New-York tribune., 1872-07-05
A FEW MORE ZIG URES.

a
We certainly are thankful that the Army
and Navy have been reduced in size since the
year 1903; that they are less burdensome to
the nation. at least in pecuniary sense, ana
that the money which might have been Law
lshed on idle ships and idle regiments remains
in the Treasury. We rejoice that the country
has been prosperous, the revenue large, the
debt diminished, and the nations credit sus-
tanned but when we are called upon to give
President Grant, or even the Republican Con-
gress, credit for these blessings, VIC respect
fully demur. There is middle iground De-
tween an economical and corrupt adminis-
tration. Economy is positive quality.
To administer great public trust
with wise economy is not simply 10
abstain from embezzling the funds.
If the claim which is put forth in support
of the economy of the President and Congre ss
has any foundation, we are to look for IL LII
tbe ordinary matters over which the President
and Congress have control. Had the Govern
ment maintained the Army and Navy on a
war footing, they would have committed an
outrage. Much money has been saved by re-
ducing the military and naval establishments,
but whether more could not be saved we have
no means of knowing We wish to find out
whether or not the Grant Administration has
been economical, and to do this we must Sc
lect proper objects for comparison.
The expenses of Congress itself seem to
fulill This requirement.. Now we find that the
cost of the XLth Congress, from Juno 30,
1867. to June 80, 1869, was S6,651,O!4, IN
cludng books, and that of the HLlst Con-
gress from June 80, 1860, to June 30, 1871, was
| SII,223,Of2. We find no evidence OIL
economy here but, on the contrary, start
ling increase in the bill. We are at loss
to conceive what we have had for all these mil
lions. 1t scarcely seems possible that the XLIst
| Congress was worth five millions more than
the XLth.
Next we will compare tho cost of the Ex-
ecutive Department. Under this head are
embraced the salaries of a great number of
ofice-holders, including nearly all tho big and
little officials at Washington. We are told
| that Johnson's administration was nOtoriOusy
profigate, and it is commonly believed that
Grant is immensely less expensive than john
son was. Yet we find that the last two years
of Johnson's administration consumed $I2,-
$50 22O, while the first two of Grants run up
to SIS,7O0,172. The latter sum does not in
clude two millions expended for compiling the
census returns The Judiciary, too, increased
their expenses from S1,Si0,3S0 in 1S6!-9, to
S5,93I ,262 in 1SG9-1. Neither in the legisla-
tlye executive, or judiciary departments, do
we find the Grant administration less ex-
pensive than Johnson's.
The mint, assay offices and sub-treasuries,
which cost $2,20l,O55 in 1S67-9, rise to
S2,O11,ss7 in 1S69-1 Foreign intercourse
including salaries of ministers and consuls, was
maintained at an expense of S2,17O,SIO in
1S67-0, and of $3,095,I5O in 1S69-n. John
son collected the customs for S14, 4,Ji3,41S in
1SG9-n; Grant for S11, ,sO2,52S The Indians
were experimental with for about $4,000, 900 for
tho two years by both administrations. Forts
and Notifications, river and harbor improve
ments, public buildings and repairs of build
jngs, absorbed $I4,574,763 in 1867-9, and
$I6,42O,I91 in 1S69-n. But we will not
weary the reader with details. We make the
broad statement that there is nothing
in the official reports of Government ex-
penditures from 1867 to the latest issue
to countenance in tho slightest degree
the boast of superior economy which is
so boldly made by the partisans of Gen.
Grant. It is not an easy matter for great
and unwicldy Government, such as that of
the United States has now become, to mako
progress in the direction of economy. For the
last three years, leaving out of the account
the Army and Navy, the progress has been the
other way. With the Presidents peculiar man
agement of the Civil Service and the subser-
viency of Congressman, what else could be
expected Let us hear no more, then, of this
false pretense of economy as an argument for
O second term of personal government