The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-01

covered with suspicion at least, If not
tainted by fraud; SO that but little jastice
can be discovered ID the effort of the re-
publican leaders to make as Responsible
for these sums of deficiency which their
own officials unlawfully created and left
10 rest as an incubus upon some succeed
ing congress. Indeed it was matter OF
grave doubt 10 the minds OF many whether
this vast debt, created without semblance
of law. and much of IL che product of
fraud should have been discharged with
out searching investigation or judicial in
quiry. But to avoid the semblance of re-
uudiation upon the part ofthe government,
even of obligations entered into by faith
less officials, it was deemed best TO pro-
vide payment for such sums as might not
be avoided, recognizing 10 this one of the
many penalties imposed by republican
rule. Again, / might say, By way of Illus
tration, you will find one item in the shape
of an advanced appropriation on the next
year three hundred and odd thousand
dollars, for subsistence to the army, which
sum was inserted In deficiency bill, and
deducted from the army bill, upon the
suggestion of the secretary of war. And
so you might 20 through the list. There
is nothing in this point of substantial truth
or force, and it IS only made use OF by the
republicans because the very title of the
deficiency bill affords them pretext for
the confusion of facts s So that, view it as
we will, no one can deny that during the
last three years, with the control of the
house in democratic hands. the appropri.
atoms have been smaller, even as loaded
down by republican senatorial hberality,
than for any like period of time under
complete republican rule; and however
much or little Importance may be attached
to the democratic policy of economy, as
evlnced by the work of reducing appropri
atoms, the country is yet confronted By
the fact that on the score Of actual expen
ditures there is no period of republican
domination that does not suffer grleyeusIy
10 comparison with the two years now las
past, wherein the hand OF the democratic
party, through its control of the house. has
been firmly fastened upon the purse strings
of the country. a-.s.
! Is it unfair, then. to assume that witt
an extravagant republican senate dis
placed by democratic majority il
sympathy with the policy thus illustrated
by every democratic house, supported by al
executive in accord with the efforts thu
! inaugurated, that this grateful process o
diminution of expenditures and Tightening
of burdens will 90 happily forward to tina
contamination which the people have
right to demand, and did demand in no I'm
certain tones in their verdict of November
1876?
The desperate efforts of republcal
leaders, like Senator Window and Nh
Foster and others. to torture oficia
figures into a cloak for their party's ex
travagaDce and corruption, whilst not /
be justified is probably rot t
be wondered at But the uncandid al
tempt of these gentlemen in taking the oil
fensiye, and thereby seeking to show be
fore an intelligent people that the charg
of extravaganza belongs to us, will onl
suffice to illustrate the audacity of an eli
fort made necessary by the desperation @
, J their cause.