single coin;
now they throw money away by the handful.
That the government is spending money
in style hitherto unprecedented is evident
from the speech of Mr.. Dawes, who, before
he came to an understanding with the ad-
ministration, reported that he had vainly
sought to effect retrenchment in the public
expenditures, by appeals at either end OF the
avenue. 1t appears from the uncontroverted
assertion Of Mr.. VOORHEES, that over $780,
900, 900 of the reserve fund from Mr.. Johnsons
administration has been expended during
the first year OF Mr.. Grant. 1t appears from
the statement OF the Secretary OF the Interior
that one-third o. his clerical force is unnec-
essary, and from the acknowledged fact
that q reduction of at least that amount
ought to be made in the Treasury Depart
ment-an abatement in money of SS, 10000
annually 1t appears from the hair-brained
folly of the Funding bill, which will, it is COM
puted, just double the national debt.
And new outlets for the public revenue
are sought for Bounties are asked for the
shipping interest, which is depressed by the
tariff, and would flourish '.like green bay
''trce," if just let alone. The triaing sum OF
100000 is asked to get Captain Hall to the
North Pole why not send him to Alaska for
q hundredth part OF that amount? The
President becomes lobbyist, and resorts to
an antechamber of the House to interview
the members and secure the annexation OF
San Domingo, which will cost the United
States thousands CT lives and untold millions
OF treasure. And oil the while the Radical
appointees, like Collector Bailey, are steal
ing and forging and blackmailing in every
direction.
We, OF course, have no right to protest
against any of these extraTagances. 1t is
our dp.y to rejoice iu THE privilege vi nc-
longing to ''the best government the world
sever saw" We try to be grateful, and pay
our taxes, and send our cotton to Europe to
prevent the country from being drained OF
specie, and shut our mouths when the finan-
cial credit, due to the South is assigned 10
Grant and his administration. But one is
tempted to be disloyally garrulous when all
the services Of the South to the general gov
ernment are made worthless by a set OF
knaves andfool5. Congress prolongs the odi-
Gus and unconstitutional income tax, and as q
set-ofr cuts down the franking privilege. It
maintains an army Of clerks and relegates
to the poorhouse an army Of veterans.
The same policy is being pursued in our
State. Great public Interests are neglected
in order that private gains may be assured.
The people are tricked with promises; local
politicians are silenced with petty Offices:
while gre onopolies are established which
give princely wealth to few corrupt capi-
talists and slippery officials. We are told
that in Edgetield County certain wornout
and well-nigh worthless fields have been
bought for $40 an acre-a transaction which
has demoralized whole neighborhoods where
the freedmen will take fragments of the land,
to be paid for, or returned hereafter, and
when the planters are quite willing to sell
all the lands they have at that Prices
pecially now, when the labor is withdrawn
from them.
The Citizens Party has great work TO
do. And in our humbl, Judgment it would
be of service, not only to South Carolina, |
bus to the United States. We need, all Of [
us, everywhere to contend against political
corruption wherever it can be found And
it is as rife in Washington as it is in Colum-
bia. We cannot see. any reason why true
patriots in every State shall not entesiat
association to reform the government and
save it from financial ruin.