The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-23
sPxRxx or THu PRESS.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics-CompiledE Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
DISCRIMINATION OF POLITICAL PAR
TIES


derful development of the material interests
of the country on one hand and at the disor-
ganization of political parties and the conse-
quent rush for public plunder on the other,
it is evident there is going to be such car
nival of extravaganza as we have never seen
before. The war uprooted all the former
ideas of the people and Government about |
economy and doing things on a small scale.
The expenditure of sixty or seventy millions
a wear by the Federal Government ten years
ago was considered enormous, and this ex-
trayaoance was bitterly condemned by the
s'watchdogs of the Treasury" in Congress and
by large portion of the people and press.
The stupendous grants of land and money
TO railroads since that time would have
frightened the country and would not have
been listened to in Congress. Such a
grant as that to the Pacific Railroad of Gov
ernment bonds and lands, for example, could
not have received ten votes in Congress.
That body and the people would have stood
aghast at such proposed appropriations OF
hundreds of millions of acres of land to rail-
road companies as are now made. The war
made the people familiar with enormous ex-
penditures. A hundred millions OF dollars
were and are spoken of las unconcernedly as
a million was previously. In ten years the
peace expenditure of the Government has
been multiplied from sixty or seventy mil
lians to three hundred and fifty millions or
thereabout. In ten years the expenditure
has been increased five times the amount it
was previously. There never was such a
revolution in the financial affairs and oondi-
tion of a country before. No other nation
on the globe could have endured such revo-
luton in so short time. Yet such are the
resources and wealth of the country that our
people feel the change and the burden far
less than other nations do theirs.
IsTrue, we hear something occasionally from
Congress of retrenchment, of reducing the
taxes or of modifying the tariff few mil
lions; but this is bagatelle compared with
the vast and now necessary expenditure, and
is used merely by congressman for political
capital in their districts at home. The truth
is, the extraordinary revolution produced by
the war has launched us on a sea of extrava-
gance which was never drea med of before.
We're political parties organized upon broad
principles of national policy, and were they
more equally balanced in Congress, we might
expect reforms and a greater economy; but
neither the Republican party in power nor
the Democratic party have any fixed policy
Neither presents any issue to the country
The revolution produced by the
war has not only changed oar ideas of
economy and finance, but it has also buried
the issues of the past. The negro is no longer
available for political capital. The amend
ments to the Constitution and the
footing with the white man. Nothing more
can be done for him or made out of him. He
must now find his level and place in society
in accordance with the laws of nature and his
capacity. Reconstruction is about finished,
and that, with all the other issues growing
out of the war, will soon be closed up. The
Republican party cannot perpetuate itself
upon these dead issues, though it is endea-
voring to galvanize them for that purpose
With all the great questions relating to our
finances, progress, foreign affairs, the tariff,
taxation, the enlargement of our commerce
and destiny of the republic, neither the Re-
publican nor Democratic party has shaped a
policy. They are utterly without policy
with regard to the wants of the country or
the future Even the Republican party, which
has an overwhelming majority in Congress,
cannot agree upon any important measure,
and has no cooperation or affiliation with the
administration of its choice.
The consequence of this state of things is
that all are scrambling for public plumber.
Those representing the iron and coal interests
of Pennsylvania, the manufacturing interests
of New England and the land-grabbing rail-
road interests of the West are intent upon
making the most for themselves and their
sections, regardless of the general welfare of
the republic. In the general disruption and
want of principles of cohesion in political
parties the members of Congress and sectional
cliques are bent upon making all they can out
of the Government and people. The future is
uncertain; they see nothing beyond the pre-
sent; they will make the most of the present
carnival of extravaganza. The only hope that
remains is that in the lavish use of public
money something will be done on large scale
for the benefit of the people and the country
The Pacific Railroad, for example, was a stu
pendous iob-one that has cost the country
an enormous sum and that has made many
spectators very rich; but it is, after all, a
grand work which will prove of the greatest
advantage to the country. Let us have, then,
in this era of reckless expenditure, something
to show for the cost. There is hardly any
limit to the wealth of the nation, or to the
patient submission of the people, and if we
must be extravagant let us have something
grand to show for it.
These remarks, though intended for the
Federal Government especially, will apply as
well to the State of New York and to our
city government. We must be taxed heavily
that is inevitable; but, then, the wealth of
New York is accumulating so fast that the
people can bear it. Only let us have some
thing to show, as we said before, for the cost.
Our new city government has almost un-
limited power to make improvements. The
men in power now can make improvements.
The men in power now can make New York
a magnificent city. If they have the grasp
of thought and taste they can make this
metropolis the admiration of the world. Can
they not findss sssome such man as Haussmann,
who beautifed the city of Paris-some man
of such taste and grand ideas
to improve our city? No city in the
world is SO favorably situated for the
grandest improvements. Our river front
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