Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-09
HAS GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR
REEN ECONOMIEAL@

Grant went into Office promising econo-
my, and he asks re election upon this old
promise. In the meantime,l his Eenchmen
are trying to make it appear that his has
been the most economical administration
the country has had for many years; that
it has been mole economical than that of
President Buchanan. If the claim which
is set forth in support Of the economy of
the President and Congress has any found
alton, We are to look for it in the ordinary
matters over which they have control.
This the New York Tribune has done, tax
ing the last two years of Johnson's admin
istration as a basis for comparison. The
Tribune says:
"The expenses of Congress itself seem
to fulfill this requirement. Now we find
that the cost of the fOrtieth Congress, from
June 80, 1867, to June 30. 1869, was Sc, 651,-
OLA including books, and that Of the forty
first Congress from June 80, 1869, to June
80, 1871, was S1l,223, 042. We find no evil
dence of economy here; but, on the contra
~, a startling increase in the bill. We are
at a loss to conceive what we have had for
all these millions. 1t scarcely seems posi-
bic that the forty-frst Congress was worth
five millions more than the fortieth.
Next We will compare the cost of the
Executive Department. Under this head
are embraced the salaries of great num-
Der of office-holGers, including nearly all
the big and little officials at Washington.
We are told that Johnson's administration
was VIGOROUSLY prohigate, and it is com
monty believed that Grant is immensely
less expensive than johnson was. Yet we
find that the last two years of Johnson's
administration consumed 81, $50, 220, while
the first two years of Grants run up to
Sl8,7O9,472. The latter sum does not in
clude two millions expended for compiling
the census returns. The Judiciary, too,
increased their expenses from 81, 849, 3S9 in
1SGT-9, to S., 93l, 1862 in 1S69-71. Neither
in the legislative, executive, or judiciary
departments, do we find the Grant admin
istration less expensive than Johnson's.
"The mint, assay offices and sub-treas-
uries, which cost S2,291.055 in 1863, rise
TO S2,944, S77 in lS69-7l. Foreign inter
course, including salaries Of ministers and
consuls, was maintained at an expense of
s., AGO. $40 in 1863, and Of $3,095, $50 in
IS69-7I. Johnson collected the custom S
Tor Sl4,543, 44S in 1921: Grant for $14,-
543,52S. The Indians were experimental
with for about $l0900,000 for the two
years by both administrations Forts and
notifications, river and barbor improve.
ments, public buildings and repair of build
ings, absorbed Sl4574, 763 in 1879, and
SIC, i20, I9I in lS69-7l. 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-
peDditures from 1867 TO the latest issue 10
countenance in the slightest degree the
boast of superior economy which is so
boldly made by the partisans of Gen. Grant
1t is not an easy matter for great and I'M
wieldy Government, such as that of the
United States has now become, TO make
progress in the direction of economy. For
the last three years, leaving out of the ac-
count the army and navy, the progress has
been the other way. With the Presidents
peculiar management of the civil service
and the subserviency of Congressman, what
else could be expected? Let us hear no
more, then, of this false pretense of ecOnO-
my as an argument for a second term of
personal government"
1t looks odd TO find the New York
Tribune defending the administration
of Andrew johnson on any score,
but it takes the figures from the off,
cial documents-fgures that ought not TO
lic-and shows that the Grant administra-
tion during the first two years of its exist
ence, expended nearly $l5,OOO,OOO more in
few leading items, than johnson did dur
ing the last two years o! his administration.
This statement shows how unreliable are
Grants promises of economy. He went
into office with this promise, and yet he
went long way beyond his predecessor.
"Thats the way the money goes"