The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-07-03
The Issue on the Appropriations.

1--WE demand O rigorous frugalty In
every department of the Government"
said the Convention which nominated Mr.
| TILpEN, and which represented the Demo-
| cratic view of our present situation. The
| Democratic members Of the House of Rep
resentatives, in pursuance of this demand
on the part of the people who elected
them to Congress, have cut down the
appropriation bills for the fiscal year end
ing June 20, 1877 some sG4 100000 below
Secretary BRtsTow's estimates as en-
bodied in his letter to the Speaker of the
House, under date of Dec. O. 1875, accom-
panying what is known rs the Book of
Estimates" Mr.. BRIsrow himself could
not, would not, and does not object TO this
application of the principle of rigid econ
omy. In his last annual report, he dis
timothy takes the ground that saving should
be effected. These are his words:
"Frugaiv in administration Ia among the foremost
Faithful objection Of the revenue and reduction Of
OF 4G Sa, sa e d Sy Of ss
Entrusted with making and administering the law The
force while tie public Indebtedness is large sno he
a e country arc seraT from financial .
nefs Which followed the OF Imitation and cxtrava
necess ~ tnat iudyiduas sssoci ions and corpori.
tons .houd reduce Their exncnditurcs 10 the mum;
msnd that the Government shlll 90 llke@isc.
siderable redaei5S eS approDraticns can proDe, IL Be-
MADE aud 10 Seeredyy iartcs citcdI examination
public expendnres in time OF great prosperity and eH.
oG so Sh y az he sG rSv9se comes o.. cr
Be brought about oNv bv me vigilance and most
meni." ' 'V'''''
Itappears from this that Secretary BRrs-
row, in December, 1875, was in entire nc
cord with the present position OF the
House, and in direct antagonism TO the
Senate and the President He not only
recommended the House to search vigil
lantly, and TO cut down vigorously, but,
with prophetic anticipation of the present
deadlock, warned the Democrats that they
would have TO stick" and keep on stick
ing, II they wished TO accomplish anything
In the way of rigorous frugality. IL Is at
this very point that Mr.. BRIsrow is brought
into the most direct and positive antago-
nism to the Senate, the President the Gin
cinnati Convention, and the Republican
new spapers-in effect, with all the accredit-
ed represen tatives OF the Republican party.
The position OF the Senate Is well known:
the President has gone out of his way aud
put the whole pressure of the executive
machinery to move the House OF Repre-
sentatives from its position; while the Gin
cinnati Convention, even in the very act
Of recommending its candidate, Gen.
HAYES. TO the popular support, thrusts into
its platform and official declaration OF
principles the charge that the rigorous
FIRM ralif "a .In fntl
mined resistance recommended by Mr..
BRIsrow and practsed by the Democratic
House, are simply proofs OF "imbecilitv,"
falsehood,' "recreancy," and "incom-
potency"
This, then, is the general issue, fatty
taken, between the Democratic House and
the Republican Senate upon the appro-
prlaiion bills; and this will be the issue
next fall between the Republican party
opposing reform and the Democracy
demanding reform. But the Republican
speakers and the Republican press en-
deavor to avoid the main issue and elude
the consequences of their own anti-reform
position by trying TO create the special
issue that the particular economics reduced
into shape by the Democratic House OF
uIO tANtSSlNt III amount,
and do not provide q sufficient sum TO
meet " the existing necessities of Govern
ment" Let us look into this view OF the
case for moment, and inquire whether
the proposed reduction OF appropI iations
for the fiscal year just opening to the
amount of SG4OOO,OO0 below Mr.. BRIsTL VS.
estimates be really excessive.
Republican Secretary of the Treasury,
Mr.. HUGH McCULLoCH, appointed by
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, continued in Office by
ANDREW JOHNSON, and superseded by u. S.
GRANT, IN his report TO Congress dated
December |, 1868, wrote rs follows:
Tho hrst thing to no done II 10 Introduce economy
appropriations 20 be made gooa oy de uciecy pills'
bui y putnug ssop 10 all unnecessary demands uDon
the Ire suIy, Ih're 49, department u ne Goesrn.
tsM thich g conducted NN DtOtsr economy. TIE
HABITS form curing the SIN strong and lrfH
ufd only 70 ne regu re'n,n's NJ Sr0rdJe lac. The
aver expenses of the the civil ser.
vic ought not u s4O.OO0,Oo0 per annum Those
Of the VAR Department after the bountIes are paid
should be brought down to $50 O0O 900 and those Of
dian cannot Tor years be cousi ieraoiv reduced
but they can douhtirss be brought within $4,000 900
The inter T. GU the pubic debt. wAen the hole debt
sha be funded AZ an ay rngr rate Of interest ve
per cent, Will amount to tI25OOO 900 which viii Oe r.,
duccd with the annual reduction OF the principal s'
According TO this estimate the account would stand
Receipts from customs and internal reye-
.t5ooOOoOOO
Expenditures for the Civi Service ....... 4OOO0OOO
Expenditure by War department. ........ 85,OOOOOO
Expendiu Is hy Navy Department. .....,. 2nOOO 90
Expenditures for Pensions aud Indlans. S0OOOOlO
Expenditures for Interest on Public Debt I26,OOOOlO