The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-09-07

NOTWITHSTANDING the resistance OF Inc
republicans in the House, the hostili>
ty Of the heads of departments and
the obstinacy of the Senate, We reduc-
ed your appropriations thirty millions
below the amount you expended last
year. Was not that a faithful perform
ance of the pledges we gave you two
years ago when the Democratic mem
bers were before you for your sufra-
ges?
But the republicans are not satisfied
with having resisted this economy
while it was in progress. They are
denouncing it, even now when it is an
accomplished fact. They pretend that
We have crippled the government that
the departments cannot be operated /;
that the clerks cannot live ; that the
public buildings must stop; and that
u economy will only produce CON-
fusion. They say that large deficiency
bills will be needed at the next session.
[ am sorry they put themselves on
record in this way. 1t is a declaration
that the fight for retrenchment is not
over. 1t is an admissiontha extravas
gance intends to renew the war for
supremacy; and that economy must be
watchlul and vigilant, if it would keep
the ground it has won. 1t is we'll, how
ever, that the issue is so squarely made,
that the people are warned in advance.
|, for one, maintain that the govern.
ment has not been crippled that the
clerks have not been starved that
the departments have not been depriv-
ed Unnecessary help and that if defc-
iency bills are presented they should
not be voted. | go farther. 1 state,
upon the authority of Mr.. Randall, a
thorough business man, and one well
acquainted with the wants of every
department, that the appropriations
could be reduced from 10 to Is mil
lions more, without the least ~inconven-
fence to the proper management of our
government.
My friends, the republican party, in
the nature of things, cannot be an
economical one. 1t came into power
with an immense war upon its hands.
The people trusted it with their treas
ures ; and it was treason to call for an
account. When the war was over, un.
told wealth continued to be lavished
upon your republican rulers. And
although since its close, they have
handled nearly five thousand millions
of your money, they have reduced your
debt but five hundred millions. The
party was born in the midst of exe
travagance. 1t has grown up with
the habits that its birth and training
would induce. 1t has had no econo-
mical education. And it would be as
reasonable to expect the aristocratic
lady, reduced to poverty, to be satisf-
ed with one servant or none, when she
had been accustomed to a dozen, as to
convince the republican party that the
government could dispense with many
of its servants or pay them less wages.
The mission Of economy and reform
naturally belongs to the Democratic
party. 1t is the party out of power.
1t represents the oppression of the
people the complaint of taxation the
demands for reform and it has no
pets in place to restrain the free use
of the pruning knife. 1t goes into
power, if successful, solemnly pledged
in the interests of the people. 1t goes
into power under the most trying
circumstances, because it has a fearful
responsibility to meet, and a heavy
demand to satisfy. II it does not meet
your reasonable wishes, but a short
time need elapse before you can again
return it to the minority, and transfer
your confidence to some more worthy
organization. But if you wish to
maintain the ground alreadywon it will
be necessary to r~e-elect a Democratic
Congress. II you wish to continue
your reforms up to the point of a re-
organization of every department ; the
driving out of thieves the roofing
out Of corruption it will be necessary
to elect a Democratic President.
INVESTIGATIONS.
But if this Congress established our
right to the confidence of the people
by its unfinching struggle for econo-
my, it also demonstrated, by its invest
igations, that long continuance in
power had utterly corrupted the
Republican party: 1t amuses me to
read statements by Senator Sherman
hat in all our expensive examinations
We only exposed Belknap, and that
Belknap was once a Democrat. We
have no official political pedigree Of
the late Secretary of War. We dc
know, however, that from the time Of
his appointment he was a ''reliable
Republican," ever ready to abuse
Democrats and support Grant. If he
was a Democrat before that time, Sen
ator Sherman ought not to forget thai
in the late impeachment trial (ir