The Grange advance., 1874-02-18
Iacsease Of Qoyernnent Expenses Oar
\; Ing the Last Year.

VOU,OU: aAo II ''os SSSMs AS7f
alayes1 $8l9, ,652, 644 He the pssee edsdf
Is say n #
|HHs In 1870 the expenditures had been re-
;duced to $809, 200, 600. while 10 million OF
shublic, debt had been paid. In 1871 the
Expenditures Shad been reducedSto $685.
6O0, 600, ana 1914 100000 Of public debt
Had been paid. In 1872 the expenditures
had been reduced to $277, 100000, and
S99, OOO, 600 Of public debt had been paid
FL 1873 the expenditures run up to $780,
200, 600, and only $42,000,0O0 Of public
debt had been paid. This year the expen-
ditures would be $319,O00,O0O, without
paying one dollar of the public debt.
Mr.. Dawes then spoke Of the increased
expenditure in the various departments Of
the government this year as compared with
former years, and referred especially to
the extravaganza of retaining ports of en-
try in places where the receipts did not be-
gin to pay the expenses. He had letter
from an ex-appraiser at one OF these ports,
in which the writer said that when he re-
ceived his appointment with 4 salary Of
S., 900 a year he wrote his Senator in Con-
gress, and afterwards stated to the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury: and about year
ago informed his other Senator that the
place was a mere sinecure, that there was
nothing done at this port. and that the law
making this port Of entry should be re-
| pealed and the Offices abolished. The writ
er went on to say that he supposed such
sentiments in an office holder were decid
edly unpopular in the Republican party;
| and in March last he had been removed,
| for what cause he hal not been informed.
but he supposed on the ground Of insanity.
| He thought it could not be on the ground
Of negligenc: or incompetency, for no
officer had ever been more faithful or more
diligent in drawing his salary than he had
been, and that was everything there was
| to do This man seems to have had no OBJ
lection to being removed provided the
office was abolished, but he certainly had
; cause to feel injured by being superseded
simply because he had done his duty in
showing that there was no necessity in
! having Il port there. Mr.. Parker desired
! to- know. the name Of the writer or at least
the name of the port, but Mr.. Dawes re-
! fused to give either.
| We are glad that Mr.. Dawes has brought
| up this matter Of keeping in existence ports
| Of entry for the mere purpose Of paying
| W. 1oI <l,o+
| publican has brought up this matter, be-
cause he cannot be said to have done it fol
| political purposes, or to make political cap.
ital for his. party. 1t has long been a mat
| ter Of astonishment to US that the American
people have tamely submitted, year afte1
year, to be robbed Of enormous sums to pay
salaries to men who 10 not do dollars
worth Of work in return. We are aware
that it is quite common in monarchial gov
ernments to feed and fatten these sinecurc>
and barnacles in every department Of tic
government AZ the expense Of the people
but we never supposed it to be consisten'
with the genius Of a Republican govern
ment.
| We give below a few specimens Of this
port Of entry business.
At Fre1ichman's Bay, u custom house dis
trict in Maine, the whole foreign trade fo1
the year ending March, 1879, was, imports
! 1923, and exports nothing. This whole
business was transacted. done, and perform
ed. run and superintendent, and otherwise
fully attended to and accomplished, by the
following corps Of officers: at the respective
salaries set opposite their names:
N. X. Sawyer, Collector. r............ $3.50 l(
Moses Hale, Special Deputy...... 1000 O(