The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-07

nulfN thN thhNHhUhus
Nobody focls proud " the Administration
Of JAMES BUCHANAN. Few apologize FOR IT,
while almost everybody denounced It,, or at
the best turns it on with snccr. Yet, in
the important particular Of public cxpendi
lures. 1t was far better than the Fraudulent
Administration Of HAYES.
Though the Kansas question then played
n conspicuous part in affairs, nevertheless
one of the most effective weapons welded
by the Republicans against BUCHANAN WAS
the charge Of extravaganza, wastofuncss.
and proligacy In the use ~ the public
moneys, especially in the last two years Of
his tcrm For this ions SHERMAN. who was
then Chairman OF the Committee of Ways
and Means, TnADDEUs STEVENS, and other
leaders 81 tho party Ia the House, arraigned
him I'm the sevcrost language while BEN
WADE, Henry WILSON. and their associates
Numbered at him i'm the Senate.
Now, let ne see Just how much money tho
BUCHANAN Administration spent annually,
and then compare this with the expenditures
OF the present Fraudulent Administration.
BUCHANAN's worst two years were 1859
md 1880. In the former the total oxpcndi-
lures for all purposes. except interest on
the public debt I'VE omit the fractions), were
SG6.9OoOO. OF this sum, S21 10000 was for
military purposes Of all kinds. aud sl4, $4,000
for naval purposes. These last two items
were outrageous; but we were then spend
Ing unusual amounts on Qualifications, and
were building several war vessels. The up
roar made by the Republicans In Congress
and on the stump and in the newspapers,
particularly about the large appropriations
e.. ~. M, q, 20.
rather alarmed Mr.. BUCHANAN, and In 1860 he
drew in his horns little. In that year the
total expenditures were $G0,O56,OOo, Of which
sum slG4OO.ooO was for military objects, and
81 10000 for the navy.
Let US now compare those expenditures
With those Of the present Fraudulent Adj
mnistraton during the past year, and those
which 1t proposes to make in the current
year. and it's estimates Of what it will need
In 1880.
Before doing this. however, We should
bear in mind that now, as in the time of
BUCHANAN. we are at peace with foreign
nations; and though HAYES has Indian
troubles on his hands, 80 had BUCHANAN;
and, moreover, BUCHANAN had his small
but very expensive war in Kansas TO man
age We do not overlook tho fact that our
population has increased about thirteen
millions since BUcHASAS's time; but not a
rood has been added To our territory ex-
ccpting the wilde and wastes Of Alaska,
which It costs a mere triilc 10 govern for
the seals have got up no instructions. and
nobody has tried 20 steal our icebergs
Then. too the purchasing power Of the cur
rent dollar is as great now as II was during
BUcHANAN's term, and whatever our Gov
trnment needs TO buy, whether 1t be com
moditics or services can be obtained quite
Rs chcaply to-day as they could twenty
years ago.
Last year the Fraudulent Administration
Of HAYES expended 34.JOO.OOO. besides the
amount paid for interest on the public debt (;
or IN other words, Il spent sos, 10000 more
than BUCHASANs Administration spent for
the same purposes in 1859, including
t9,oO0OO0 more for the army, and 100000
more for the navy. The comparison Is still
worse for HAYES In BUcHANANs last year,
HAYES expended S7i, 100000 moro than BU-
rHASAS did in 1850, including Sl6OOO,OOO
more for the army, and SGooo,ooo more for
the navyl
But even this docs not satisfy HAYES lie
facio Secretary Of the Treasury john
t2HflANAN 81 - III lil7 ifl'iA AtAAN H' 'hlli'A
get along with less than $40, 900 for this
current year, besides what will be required
TO meet the interest on the public debt,
whereof s3g,0o0,OOJ will be needed for mill
tary purposes, aud 100000 for the navy.
And he plainly tells tho country that it will
require sls0,l37o0O 70 carry the Fraudulent
Administration through the fiscal year
thereafter ensuing
Hays. therefore, in tho matter Of oxtrav-
ngant expenditures Of the peoples money,
j. now more than twice AZ proiligatc a.
BUCHANAN was and if he can gctall he asks
he proposes to become three times a. profit
gate in the last year Of his Fraudulent term