The Grange advance., 1874-03-04
Can we RetrenCh -?

We clip the following from the Chi
cago Post. 1t shows clearly wherein
great retrencnment in public expendi-
lures may be made, but after all this is
not the seat of the difficulty. The op.
portunities for retrenchment are legion,
but the desire or determination to re-
trench on the part Of officials is very
weak, or at most expends itself in words
and wind. Artemus Ward vouched
for his patriotism by declaring that he
was willing to sacri6ce all his first wives
relations for the salvation of his be-
loved country. Our statesmen and pol
itlclans may not be candid enough to
confess it, but it is sufficiently plain
that their patriotism too generally con-
slsts in perfect willingness to make
every man retrench except number one
Retrenchment, like charity should be-
gin at home:
Congress seems to be very much troubled,
In discussing the subject OF retrenchment. to
know where to begin. Each head of de-
partment when questioned is fully Of opin-
Ion that no cutting down can be tolerated
IN his jurisdiction, and all unite in an Oil
Yer Twist like clamor for more \ COM
parlson OF the expenses OF our government
with those Of Great Britain shows that we
might begin to cut down almost anywhere
to advantage. The army appropriation
Will illustrate the point as we'll as any 9th
er.
The United States has an army of 3D.
OoO; Great Britain an army Of 1854 900. In
round numbers, the effective establishment
OF the latter country is four times that of
our own. But the cost does not appear to
be IN any thing like the same ratio. The
| appropriation made at the third session of
the Forty-third Congress for ':pay Of army
| and allowances TO officers was $123OO,-
OOO, while the corresponding amount ap-
propriated by the British Parliament was
$24, 81 $50
In the matter of clothing for the army,
our appropriation averaged about $50 per
man and that of England S27. For subsis-
tence Of our 10000 men we pay s., 500, 900,
while the British taxpayer is let off with
$4,000, 900 for 1913, 900 men
Passing from comparison of army esti-
mates to the naval service, and selecting
similar items, it appears that the British
navy comprises 1913 vessels, with about 900
in commission, and costs $40, $685. per
annum, while the American navy includes
178 vessels, As in commission, and costs
per annum $23, ,788, $50. For public works
and buildings the republic requires $12,
34l, ,944; England gets along some way with
half that amount.
1t is proper to add that, in spite of this
showing in its favor, the Gladstone govern
ment has been thoroughly whipped on ar
appeal to the people, who considered it fal
too extravagant. It is tolerably certain
that Congress. instead of setting Il trap tt
catch the " one female clerk" that some de-
partment thought it might spare, had best
plunge into the expenditures where they
are thickest and cut right and left. until i,
comes out on the other side. The tax-rid
den masses expect to see radical economy
introduced, and they will be satisfied with
nothing less. Nor will the expedient of in.
fation, if adopted, with its consequent fe.
verish, temporary, and deceptive prosperi
ty, blind the people to the fact that nation
al prosperity is not possible outside of rig
id economy, and that individual prosperity
is simply another name for national pros
perity.