The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-07
The Way Rctrenchmcnt is Thwarted.

The House of Representatives has the
power, under its excellent rule, passed by
the Democrats in the last Congress, to for
bid any amendment in the regular sup
ply bills except to retrench expcndi-
lures; and it may cut down the appropria-
tons. a. was done under the lead -. Mr.
RANDALL when chairman of that committee;
but with an cNtravaEant Senate to prevent
legislation, and m adverse Administration
b execute the laws. this policy can always
be seriously crippled. until ii bee made Il
penal offence To spend more money than is
voted by Congress. That is ono Of the re-
forms most needed to give practical and as
su'cd effect economical legislation.
.'.;finc the discussion un ih" Legislative.
Executive. and Judb'.al bill, which appro-
;l4'trS fifteen millions in round numbers.
Nr. FosrER who l., best known rs one of the
rarEaincrS through who's, manipulations
M. HAYES got into the White House. took
occasion To- charge that the retrenchment
clalmod 10y the Democrats in the last Con-
gross, fell Tar short of the figures given by
Mr.. RANDALL at the time, and adopted gem
orally rs true. Or, to use his own words
ON every stump all over country As well NJ. on
this floor the gentleman Mr.. KsSpALL and a his party
stated the, had made reduction Of ,fe.s sslo,Vo
ayear What are TIE iaotss When the year was
closed AMI the books posted there exhibited a r..
ducuon Of sip,prptpD"
This statement is deliberately construct
ed to conceal an untruth. and it would he
unworthy of notice, except that the figures
and the false argument upon them have
been substantially adopted and ampined by
our usually candid contemporary, the Times
What Mr.. RANDALL claimed, and what the
record proves to be true, was that the ap-
preparations had been reduced thirty mill
lions in round numbers. He could not and
did not claim there had been that "reduc-
ton OF expenses" because the money was
yet TO be expended between the 9Oth of
June, 1876. and the 1st OF July, 1877, by an
Administration hostile TO economy, and
which had done its best to defeat the re-
forms through opposition on the Rcpuhli-
can side OF the House, and by more success
full resistance Of the Republican majority in
the Senate.
The ordinary expenses Of the Government
exclusive Of interest on the public debt and
pensions, are included in four great items
viz, war; navy, Indians, and miscellaneous.
The last appropriations made by the Forty
third Congress for these objects, with large
Republican majoritics in both Houses, cx-
tended to the 3Oth of June, 1876. BY compar-
ing the aggregate for that fiscal year with
the aggregate for the next year when the
Democrats had the House, the exact differ
encc will be seen. Thus:
Apurnnnatons Tor ordinary exnenscsfor
i,r,ii year ls7i-1d hl krpuhi Sl47 500 1927 n
AppTupil AtiOn- Tor ordinary eANrusesior
heal year ia76-I7 by Democrat, ... lls,ls5.57i 81
Difference in favor OF Democrats. ... S2a477 752 -
These figures are taken from the United
Sirtr, statutes and cannot be disputed.
iurv prove imcontcstably that the appropri-
ni'un, We" reduced twenty-nine and a half
millions; 1 II the Administration had
lived within IT, law, there would have been,
as there was intended to be, "A corresponding
reduction in the expenditures. GRANT was
going out, and, like n bad tenant ordered TO
leave, his concern sought to make the most
oil their last chance at the Treasury. They
squandered in every direction and destroyed
what they could not carry on SEcoR
hohESoN continued his iobhcry in contracts
TO the extent Of millions, even when holding
over temporarily between the Sd and 10th of
March. Then came three months OF this
Fraudulent Administration before tho close