National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-20
TRHE ECONOMY.

! gOgUe. He is generally pinching econO-
mist in theory, while he is a most prodigal
spendthrift in practice. He is never act
ually ready to tell you specifically and in
| detail how and where he will save your
money. He will not even tell you what
he will accomplish through his economy,
but it generally turns out that he will do
| nothing at all at about the same or little
greater expense than the party which he
so loudly decries carries out important en-
terprises. His forte is the finding fault
with others, while he has no better policy
of his own to recommend.
The true economist is the one who &C
Complishes most at the least expense. The
man who hides his talent in napkin, where
it accumulates nothing, is a miser. He
simply saves that which he has already
gained. The cnterprising man invests his
gains in that way which promises the
greatest profit consistent with the safety of
the principal. Just so an Administration
charged with the expenditure of Govern
ment funds is bound to so dispose them as
will result in the greatest advantage to the
people. In times of monetary stringency
it should not add to the general distress by
the stoppage of public works and curtail-
ment of expenditures beyond what is abso-
lutely necessary. But it should so shape
its policy as to aid in the full employment
OF labor. In this way the wealth Of the
country is increased and the taxpaying
capacity Of the people enlarged. The OPP
posite course is the ''strangling ofthe goose
that lays the golden egg"
Far be it from us to advocate a prodigal
expenditure of money in the payment Of
useless salaries or in the prosecution of
public works Of purely ornamental char
acter in times Of public distress. On the
contrary, we would applaud each effort
toward that judicious economy which seeks
to attain the best results at the smallest
outlay. The burdens Of the people should
be made as light as possible consistent with
the accomplishment of the public needs.
What money is expended should be paid
out with that rare discrimination which
will tend at the same time to relieve the
necessities of the suffering and contribute
to the general good. The construction of
public works which promise to stimulate
production and foster the varied industries
Ofthe nation and also result in the economy
of many millions per annum in the shape
of cheaper transportation Of commodities
seeking exchange, would seem to be most
Opportune when labor is plenty and cheap.
If Congress shall determine to make an
outlay of twenty or thirty millions per an
mum for such purp )ses during the next
three or four years, the effect upon the bust
ness and industrial interests of the country
will be almost magical. The people have
demanded by an unmistakable voice such
an investment Of portion of their aggre
gated capital for their own benefit. The
laborers of the East demand labor, in order
that they may obtain bread TO eat. The
grain producing and cattle-raising farmers
of the West demand cheaper outlets to the
markets Of the world for their productions.
The managers Of the present channels of
transportation stand in the way as toll
gatherers for fast freight" rings and holders
of diluted stock, and forbid Congress to lay
its hands upon what they call their "vested
rights to rob the labor of the nation of the
better half of its earnings.
The time is now at hand when Congress
will be calledupon to decide between these
monopolists on the one hand and the pro-
ducing classes of the country upon the
other. The Republicans made a noble
record in words in favor of the latter, at
the last session, but they failed to make
appropriations and actually set men to
work upon any one Of the en-
terprises in favor of which they re-
ported. We fully believe that if they
had passed a bill authorizing a general
scheme Of internal improvements, such as
a large majority appeared to favor, the
result would have been a full return of
public confidence in the revival of bust
ness. Iron mills and factories would have
been running upon full time, and we
should have now been in the full tide of
prosperity. But all was left in uncer-
tainty, and capitalists hesitated to invest in
schemes which promised full employment
to the labor of the nation until some def
mite policy should be marked out by the
Government.
A man who is doing nothing can pay no
taxes His powers of consumption are
dwarfed. But if he is earning nine dollars
a week he can pay fifty cents, or even a
dollar of it into the Treasury without dis
tress. When he is idle, cheap goods are of
no advantage to him, because he has not
the wherewith to buy. Give him work,
and he will cheerfully contribute of his
wages to the general fund for internal i'm
provements. He will do this the more
readily when he sees that the money is
being economically laid out in such man
ner as will forever cheaper the means of
subsistence, and debar the monopolies from
taking an exOrbitant toll from his earnings.
Would such policy be in the line of true
economy? Would it not add immensely to
the tax-paying capacity of the country?
Let Congress think of it, and act promptly
and energetically. 1t is no time for timid
ity. 1t is no time for hating between two
opinions. To go forward is TO restore pros
perity and achieve victory. To falter and
hesitate is TO inspire disgust and indigna-
ton. and be buried in defeat and Oblivion.