The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-25
REPUBLICAN, ECONOMY.

Let US see which OF the two great par
ties Is most entitled TO credit for economy
In public expenditures. The Democracy
for four years past has held the House Of
Representatives, which controls the ap-
propriations OF public money; and in that
time the appropriations for the expenses
OF the Government, exclusive Of interEd on
Tie public debi, have been S604, ,6l9, 900. For
the four years preceding, during which
the Republican party controlled appro.
priatlons, the same expenses amounted to
S609, ,S36, 900; so that the control OF one
branch OF Congress by the Democracy for
these four years has saved the people SS4,.
$40, 600, being an average OF over SCI ,OOO,.
900 year. Since June 80, 1865, the peo.
pie have paid s6,3l1,000,00O in Federal
taxes, and out OF that vast sum but $685.
100000 have been applied to the principal
Of the public debt. II the Republicans
had been as economical during the nine
years preceding 1875 as the Democrats
have forced them to be since then, the
public debt would have been reduced three
hundred and forty-five millions more,
without imposing one dollar OF additional
taxes on the people. The twenty.one
millions year saved since 1875 by the
Democratic House have been saved in
spite OF the most vehement and deter
mined resistance OF the Administration
and the Senate; and it never would have
been saved at all had not the people at
last disregarded the howls about the
alleged reasonable purposes OF the Dem
ocracy which have formed the campaign
arguments OF the Republicans since the
war.
We have an illustration, fellow.citizens,
OF the necessity OF frequent changes of
administration. Reform OF extravaganza
and abuses can only be secured BY such
changes. In the flush times OF Grant and
Boss Shepherd, the Hon. Proctor Knott
asked leave to introduce bill to paw sala-
ries to the cast-iron boys, which are the
hitching posts along the avenues, saying
they were the only fellows in the District
not salaried! The constant tendency of
every branch and twig and leaaet Of the
public service is toward growth OF patron
age and power. Every subordinate finds
need for some subordinate under him,
every division is struggling to become a
bureau, every bureau TO be department.
This tendency, stimulated by the enor-
nous revenues of the government during
the prosperous times following the war,
unchecked by formidable opposition, en-.
couraged by the desire OF the Republican
party to magnify the General Government
which it seemed 10 hold under lease
for ninety-nIne years, renewable forever,
has been only, in part, arrested by the cleo
ton ofa Democratic Congress. Neither the
House nor the Senate can enforce thorugh
economy in the public service in opposi-
ton TO the Executive Departments, and
complete change OF administration Is there
fore indispensable TO cut down public ex-
penditures to the limits Of economical
efficiency. The annual expenses OF the
Federal Government in 1877, for all pur.
poses ercept public debt and pensions, were
Sil4, ,OO0, ,000-nearly twice great as for
the year 1850, when they were but S59,-
100000. 1t is true the population OF the
country increased in that seventeen years
nearly fifty per cent; but admitting (which
Is not the fact), that the expenses OF the
Government must increase in the ratio OF
increase OF population, those expenses for
1877 were s97,000,0O0 greater than they
should have been in the ratio Of the ex.
penses in 1850, and this too, after the
Democratic Congress had made every re.
duction which the heads Of departments
could be driven to. A change OF admins.
tration will demonstrate that further
very large reduction can be made to the
relief OF taxpayers and the publication OF
the public service.
REPUBLICAN, FuNDlSo-rrs cosr-rHE pxBr
INCREASED
Mr.. Sherman claims great credit for hay.
ing successfully funded $S47, ,0OO, 600 Of the
public debtinto five, four and a-hali, and
four per cent bonds since March 4th, 1877:
reducing the interest paid by the Govern.
naent about SIC, ,000, 900 year. II appears,
however, by the finance report, that the
interest on the public debt paid in 1877
was S97, ,l2i, 900, and last year Sl02, 500 0OO.
and this year Sl05,000,000. In other
words, in 1873 and 1879 over thirteen mil.
lions more OF interest on the debt has been
paid than when Mr.. Sherman took charge
OF the funding operation. That large sum
Is what the operation cost. It Is made mn
OF bonuses in the shape OF double Interest,
and OF commissions paid to the syndicate
Meantime Mr.. Sherman has increased the
principal Of the bonded debt $50, ,0O0, 900. It
will take the savings Of interest by refund.
ing for eight or ten years to pay OF this In
creased bonded debt, and the bonuses and
double interest, and get even on the entire
operation.
Why have American capitalists bought
the four per cent bonds3 It Is because
they are practically six and half per
cent bonds, being exempt from about two
and hall per cent Of taxes which other
property pays, and because the industries
OF the country have been so broken down
that capital had better get six and hall
per cent, assured by the Government
than risk IN investment in almost any
industrial pursuit. Is it q great achieve
ment to have industries perish for want
OF money, In order that It may 20 int
nntaxed Government bonds? I admi