New-York tribune., 1873-12-17
jnAstion, but by projects for reirenchment and
reform. .
r,v,p,ry or pIsgoyEsrY-wmcH,

TIMTDIrY OK DISHONESTY-WH WHdCHf
The debate in tho House on Monday upon
tho National Finances brought out two dis
tinCt lines of public policy, to a choice between
which, from present appearances, Congress
and the country are limited. Both are offered
Inv the party in power. Mr.. Butler of Massa-
chusetts stands godfather to one Mr.. Dawes
of the same State proposes the other. They
are as opposite as The characters of the two
| men. Mr.. Dawes. from his position at the
head of the Ways and Means COMMITTEES,
having the financial situation of the Govern
ment before him and the duty to con-
| slider the unusual emergency brought TO
| the attention of Congress, turns IT.
over in his mind IA an honest man
| involved in pecuniary straits would naturally
consider the way to extrlcate himself MOI
being entirely free from partisanSlnp, ana
being little tmid of graphing the question
in such way as may possibly injnre tho
marty, he recommends rctrenchment, reducing
| the estimates, and cutting down expenditures.
| He scarcely hopes that this will be sufficient.
but he fears the effect upon the people ana
the reaction upon the party of recommending
Increased taxation. And he is too honest to
| advise any other course than one OF these
two: either to reduce expenditures to income.
or TO make the necessary assessments and pay
| the bills.
Mr.. Buffers counsel in this emergency
| is equally characteristic. He does not
propose 20 retrench, and he does not pro-
nose 10 pay. "What if we are increasing our
expenditures every yearW he says. So too
" we are increasing in wealth and population.
Who's afraids Give US more public build
"ings, more subsidies, more land grants
higher salaries and more offices. Give us
more currency. AS for this humbug OF specie
payments, we are we'll enough without IT,
land all this talk about maintaining
1 r" our credit abroad is nonsense. We don't care
I" what the jew bankers of Europe think OF
"us. Our National credit has been damage
TO us.n This is about che style of Mr.. Butler
| IT. makes no difference with him that the
| Government puts ont its promise to pay a
dollar when il has no dollar in esSe or w posse
TO pay it with. take it up with another
PROMISE" he says. 1--WE are growing
nation and cannot be expected to pay Our
debts The best currency in the world il a
paper promise, and tho best redemption oil
it another PROMISE
Here's difference between Mr.. Dawes and
Mr.. Butler, wide and irrecOncilable. Mr
Dawes sees bankruptcy ahead. and undertakes
10 avoid it by retreDchmcnt and economy
Mr.. Butler, approaching the situation with per
haps caiaI clcarness, but having no c0ncep-
tion of honesty with the cunning Of shystel
advising client in failing circumstances
urges an expansion OF credit, extension
of notes, large purchases, ana ther
by and by, if times don't improve and the
country does Mt grow up to the currency. q
failure that will leave reasonable margin tC
begin business on again. Mr.. Butler is entirely
consistent He has avOwed his bcllef thai
tue public conscience never rcvolts at VIVA
"lhe public purse profits by and sc
has no sense of shame IN c0un
selling dishonesty lie believes the people are
naturally dishonest, and upon that belief his
nolicy is based. He would not have the nation
| be I'm good credit abroad, and it must be ad-
mitted that his whole public life has been
directed to the end that it shall not be. His
policy is natonalzed dishonesty Where II
| would end he neither knows nor cares, 50 II
lasts his generation. After him the deuge.
Mr.. Dawes, on the other hand, is honest
but timid. He knows, OF course, that the
crisis cannot be met by retrenchment. With
| this party, that time has passed. But he
fears the effect of taxation, and so shrinks
from recommending the heroic remedy
Ii is as it now stands a question simply
between brazen dishonesty and calculat-
ing timidty. There il no man in the
dominant party in Congress who has
the courage to come out in a manly way
and confess that we are running behind and
must assess ourselves to pay expenses That
is the only honest treatment OF the question
The fact is notorious. Nothing can be gained
by trying to evade or conceal it, and none
| of the subterfugcs of politicians will avail
to keep the people ia ignorance OF
the situation. While Congress halts be-
tween the timidity of retrenchment and the
unblushing dishonesty of imitation, the situation
grows worse for the country and the debt in
creases. Mr.. Dawes Is half right. Retrench-
I ment is imperative. Mr.. Butler is all wrong.
As q matter of policy the issue of greater
volume of new notes cannot help take up the
old; as matter of honesty second lie i'm
| narts no element of truth to the first.
| -
If the classic maxim DO true, that it is right to
learn from our enemy how much more it is proper