The Portland daily press., 1878-08-08
Those Appropriations.

coutrol vi lie house. Olnce tnen tney nave
passed deficiency bills amounting to over
$30,000,000. That is, their total saving was
less than $4,000, 900, about equalling the
average annual saving made by Republican
Congresses during the administration Of
President Grant. This year the total appro-
priations amount to S172, 069, ,5S9.A, an in.
crease over last year of $2s, ,752, ,2e5.19. That
is the outcome of boasted democratic econ
omy." The reductions of former years have
been apparent, not real. They were not re-
ductions; they were postponements. The
Democrats failed to appropriate money for
the actual expenses of the Government,
knowing that they would have to atone for
their neglect by making increased appropria.
tions at future sessions, and then went be-
fore the country and claimed that expenses
had been actually reduced these amounts by
them. They postponed the payment of
$50, 1000, 900, and said they had reduced ex-
penses that amount. Since then they have
voted $S0,000,00O of deficiency bills, thus
swelling the appropriations this year to the
great sum of $4,000, 900, an increase of
S16,000,0O over the expenditures authorized
the last year the Republicans controlled the
House, and an increase Or $2S,O09,0O0 over
last years appropriations.
Naturally enough they are ashamed Of this
record and seek to change it. They are by
no means scrupulous in their methods. A
favorite way with them is to exaggerate the
appropriations made by Republican Con-
gresses and to understate those made by the
Democratic House. This is the way adopted
by the argus, which is trying to convince its
readers that the present House is very
economical body. To begin with the argus
states that the last Republican House appro-
priated S172,600,205. The fact is the
expenditures for that year were but
$156,s1O,957. The argus gets the larger
sum by including the payments made
upon the Geneva award claims which came
out of the money paid US by England and by
counting in the Department postages, which
took no money from the Treaury. The sum
expended by other Departments for postage
went 10 the Post Office Department, the
Government in obedience to clumsy law
taking the money from one pocket and putting
it into another. That is an example of the
way in which the Democratic journals and
speakers are exaggerating Republican expen-
ditures. The way they go to work to dimin-
ish Democratic appropriations is to leave
the deficiency bills. AMOUNTING to $50, 900
gus does not reckon deficiencies but puts
the appropriations of the last session at $751;
213,933, when the total of all the bills really
amounts to SIP, $50. 1t even goes back
OF this, and puts last years appropriations at
S140,O00,O0O, while in reality they were s143,-
100000.
The truth of the matter is that the Repub-
licaus have made far greater savings than the
Democrats. From 1868 to the time they lost
the House there was continual reduction Of
expenses. In 1868 the expenditures were
1929, OLE, ,0SS, and in the last year of Republ.
can appropriations only $156, 10,957. The
total reduction was S73, ,1O4, ,131. The last
year the Republicans held the House the re-
duction was $14, 49, ,991. The average an
nual reduction was $9,13sO16. Now what
have the Democrats done? The appropria-
tions their first year were, according to che
argus, S145, ,997, ,956. The appropriations
their last year are $172 ,O65, $50, aud the in
crease in one year $2s, 1852, ,265. That is, the
Republicans decreased expenses; the Demo-
Gratis have increased them.
Furthermore, not only did the Republicans
decrease expenditures, but from 1868 to 1875
they reduced taxes an aggregate of $3.50, ,000,-
OoO year; while the Democrats since then
have not reduced taxation one cent, aud but
one bill reducing taxes, that cutting down
the tax on tobacco eight Cents, has been
passed by Democratic House. That is how
the comparison stands. No wonder the DEM
ocrats squirm when it is drawn.
AS for the Senate additions to the appro-
priation bills they are eminently proper. One
of the largest items is $500, 900 for the pay
ment of the Halifax award. Does the Argss
mean to say that the payment of that award
can be evaded? Another item of 81 100000
is for public buildings which will when com.
peted save the government in rent more than
the interest on their cost. They can be built
cheaper now than ever before, and doubtless
much cheaper than at any future time.
Furthermore they give employment to
labor. Another item is to pay the claims
of the States for enrolling ard equipping
militia in compliance with the law which
requires these claims to be paid when
audited. Still another item is for the ex-
penses of the United States courts which had
been compelled to adjourn for want of funds.
Yet another item is for the expenses of the
Silver Commission, which the Argus is un-
derstood to. favor. The reason why the
House did not at first make these appropri-
ations was that it had passed SO many de-
fciency bills it was afraid of the bad record
it was making, and so resolved to throw re-
sponsibility for further increase on the Sem
ate. But it did not refuse to concur in these
further appropriations, for it knew them to
be just and necessary.
TIRE potorinus "Rrjck,, PomnrOv the Wilt