The Republican journal., 1872-07-25
"ECONCMY' OF THE GRANT ADMINS
TRATlON,
The Books Examined by Republican
Accountant

EDIrORs OF THE BUFFALO COURIER: A
further cursory examination Of the tinan-
cial report submitted to Congress by the
Secretary of the Treasury, confirms the
opinion expressed in my former article,
viz. That the expenditures of the pres
ent administration are far in excess of
those OF any previous one in time of peace,
even allowing for the increase OF popula-
tIon and other causes. 1t is evident that
the frugallty promised at the outset by the
Grant administration has not been the
controlling feature OF the government
For example: The Secretary of the Trea-
Sury says in his last annual report 1.-The
cost ct collecting the revenue from Gus
toms was SO, go G12.61 for 1871, being
three and eleVen-hundredth per cent,
while the cost for the year 1870 was So
23G, l37 %, OF three and twenty hundredths
per cent"
An analysis of this boosted retrench.
ment (thc only instance of economy shown
by him) reveals the fact that these eX-
pendlturcs for this purpose are not for the
year, nut in some instance for three
months in other eases for six, nine or
ten months
In the report Of the register OF the
treasury is tabular statement showing
the amount OF moneys expended tor col
Letting the revenue from customs of each
Custom House in the United States preyi-
Gus 10 June 80. 1871. not heretofore re-
ported etc. etc. The district of New
York reports IFS expenses from May l,
1870, to February IS, 1871, ten months;
Philadelphia, from July |. to December
|, 1870, six months; Boston. April To
December 81. 1870. nine months; San
Francisco, February 2, 1870. 10 June 30.
1870, four months and eight days. and SO
ojl Mfolgh the entire list.
Allowing the expenses of the several
custom houses for the balance of the fiscal
year unreported to be in the same ratio rs
for the period reported to by them respcc-
lively, we must add 81 .S94 9S6 80 TO Mr..
BoutwelFs figures, making a total for cost
ct collecting the revenue for the fiscal
year ending July l, 1871, of IS, 455. G5S 50,
or FOUR AND NINE HllNDREDTus PER
CENT.
1t is a mysterious circumstance that the
custom honse at Philadelphia should not
he able to render a report of its expenses
amy later than Dee. 81, 1870 in time to he
Incorporated into a report rendered to
Congress Dee. 4, 1871, and that nearly
every other custom house in the country
should he similarly IN arrears with its ac-
commits.
ne same report gives the expenditures
for the War Department al $50. 199, 99l 50. |
but a note is appended in these words:
''lhis is the net amount after deductinm
s., 2S0, O93.l Is, repaid into the treasur rs
the proceeds OF sales Of ordinance, etc. |
The true expenditures were Sli,0S0, 0S1.- |
%. The Treasurer of the United States, |
IN ms report, gives, Cash paid on account |
"t The army, S5S,G31 ,OS3.SG," and cash |
received for account of the War Depart |
m"nt, So, so ,o92.ol, and the Secretary |
ct War acknowledges the receipt during |
The current Year from sales of ordnance |
and other sources of S2I ,1G6 4U3 07. II |
Is evident that tin r"H expenditures ~ The |
It"F Department Wtrt So, 651 ,OS3 ST.
The maximum strength OF the army |
during the year was 10000 men. Allow |
Ing that the full number Of men were in |
service the whole year (Which is impoS-
Slhi") we thus have an expenditure of |
: ,9ol.'l per man.
During the last fiscal wear OF James
liurhanan'S administration, when, under |
Johfl u. fIoNds dlrecllon. us we kepubli- |
cans believed, the War Department was |
rrfklng with corruption ana dishonesty. |