Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-08-31
WASHINGTON.
From our own Correspondent.


time to repeat Senator Morton's ques-
ton to the Democratic Senators !:
'What beneficial act has the Demo-
catic party accomplished within the
last twenty-five years 2" True, one
Senator said they had curtailed the
appropriations and exposed the cor
ruptions of Republicans How have
they curtailed the appropriations =? 1t
is justly considered one of the highest
duties Of Government in times Of f.
nancial distress to do all in its power
to aid the laboring people by furnish
ing them employment when it can be
done without Increasing the burdens
Of the people by increased taxation.
Tried by this test the Democrat House
of Representatives entirely under the
control of the Southern rebels, have
shown themselves entirely unworthy
Of the trusts confded to them. While
the taxes have not been reduced one
particle they have refused the neces-
sary appropriations to the Diplomatic
and Consular bill which was paying a
revenue to the Government over and
above all expenses, thus throwing per-
sons out of employment that wee rot
only earning their own living but
greatly creasing the trade of the
country, as we'll as adding to the in
come of the Nation. There never
was q time when Public Buildings
could be built as cheaply as at the
present time and no one will pretend
that the buildings ordered by the pre-
vious acts Of Congress are unnecessary
or that they in course Of time will not
| be great saving to the Government
but, with the exception of a few To-
calities that the members of the APP
preparation Committee were personally
Interested in, the Appropriations for
this purpose were all curtailed below
the estimate of the Supervising Ar
chitect and from this cause alone over
five thousand persons are deprived Of
employment, which could have been
employed at this time, when so many
are out of employment, and, as is the
case in the City of New York, de-
mand employment or bread.
1t is we'll known fact that in this
city alone the Government is renting
and has been for years, building for
the transaction of public business that
the rental of them for ten years,
would build much better building and
buildings that would be fire proof
which is not the case with any that
are occupied at present. Instead of
curtailing the appropriations for Pub
lie Buildings it would have been true
public policy to have greatly incseased
it and thus while providing for pub
lie necessity, have furnished employ
ment to portion of the idle laborers
Of the country instead of adding to
their plumber. 1t is not a saving to
thus cut down this appropriation but
only deferring the expense until after
the Presidential election.
The reduction of the force in the
different Executive Departments is
not in the interest Of true economy
as no one expects that the business of
the Government can be kept up with
the Reductions made but that at the
next session Of Congress, which will
not be until after the presidential cleo
ton the force will necessarily have to
be increased. The same is true as to
the reductions of the Navy. 1t is a
well settled fact that after deducting
the sums deferred, not saved, in the
construction of Public Buildings,
Forts, Notifications SC, and the nec-
essary deficiencies which will have to
BIO provided for before the close Of the
present fiscal year the Democratic
House has not curtailed the expenses
as much as was done the previous year
by the Republican party.
The only way the SPECIALIZED corrup-
lions of the Republican party have
been exposed has been by taking the
hearsay testimony Of witnesses in the
absence of the parties they were testi-
flying against thereby making 1t appar-
ent that their object was not to arrive
at the truth but to make political cap
ital for the coming election.
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