The Portland daily press., 1876-07-08
At the Old Trick.

The Argas is inclined to be facetious over
the discovery of the abstraction of the In
dian trust funds. The editor isn't able to
determine whether or not such a theft has
been made; and if made, it cannot deter
mine whether it was done by Democratic or
Wing cabinet officers. The table published
in Fridays FREss and sent by the Asso-
ciated Press Wednesday night,..sta distinct
ly the dates of the purchase of the wildcat
bonds for this fund and the cabinet officers
making the purchases. The worthless Sc.
curlties were purchased in the years 1886,
1887, 1889, 1851, 1858, 1857 and 1S60-that is
by cabinet officers in eoery Democratic ad-
n'inistration from the last gear of President
Jackson to the last gear of James Buchanan,
while one purchase was made in the last
years of Fillmore's administration. Having
in its day lauded the administrations of Van
Buren, Pierce and Buchanan, the argus
should be assured that they were Demo-
cratic.
For the purpose of dverting the attention
ofits readers from this very unpleasant topic
"a Democratic steal which already amounts
to $5,000,000 and which will amount to many
times that sum, as it was trust fund upon
which the nation has 20 pay annual interest
the argus parades the expenditures of
the Buchanan administration the year
they were the lowest and compares them
with one of the highest of the re-
cent years Of the present administration and
declares that the ordinary expenses of the
Government have been increased from $780,
100000 to $17S,O00.O0O. But it stops there.
1t does not go into the particulars for partic-
ulars recall unpleasant suggestions respecting
the cause of large part of this oft-paraded in
crease of the expenditures of the national
Government.
Senator Morrill, clearly set forth the facts
relative to the expenditures of the two peri
eds in presenting the amendments of his
committee to the House legislative, executive
and judicial appropriation bill. He instituted
comparison between the expenditures of
the Buchanan administration for the year
1859, and those of the present administration
for the fiscal year, ending June 80, 1876. In
beginning of his remarks, Mr.. Morrill, said:
In 1859 the expenditures were $685. 1884, 800 90; in
1875 they were S274 623 1892 S4 making difference it
will be seen of S205 63S 702,75 1t will be seen that
the business of the Committee is to account for the
two hundred and five and odd million OF dollars
which in of the service of 1885, This is
counted for in this way: These constituent ele-
ments enter into it, first, the war second the natu-
raj growth Of the service through the natural growth
of the country and, third the service which has
been engrafted upon the public service since 1859
and 1860.
The comparison of Senator Morrill, is exc
haustive. Under the respective heads, as far
as possible to separate them, he classified the
items of expenditure under the heads, "due
wholly to the war;" "natural growth" "new
expenditures" 1t is not possible for us to
give Mr.. Morri's tables in full, but we will
venture to suggest that pamphlet so full Of
information should have general circulation.
In the general classification of the expendi.
lures, the amount expended for new service
in 1875, such as life-saving service, postal i'm
provements, signal service, etc., was 1901,
1886; for improvements, $17,S54. .515.05
for natural growth, SIS, 1861 ,S2S.19; for nat
ural growth and war, $4,2S0, ,39S.57; expend-
itures due wholly to the war $l6O $780,
36S.O4. The items which make up this
last amount are, in part, the interest on the
public debt, pensions, collecting and other ex-
penses attendant upon the internal revenue
expenses of the currency, judgments of the
court of claims on war losses and Geneva
award commission. They legitimately result
from the rebellion, which, even the argus
will admit,was inspired by Southern leaders il
the Democratic party, encouraged by many o
their leading party associates in the North.
Without seeking out further items of ex
penditure rendered necessary by the rebel
lion, it will be seen that the apparent in
crease for which the Republican administra
ton is responsible is the difference between
$2O5, ,73S, ,7O2 and $l6O, 1886, 1868 or $44, 900 1884
If the indirect expenditures of the war were
taken into account the increase due to ma.
tional growth and new service would amount
to about $4O,0O0,OOO. Or in other words, the
ordinary expenditures Of the administration
during the year 1875, exclusive of those
chargable to the war were $113, Isl, 900 ir
currency, or about 800, 10000 in gold
The expenditures of President Buchanan's
administration in 1859 were 6S,9S4, 500 il
gold. This shows an increase of $31, 146, ,23(
in gold, or about 45 per cent. In the mean
time the population of the country has in.
creased from 81 100000 to 45,000,000, and
every department of the service has been i'm
proved and enlarged. In Maine, for Instance.
the mail facilities have been doubled since
1859. A perfect system for the transmission
of money by orders has been instituted, not
only extending to all the larger towns in the
country but to nearly every important gov.
ernment in Europe. Cheap rates of postage
and frequent and reliable mail service has
been arranged with nearly every nation on
the globe. What is true of the mail service
to greater or less extent, holds in other de-
partments,
Democratic organs and Confederate Con
gressmen may do their utmost to deceive thu
intelligent people of the country; they may
shout reform and economy; they may jugglt
with figures and make loud promises, bu
they cannot escape the fact THAT the be0nipS