The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-07-19
AFEw MORE FIGURES.
rs~ss for the Peepte-nesssss Why
grsss shsspa be ne-eleesedCf1
r. an. Me- xorl Txst,,.

Army and Navy have been reduced in
sine since the year 1858; that they are
less burdensome TO the nation, at least in
a pecuniary sense; and that the money
which might have been lavishcd on idle
ships and idle regiments remains in the
Treasury. We rejoice that the country
has h - prosperous, the revenue large,
the debt diminished, and the nations
credit sustained; but when we are
called upon to give President Grant, or
even the Republican Congress, credit
for the blessings, we respectfully demur.
There Is a middle ground between an eco
nomical and Q corrupt administration.
Economy Is Q positive quality. To Cd
minister q great public trust with wise
economy is not simply to abstain from
embezzling the funds. If the claim
which is put forth in support of econo-
my Of the President and Congress has its
foundation, we are to look for ii in the
ordinary matters over which the Preei-
dent and Congress have control. Had
the Government maintained the Army
and Navy on war footing. they. would
have committed an outrage. Much money
has been saved by reducing 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 Admins
tration has been economical, and to do
this we must select proper objects for
comparison.
The expenses Of Congress itself seem
to fulfill this requirement. Now We find
that the cost of the XLth Congress,
from June 30, 1867 to june 30, 1869,
was SO, ,65l, ,O74, including books, and
and that Of XLIst Congress from June
30, 1869, to June 30, 1871, was Sll,-
223, ,O42. We find no evidence of econ
omy here; but on the contrary, a start
hing increase in the bill. We are at a
loss to conceive what we hive had for all
these millions. 1t scarcely seems posi-
bic that the XI.Ist Congress was worth
i've millions more u;.an the XLth.
,-Seyt We compare the cor. ef the Ev-
ecutlv6 Department. Under this head
are embraced the salaries of great num-
Der Of Office holders, including nearly all
the big and little officials at Washington.
We are told that Johnsons administra-
ton was notoriously proAigate, and it is
commonly believed that Grant is i'm
menscly less expensive than johnson
was. Yet we find that the last two
years Of Johnson's administrations con-
sumed sl2, $50, ,220, while the first
two of Grants run up to SIS, 6,7O0,-
472. The latter sum does not include
two millions expended for compiling the
census returns. The Judiciary, too, in
creased their expenses from $4,840,-
$50 in 1879 to s5, ,83l, ,262 in 1859
II. Neither in the legislative, executive,
or Judiciary departments, do We find the
Grant administration less expensive than
Johnson's.
The mint, assay offices and sub-treas-
uries, which cost 81. .29i ,055 in 1873,
rise to 2,944,s77 in 1S69-71. Foreign
intercourse, including salaries Of minis.
teu and consuls, was maintained at an
expense of s2,470, $40 in 1863. and Of
q, ,095, $50 in 1S69-7l. johnson col
lccted the customs for sl4.543, AS in
is6s-7l; Grant for sl4,S02.52s. The
Indians were experimental with for
about $40, 900, 900 for the two years by
both administrations Forts and fortifi
cations, river and harbor improvements,
public building and repairs of buildings
absorved sl4,574,763 in 1878, and
SIG, 42O, ,191 in lS69-7l.
On the hypothesis of economy and
retrenchment how are we TO explain thu
fact that the ordinary expense of the
United States Government are larger IN
the last year Of Grants administration
for which we have any report than il
any proceeding yearf There is an In
crease of 22 per cent as compared will
1853. of So per cent as compared will
1865, and of las per cent as compared
with 1860.
From 1860 to 1866. in spite Of tn,
war and Of the issue Of irredeemable cur
rency, the civil and miscellaneous expen
ses increased but little more than Josn
millions, while from 1868 to 1871, il
three years Of the economical admins
tration of Gen. Grant, with prices fall
ling ana the currency appreciating. III,
same classes Of expenditure increased
eieren aud Ae!f millions. We cannot
consent to dignity progress Of this kind
with the respectable names Of economy
and retrenchment.
But we will not weary the reader with
details. We max, the broad statement
that there is nothing in the official 70
ports of Government expenditures from
1867 10 the latestissue TO oountenance In
the slightest degse the boast Of superior
economy which $50 boldly made by ,hs
partissDs of Gen. Grant II is not an
easy matter scr 's'es' and unw~saly
Goverament, susas that Of the United
States has nov bTo~e. TO make progress
in the way Of ecoeny. For the Ias,
three years, lsaviy out Of the account
Of the Army and Avy. the pscyrsss lsas
l.,a.. tha ofhe. - With IL. p..s