New-York tribune., 1874-03-14
"dLL TALK AND NO CIDER."

| AN TALK AND NO CIDER"
Within tho last four weeks we have had an
abundance Of speech making in the House OF
Representatives ON the condition and prospects
of the United States Treasury. Messrs. Dawes,
B,,rchard. and L. ii. Roberts of the Committee
of Ways and Means, and Garfield, Chairman
of the Committee on Appropriations, have all
made long and elaborate speeches on this
question. These speeches we have perused at
| tentively, as they came to Va reported In fuli
/ in fhe Congressional Record, and we proceed
to mako q fow observations of general appll-
cation TO them all.
1. Not one of these four Administration
leaders advocates additional taxation. Some
of them hint at it, but they all find insuI-
monntable "ifsr and "buts' in the way.
3. Not one OF the four advocates loan to
retire the twenty-six million OF legal-tonder
notes Illegally issued by Mr.. Richardson, or
for any other purpose.
8. Not one of the four condemns the course
of the Secretary in making this sort of addl-
tion to tho Public Debt of the United States
A. Not one of the four proposes any legsla-
ton to prevent Mr. Richardson from issuing
the remaining eighteen millions of the so
do 40.
s. Three Of these four gentlemen enter into
elaborate calculations Of the probable amount
of cash which will be left in the Treasury on
the 3Oth of next June, and all three, to judge
from these calculations, are Ignorant even OF
the existence OF the forly-four million re-
served They discuss the condi-
ton and prospects of the Treasury Oh the hy-
pothc ala that thcro ia no reserve. Probably
they have received no official information
6. The uncopcern with which these four gen
tlemen look OH while the Executive branch OF
the Government usurps the power. vested In
Congress by the Constitution, OF providing
money fol- the appropriations it makes from
the Treasury, il most remarkable aud most
significant phenomenon. WncD, and by what
Act of Congress, was this sO-called reserve OF
forty-four millions established7 When, and
by what law, was authority given 10 the Sec
retary of the Treasury to use it as he has used
itP These are inquiries which II dOeS not
occur to tbemGtO make
7. All these gentlemen, except Mr. Dawes,
appear to be very -angline that the cost OF
| Government il 70 be reduced about thirty
million dollars in l5H-5, as compared with
| 1884 and yet, strange to say, there was IN
| 1874, according to MosSrs. Garfield and Rob
ertS, a degree ofIeconomy most rare and un-
parallelcd.
! g. The bulk Of this great reduction which 1t
is proposed to make. consists in cutting OF or
postponing appropriations for public works
| Post Offices, Custom houses, &c.-about "a
difficult matter TO be practically carried out
| as it would be for one man 10 hold IN his
arms Twelve full grown cats, all anxious to
| get away.
o. All these gentlemen have most sancnlne
| expectations of the immediate revival OF
| business and recovery of the revenues 1t Is,
of course not impossible that their wishes
| may be realized and we hope they will he :;
| but it is their duty. IL wise and cautious
statesmen. TO lean to the side of TOO great
caution. With all due respect, they viii never
be charged with having committed this fault
TO- The upshot of the whole matter is, that
dependence is to be placed on rctrenchmcnt
| and the revival OF business. The Secretary Of
| the Treasury is to be left to operate with his
| reserve, and manage and be managed 10y his
Syndcates. The performance thus far may be
summed up in five words" All talk and no
I" cider"