The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-30
What it Might Have Been if Assisted
by the Republican Senate.

The fulloyiog, with tine addition of CO.
pious tables, which have been carefully
compiled from the official records, is the |
result of an interview between the repre-
sentative of the Washington Post and
Hon. Joseph G.. S. Blackburn, Of Ken
lucky, in review Of the charges and mis-
representations alleged TO have been made
by Senator Window in the interest of the
Republican party, and by which that gen
tleman has endeavored to break the force
Of the economy of Democratic rule as es.
tablished BY the records of the government.
AS Mr.. Blackburn has given the subject
great deal of study, and has presented it
in every possible aspect, il has been deemed
of sufficient importance for the Congress
sional Democratic Committee to give it the
largest possible circulation:
Reporter-Have you read the so-called
Window Interview" published first in
the New York Times, and since circulated
by the Gorham-Hale committee?
Mr. Blackburn--Yes. carefully. Ii is of
a piece with similar campaign misrepre-
sensations with which the Republican Com
OCCASIONAL committee is trying to deceive
the people.
Reporter action, il any, VIII the
Congressional Democratic committee take
in reference to this and similar efforts of
the Republicans 10 cry down the reputo-
ton Of the Democratic party for economy
MIR. Blackburn-Senator Window is
only following out plan adopted by his
party in its death struggle, to break the
force of the savings actually effected by
the Democratic House, and he, ike his CO.
laborers, eudeavors to misiead the uniniti-
ated in various ways. For example, he
refuses to take note of the actual decrease
of expenditures under Democratic rule,
and whilst he cannot deny also the great
reduction in the appropriations which the
Democratic House has effected, he en-
deavors to explain it away by saying that
these reductions were made by denying
appropriations indispensable to the public
service: by postponiug necessary public
works; by repudiatiug national obligations
by withholding large sums for deficiency
bills. All these charges are known to bt
entirely untrue, but it seems to be an un
derstood thing all along the Republican
line that something must be done to ex
plain away Democratic economy.
RepOrter-Wh hat is the comparative rec
ord of the Democratic and Republican par
ties as to economy in conducting the gov
ernment2
Mr.. Blackburn The Official figures vii
verify what has become a matter of house
hold knowledge, that the record of thu
Democratic party is one of economy, auC
the record of the Republican party one o.
extravaganza and corruption. Economy
with the Democratic party is of no recen
origin, aud, az was to be expected, as sooI
as the Dmucracy obtained control of tn
House of Representatives, it forced upol
the Republican Administration and Senat
reductions OF great magnitude, both 10 ap
preparations and expenditures, Befor
discussing recent savings effected by th
Democratic House, let us examine the &C
tual expenditures from the commencement
of our government down TO tue last yea
when the Republican party had control c
both houses of Congress. The net or sini
ry expenditures of the government, exclU
siYe Of the public debt-principal prem
ums and ilterest-an6 exclusive also
pensions-beiDg only expenses of the arm
navy, Indians and miscellaneous civil
the fiscal yea 1889 to the fiscal year ende
1876, can be easily found in the reports
the Secretary of the Treasury: For til
war period from the fiscal year ended Jun
30, 1862, TO the fiscal year ended June 81
1866, both inclusive, more than one yea
after the close of the war, covering pt
riod of FIVE years, the net ordinary expeI
ditures above named amounted to tire
billions. five hundred and thirty millions
nine hundred AID twenty mine Thousand
five hundred and eighty-One dollars an
sxty-four cents.
DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY.
which even the Republican chairman of
Senate COMMITTEES cannot with all his az
duired knowledge of figures successful
refute, we will eliminate this war perio
from our calculation. This being don,
we find that, from the commencement {
the government to the beginning of th
war, that is, from the fiscal year endin
March 4th, 1889, down to and includin
the fiscal year ending June 30. 1861 bot
inclusive, covering period of more tina
70 years, the net ordinary expenditures G
the government for the purposes abcv
stated amounted to oDe billion, five hu1
and six millions, seven hundred ard twer
ty-six thousand and one hundred and fifty
one dollars and fifteen cents. Now. tn
net ordinary expenditures of the govern
ment for the same purposes. for the las
ten years Of unbrOken Republican rule, be
ginning with the fiscal year ended June 81
1867, more than one year after the wa
and including the fiscal year ended Jun
80, 1876, amounted to $I,528, 9l7, l37. 81
thus showing an excess of expenditures
500, 49,, 996.72 against the Republican pal
IS. Or, 10 state it plainly, the net ordini
~ expenditures of the government, excl
sive Of the public debt, principal, prem
ums and interest. and exclusive also
pensions, for period os ten years. begiI
Mug more than one year after the concll
sion OF the war, were more than $4,000
600 in excess Of the expenditures of th
government seventy-three years next al
tedating the accession of the Republca
party TO power.
REPUBLICAN EXTRAvAGANCE.
Rep.-uow do the ten wears of Dem,
cratic rule before the war compare wit
ten years Of Republican rule since Il
WARP
Mr. B.-If we take the ten years
Democratic conservative rule, bepinpir
with the fiscal year ended June 80. 1856
uD to the fiscal year ended June 30, 1856
both inclusive we find the net ordina
expenditures of the government TO he
been 1872, 872, 26O.52 as against 81 ,52S
9l7,l37.S7 tor the same purposes for 4
years OF Radical rule during peace. nam
ly, from the fiscal year ended June
1867, to the fiscal year ended June
1876, both inclusive, giving an
EXCESS OF REPUBLICAN EXPENDITURE
over the expenditures of Democratic &C
servative rule OF 1856, 044 ,8T7. 35, being
increase of net ordinary expenditures U
Dc. Republican rule o. about one hnndr