Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-08-02
Taxes Reduced by the Democratic
House from 1875 TO 1878,
SOOO,OOO,OOO!

The following is the substance of an interview -
between the Washington correspondent of the New
York Times and Senator Window of Minnesota,
chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropria-
tions, published in the Times of June g. 1878:
Correspondent-Havey you compared the aggregate
appropriations made by this Congress with those of
last year, and, if so how do they compare?
Senator Windom-Yes, sir; have carefully ex-
amined all tho bills since the adjournment. The
total for last year was SAB 317 392 Tho total for
this year is S1720G95S941 The increase this year is,
therefore, S2S.7J2, ,265.A9. These aggregates
cover all the regular appropriation bills.
Correspondent-Is this increase chargcable to the
extravaganza of this Congress?
Senator Windom-No il is mainly chargeable to
the demagoguism of the Forty fourth Congress in
making pretended Savings" for political effect
when they were only creating deficiencies"
Correspondent-Is it true that no reductions in
expenditures were made until after the Democratic
party got control of the House of Representatives?
Senator Windom-By no means Expenditures
had been on descending scale almost ever since
the war The finance reports show that in 1868
they were 1929 99l50sS, and that under the adminis
tration of President Grant they were constantly re-
duced until for the year ending June 30 1876 they
were only $1G4, ,S57 s13 or after making the proper
deductions for that year, for payments made upon
the Geneva award claims and for the Department
postages (Which latter counted in the nominal ex
penditurcs, but really took no money from the
Treasury the expenditures for 1876 were as VIC
have seen, only $156,s10957. The total reduction
In expenditures during Grants administration was
therefore $73 10i131, making an annual average re-
duction of $9,13S,O16. The reductions made bv the
Republicans the last year (ls76) were S14,71s,991
DEMOCRATIC PROFESSIONS AND PERFORMANCES
fRREcoNCttABLE
CorrespoF.dent-How do you reconcile these facts
with Democratic professions of economy?
Senator WindOm-Excuse me; have never un.
dertaken the impossible task of reconciling Demo-
cratic performances with Democratic professions
and certainly shrink from such an effort in this
case. l think no one believes that their vaunted
economy is anything but sham to secure votes It
was we'll understood by everybody who gave atten-
ton to the subject that their JOaSte reductions IN 1876
Were Effected Jy denying appropriations indispensable to
The public service by poSpOng necessary public rorks
By repudiag national obligations by withholding large
sums for deficiency bills and when all these and other
desperate expedients were exhausted, the figures |
themselves were so manipulated that they lost their
proyerhial truthfulness, and became the most men.
dacious partisans. This sort of deception could be
carried on for year or two with some success but
it could have but one result Already the logic of
events and the imperative necessities of the Govern
ment have exposed the trckery which was then de-
nounced, and, by compelling an increase of nearly
$29,OOO,0OO, have uncoverned the demagogism of
1876, by which it was sought to carry tho Presdcn-
tial election under pretense Of economy and reform
Correspondent-Have you read the speech of Mr.
Atkins chairman of tho Committee on Appropria-
tions OF the House of Representatives, published in
the Record of Juno 2S in which he endeayors to
show that there has been real increase over last
years appropriations, and in which he charges the
Senate with violent opposition TO the retrench-
ment and economy which the House inaugurated"
and fso will you please tell me what you think Of
it2