The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1874-04-23


ERA or INVESTIGATION.
Il It Moro Light Or More Corrnp
tionf
The present political situation il
the United States could hardly b,
more truthfully and clearly portrayed
than in the following brief extrac
from one Of Curtis pungent editor
ials in Harpers Weekly.
The present strength Of the Re
publican dominance is negative rath'
er than positive. There is As jet nc
issue which commands national atten-
ton, and the only organized opposi-
ton, the Democratic party, is name
oaly and m abhorred memory. The
great general desire is that of honest
and economical administration. Reg
ular standing and party orthodoxy are
Of less value than they have been fol
: generation. Personal character in
political life is for the same reason
more important than for many year.
While the question of slavery and all
that sprang from it is in process OF
settlement, the country sees that be-
hind the all-engrossing cloud Of war
there has arisen new class Of ques-
tions-questions not of personal or
political right. not Of the nature and
powers Of the government, which
for fifty years have been all-sbsorb-
ing, but questions Of finance and
economy, Of the currency and IFS
treatment, Of vast moneyed interests
and monopolics which control States,
elect Governors and Legislatures,
Senators and Representatives, and
aim to direct the national government
and WELD the power Of taxation and
the resources Of the Treasury
4 moments thoughtful considers
ton Of the striking truths portrayed
in the above extract will show to any
candid mind hoe and ,ehy the present
sometimes seems to be period Of
unexampled corruption. Of course
the Democratic, or what is the same
thing, the "new party" writer or
speaker blindly alleges that such is
the case but is it true: What,
in effect, are a half dozen extrav-
agances or malfeasances, OF which the
public know nothing, beside single
one to which the attention OF every
one is distinctly directed: The fact
is, instead Of this being time of the
worst corruption and misrule in the
annals Of our country, it is time of
which the distinguishing feature is a
highly encouraging one, namely-the
closest scrutiny on the part of the
public Of every act Of its servants, the
holders of official places. It is en-
phatically the era of investigation
Everywhere you see them progress
ing, and the result is the very proper
and timely turning up of scandal
here or discovery of rascal there
In high party times, when the atten-
ton Of all was directed to the accom-
plishment of definite results upon
which the very existence of the gov
eminent was thought to depend, these
things were naturally unknown or un-
noticed. But because this was the |
case-becsuse for such obvious rea-
sons public attention was directed
away from individual acts and hidden |
schemes-does any one for moment
suppose that there were no rascals in
Office and no corruption in high pla-
ces? We can imagine no one so YER
dant. And now, leaving the dark
side of the picture--madc 50 by the
searching and upturning of hidden
rascality which every well wisher for /
his country must regard as one of the
most favorable signs of the times
we will take comprehensive glance
at the real situation with regard to
the all important items of public ex-
penditures, the relation of expendi-
lures to taxation, and tina, Of both to !
the general welfare.
The following is resume OF
speech upon these subjects made in
the House OF Representatives by
General Garfield, Of Ohio, and it Is
well worth attentive peru=sl by al
who care to gain information froxa q
fair statement d facts ard kzure.
with their ohsiou. coocla2.oErs:
AT tie oss.set he repadizsed the
tE.sa<y that the expenditures should
Al al Hazard. he reduced to the ievel
a ss.e ses e.ases. however small those
rsveraes n4zy b.. There had been
% ':s-e .. peace ;Ho periods in our
history when deficit had occurred,
in both cases on account of too great
reduction Of taxation. The first was
in 1871, owing to the operation
of the compromise tariff Of 1885,
Again, during the four years of Bu-
chanan's administration, 1880,
there accumulated deficit of more
than s7o,OOO,0OO, owing to an act
passed during the first year of that
administration largely reducing the
duties on imports. In both these in
stances increased taxation was resort
ed to IN order to supply the deficiency.
Last December we were informed
that another deficit was about to ap.
pear-a deficit, it was estimated. of
$4,000 900 for 1874. The panic had
something to do with this, but it was
largely due to Congressional legisla-
ton. In 1866 our aggregate reven-
ues amounted to $558, 100000 and
our expenditures to nearly 1921 ,OOo,-
OOO,leaving US solid surplus of $751;
100000. From these vast totals the
work Of triple reduction began; re-
ductlon OF the revenue by the repeal
Of taxes: reduction of ordinary nav.