The New York herald., 1876-09-21
The so-called "Economy and Re-
treuc hment' Issue.


ment purposes very great, and they ought
to be lessened." He is perfectly right in
this; and yet it is true, as we said before,
that 'the cry about huge expenditures is
nonsense" 1t is So because it is raised for
party purposes, exclusively against the fed
eral administration; while in fact it ought to
be raised more loudly against municipal ex-
| penditures, which have been and are made
very largely by the. very party which makes
the outcry against federal extravaganza.
We do not need to tell readers of the
HERALD that we favor rigid economy and
honesty in the public expenditures. We
have long and persistently insisted on this.
But when we speak of government expendi-
lures we include those of cities and States,
as we'll as those Of the federal government
We want to see this election carried by hon.
est discussion and fair statements; we
should like to see both parties frank enough
to acknowledge their errors, because such
confession would be the best guarantee Of
an honest intention to reform abuses.
When, therefore, our democratic friends seek
to make ECONOMY and retrenchment" the
conspicuous issue in the campaign, we do
not like to see them putting on sanity
look Of horror at federal extravagance, while
the debt-ridden city of New York, ruled and
covered with debt by themselves, stares
them in the face. Mr. David A. Wells, him.
self democrat, but an honest and frank
man, remarked recently in his Saratoga ad-
dress before the Social Science Association
that the debts of our cities had run up since
1860 to eighteen hundred Millions and the
greater number of our cities have been con-
stantly since that period under the rule of
democrats He added that the New York
city debt, which stood at eighty-two mill
ions in 1871, had risen in July 1876, to one
hundred millions, which does not say much
in favor of democratic economy or retrench-
ment, even under ''reform" system. Be-
sides, while it may be. claimed that since
1871 the city of New York has for the greater
part of the time been ruled by the op-
ponents of the regular democracy, it is no.
torious that the large increase of the city
debt is mainly due to the extravagance, cor
ruption and recklessness of the previous
democratic administration.
Again, the democrats make much of Gov
ernor Tilden's laudable retrenchment in the
State expenditures, and they have right to
do so. The canal management had been so
corrupt under both republican and demo-
cratic administrations legislatures, both
with republican and democratic majorities,
had been so ready to pass unwise and i'm
proper laws in the interest of those who
desired to plunder the State; executives,
now chosen from one political party and
now from the other. had been so accustomed
to confine themselves to mere routine du-
ties that it was gratifying to find q Governor
prepared to take an active, aggressive posi-
ton in favor Of retrenchment and reform,
and no one can blame the democrats for
claiming for their chief. all the credit that
is his due. But they seem to forget
that Governor Hayes has done as much in
this line MS Governor Tilden. During the
years in which Mr.. Hayes has been Cover
nor of Ohio he has reduced the State debt
by So, ,773 4O6 and the State tax from three
and half to two and nine-tenths mills
on the dollar; he has effected an annual saw
ing in State expenditures of 1914, ,593. and
has, by constant urging and pressure upon
the Legislature, reduced the local taxation
in Ohio over seventeen millions; has pro-
cured the passage of a law forbidding local
authorities to make large expenditures with
out the sanction of popular vote, and has
also secured the passage of o law prohibiting
municipalities from incurring debts beyond
the amounts actually in their treasures.
That is to say, Governor Hayes has shown
himself as active and as wise in securing
important State economies as Governor Til
den Let us he thankful that the candi-
dates of both parties are notable friends of
economy and retrenchment. That is good
thing for the country.
To overstate or misstate case is always
weak, and almost always damaging; because
discovery is sure to bring revulsion in the
popular mind. 1t is blunder in the demo-
Gratis to pretend that oil virtue resides in
their ranks; because everybody knows to
the contrary. 1t is blunder in the repub-
licans to pretend that all patriotism is on
their side; nobody believes them when they
say so. Both parties have their full share of
corrupt, self-seeking, bigoted and ignorant
politicians; both have on their shoulders
extravaganza and misrule during the period
since 1861 ; and when the democrats incau-
tiously boast of their superior purity they
only expose themselves to some such retort
rs has Just been made in Washington
Treasury exhibit, which officially shows that
since 1869 the republicans have con-
stantly reduced the expenditures and kept
them within the income, largely reduced the
rate of taxation and paid off considerable
part of the debt while the democrats, rnling
this city, have increased the debt and the
taxes. and failed to keep the expendi-
ur;tLip tha