Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-02-14
Mr.. Dawes's Retrenchment Speech.


hours in narrating the shortcomings of the
administration party during period in which
ne has been one CT its recognized leaders in
the House of Representatives. The speech
was carefully prepared from documents to
which few others could have access, and it
has occasioned much comment tonight. Re-
publicans generally regret that Mr.. Dawes
ielt obliged to thus attack the party which
has honored him again and again, while the
Democrats are jubllant over what they call
their initial document for the next Presiden-
tial campaign.
1t is unfortunate for them that in some of
its essential features Mr.. Dawes, as was sub
sequently shown by General Garfield, was in
correct in his figures. From the appropria-
tons of one year he omitted SO important an
item as 8 IL 100000, including the interest
GU the public debt and the sinking fund, but
in the main his speech is well received by
both parties and strikes the key notes OF a
policy OF retrenchment and economy which
Congress will be compelled pertorce to adopt.
Mr. Dawes opposed taxation or loan to
meet the current expenditures of the govern
ment, and thought that the necessities of the
Treasury could be met by the reduction OF
expenditures. 1t appears that the Treasury
Department began the current fiscal year
with 100000 600 of Gosh in the Treasury,
aud that on July l next there will be but
$4,000, 900. The present outstanding obil-
CATIONS OF the Treasury are 1897 $40, 900:
the present resources, S34, 80, 900, leaving a
deficit of S52, COG $40.
DR.. Dawes, however, hopes by reducing
the permanent appropriations, and by cover
ing INTO the Treasury very considerable
sum, materially to reduce the obligations OF
the Government, so that with enforced econ
ony the necessary surplus may be placed In
the Treasury to meet emergencies. The
total sum, however, with these reductions to
De provided for, he estimates at Soy, 669 SAB,
ana there are to be yet Introduced deficiency
bills OF considerable amount. The deficiency
in the Indian service will be 81 600 900; IN
miscellaneous DEFICIENCIES, $4,000, 900, In
addition to these are appropriations of ST.
900, 900 for the Mixed Claims Commission,
and $500, 900 for the Southern Claims Com
mission. Mr.. Dawes did not include in these
estimates OF the obligations OF the Treasury
the claim of the Government of the District
of Columbia upon the General Government
OF from three to five millions.
Mr.. Dawes showed, however, that there
was much reason to believe that the revenues
OF the country would rapidly increase, and
he gave several illustrations of the rapidly
increasing prosperity OF the country; the in
crease oi customs duties for the last ten days
Is very much above the corresponding re-
ceipts for last year. The amount of postage
stamps sold during the last quarter, exclusive
Of official stamps, Is Sll ,000, 900, more than
tor any preceding quarter IN the history OF
the Government. One of the reasons for the
large decrease in the resources of the Treas
IS due to the great reduction in taxatlOn and
duties made by the last two Congresses. The
reduction on tea cost the Government $l5,-
Eofa
those two items, S25 ,Olo ,463, during tine
eleven months OF last year. The reduction
of revenue from other sources makes the
fatal reduction of revenue by the legislation
OF the last two Congresses, S44 367 1913.
OF the three ways OF providing tor the
emergency, by increase OF taxation, by tenn
potary loan, or by the reduction of the ex-
penditures, Dir. Dawes chose the latter.
Never in the history of the Government had
there been recourse to increase of taxation
tor the current expenditures, and in these
times no one should undertake to advocate
such an increase. Mr.. Dawes made one po-
litical allusion. He showed the dry rot of
Democratic party whom in Buchanan's time,
in 1875, that party made loan of $40 ,000,-
900 TO deiray the current expenditures OF the
Government, with a Republican Administra-
ton during the very session OF Congress has
renewed. Buchanans Administration came
into power with nineteen and halt millions
IN the Treasury, and went out with a debt of
six millions, wlthout having any expenditures
beyond the ordinary expenditures of peace.
3lr. Dawes thought that this lesson should
be a warning to u.s. and recommended the re-
ductlon OF expenditures by the covering into
the Treasury OF a considerable number of
permanent appropriations, by reform in the
cost OF the collection of the Customs revenue
and the abolition OF some of the customs dis
rlcts, by the abolition of many of the ports
of entry which furnish only sinecure places,
by a reduction of pubic works, by the dis
continuing OF land grants, by the reduction
OF navy yarus, by the abolition of the office
of pension agent, by the reorganization of the
Treasury department and discharge OF at
least fifty per cent. of the clerks, by the in
crease in the rates of postage on merchandise,
such as bullion and mercantile samples sent
through the mails, and by cutting of appro-
priati0ns for the District of Columbia.
MIR Dawes incidentally in his speech
showed an amusing trick OF Gen. Buffers.
Gen. Butler took occasion to interrupt him
when he was discussing the extent of non
productive collecting districts, when Dawes
said he was called on to make personal ex-
PLANTATION. He said that the other day. Gen.
Butter required TO be absent, requested him to
inttoduce II bundle OF bills. He did SO.
4fuiOuS iie oiiis " as Ohc pIoeluiuk the
consolidation of Msrblehead and Beverly dis
tries, for which bill Mr.. Dawes had had Gen.
Buffers constituents pell-mell upon him ever
since. Here Mr.. Gooch stated that the peo-
pie of Marblehead and Beverly desired that
the otti0es at both of those places should be
abolished and consolidated with the Boston
district for the purpose OF economy.
MIR. Dawes made very curious statement
with regard to pension districts in Massachu-
sets. lie showed that the salaries of pen
sion agents range from seven TO eighteen
thousand dollars annually. There are TWEEN
~ agencies 10 which more than nine hundred
thousand dollars paid. The Pension agent
ia Massachusetts, has received eighteen thou
sand dollars, and although he had complained
that clerk hire swelled up his fees, it had
been recently discovered that the amount OF
fees was so large that it must be divided,
whereupop the new Peusion agent established
his office at Boston within thirty rods OF the
former, and was wiling 10 undertake the at
fairs OF the Office and pay clerk hire out of
the Tees and to-day the Treasury department
are engaged IN preparing new set OF books
tor that district TO be forwarded to the new
officer. Boston Journal.