Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-08-04
BOOTY.
S. BROWN ALLEN,
Secretary.

Nothing indicates more clearly to what
depths the government of this nation has
fallen than the fact that the control Of it
portunity for so much booty. Mr.. CARL
SCHURTz calls the struggle of the Democ-
racy to rescue it from the present corrupt
administration a ga great and covetous as
sault upon the booty" and the same Ian
guage is used by the party in power, from
the trembling Secretary of the Navy, who
is hanging on the edge of impeachment,
down to the humbest country organ. The
effort, they say, is not to redeem the
country from a confessedly corrupt
rule; not to inaugurate some means
of retrenchment; not to inject at
least enough Of honesty in its executive
officers to give us, at least, de-
cent appearance in the eyes Of other nations;
not to stop the worlds stronghold OF
liberty from crumbling to pieces-but for
mere booty. Having made that supreme
in their idea of Republican government,
they now can see nothing more potent to
move others than what moves themselves.
It should not surprise us when we renem
Der how they have piled up the offices as a
refuge for those of their party who live on
the booty, secured by the control Of the
government. At the close. OF the war,
which had increased the roll of government
officers, there were under ABRAHAM LIN
COLIN SO, 1877 Office holders. On the Access
sion of GRANTsabout one thousand were
promptly added. In 1871 the number was
57,605; in 1878 it reached 90,637, and in
1875 the climax was reached with 81 49,
or one Republican Office holder to every siGty-
four uoters in the United States! There is
booty for the voters of this. country to
think of! Every sixty-fourth voter you
meet is a non-producer, living on the labor
Of the other sixty-three, his living paid for
by the heavy taxes laid by the government
These nests have been built and feathered
for the use Of Republican partiZans. The
number of them has been almost doubled
in the last eight years of the reign of the
Republican party, and measuring by the
past if they were allowed eight years more,
every thirtieth man you met would be !,
Republican of1ice-holder.
It is to meet this that the enormous
taxation is levied. Since the war the
people of this country have paid more than
the National Debt, in taxes, and yet that
debt stands to-day but little diminished.
Daily the number Of offices have been in
creased, and daily fresh burden laid Oh
the people. In vain do the States pour
more and more of their treasure into the
government Golfers. Poor old Vii ginia
which, in 1867, two years after the war,
paid 81 1866. 722 government tax, paid last
year 50. 66D,92l, an increase of 1884,.
600. and is no nearer the end; no nearer II
reduction of her tax; no nearer, except
through Democratic intervention, a less
expensive government than she was nine
years ago.
And yet when general cry is raised
against pouring any more money into this
Republican rat-hole, where it is squandered
and embezzled and post-tradered by wills
key-rings and cabinet officers. the answer
comes to us from the Republican Office
holders, and statesmen and editors, that it
is cry for "booty." Booty! Well, suppose
it was, who has better right to cry for it
than State that pays over seven millions
of it into the Q. S. Treasury.
But to the honor of the Democracy they
have already begun lessening the amount
of booty to be distributed, no matter which
party is successful in November. 1t has
already reduced the expenditure of the
government by 3S,OO0,O00, though it had
to fight Republican Senate for every inch
of ground that it recovered. And it has
man at its head who, in the Presidential
chair. will make the work of Reform still
easier. And while the country is awaiting
this let the booty cry cease. 1t is no an
swe- to the people, who are clamoripg for
q change of government, to be told that
the CIV is sham. Doubtless there are
politicians enough who aye in the fgl for
office, but the great underlying feeling
with the people, and with these politicians,
500. office or no office. is for change Of
government. An escape from the Nor
TONS. LoGANs, CHANDELIERS. and ROBE
SONS, and all that set, who are the stub
born GRANTS advisors now, and will be
the mobile HAYES rulers, should he be
elected.
In the meantime the Federal tax-gather-
ers are carrying 81 900 out OF Old Vir-
.ainia, and that makes us impatient.