National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-02
PrRLLC RGRa5e.. =. 5

From the New 'YGrlc e, -
The present season of basiAees 6Ii
culiarly favorable for the Govern 90
two or three needed public work., d ID Ia
unusually cheap. Labor is very lev. laalis
of good WorEmen in this city ai5ue ~ ~ tdte
of work, and will have to he supported ia ts1t
least at the public expense. Asa matter d f5an-
cial economy It is much better to pay them Tor
work and let them feed themselves than to foed
them in idleness. Were the Government to utiI-
iZe the mass Of labor now lying idle IN the market
for any work Of public Importance, It would keep
the labOreTs sober and In a working condition
and give business Of all kinds just the stimulus
it needs The building Of new vessel, the open.
ing Of q canal, tho laying out of q railroad, the
erection Of docks or public buildings-anything
actually needed that, should draft few thousand
labOrers into the public service and call for ma
teTials Of various kinds would break the stagna-
tion and set the wheels Of industry in motion
once moro. ..-
But this aspect of the case, important as it is,
yields to another view which Is moro practical
and in the direct line Of political and administra-
tive consideration. 1t is be bornc in mind that
the Government is perpetual Institution. It Is
not limited partnership on one hand, nor subject
to the accidents of mortality on the other, but q
persistent, organic fact. And as such It should
forecast the future and plan and provide for
years TO come. All the great strokes Of national
policy have had this element Of provision in
them. The purchase of louisiana though VIC
lently opposed at the time, was one Of the Wiscst
measures ever completed by our Government.
The acquisition OF Florida and California were
victories Of craftsmanship. The building of the
Pacific railways, though they cost too much was
in itself monumental measure of national i'm
pOrtance. II would be easy to mention a score OF
smaller enterprises of the same general charac-
ter, in which the Government acted for the fu-
turC, and by wise Outiays contributed TO the de
VelOpment of the national resources Of the gen
eral prosperity Of the country. And what Is
wanted now in this season Of business and finan-
Cial depression Is the same wise forecast and
economical enterprise in the construction Of
needed public improvements and the encourage
ment OF commerce. There is n nggardly parsi-
lnony which is suicidal for nation as for an in
dlvldual. And while Congress owes it TO the
country to DO as economical as possible and to
discourage any wild and reckless scheme OF pub
lie improvement which involves the expenditure
Of the nations money, II is also bound to rcmem-
Der that q wise spending is the best saving; that
a proper expenditure for needed improvements is
an investment which will pay more than thirty
fold In the future.
Our Erie canal was condemned a. n piece Of
unmitgated extravaganza, and u man less p0pu-
lar than Dc Witt Clinton would not have carried
the measure through. But that single work did
more to make New York rich and pOpUlOus in
twenty years than almost all other causes put
thought it wild on his part TO open a new route to
Chicago, and would have much preferred few
additional dollars 10 the way OF dividends but,
with the instincts OF true finanCer, hC saw that
4 small outlay ut that pinch Of time would tap
the whole Northwest and mako tho Baltimore
and Ohio the great railway of the cOfntry. And
tion to act in the same wise and cautious and en-
ergetic way in national affairs.
The highest economy for rich and great ma
ton like this is to do whatever can be done to de-
YelVp the resources Of the country and build up
its commerce. It consists in making wise and
cautious investments in such improvements as
shall tend to make the nation rich aud great,
which private enterprise cannot or will not under
take. To begtR one or two such works now, when
thousands Of labOrers are Idle and business Is at
q standstiIl, would do more to relieve the bust
ness Of the country and dissipate the prevailing
depression than any measure Of relief Congress
can possibly pass. Economy should be the rule
at all times, but in period of public pinch like
this It Is false economy to add to the public de-
preston by stopping every public appropriation
and contracting all public operations within the
narrOTest limits. II ts no time now TO pay the
national debt. 1t is absurd to put new burden
on tho people, for they have already more than
they can bear The Government deals with tho
present for the future and the wisely 1t acts
with reference to the future the greater Will be its
stn