The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1879-01-28
HICKORY HONESTY.
The Golden Era OF Jacksonian
Economy and Reform.
A Long List OF Very striking Biius-
srastoas.

Il
Correspondence Of the Evening News.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-When / read
Senator Thurman's letter this morn
ing, addressed 10 the Columbus ban
queters who yesterday celebrated the
anniversary of the battle OF New Or
leans, eulogizing General Jackson and
his administration, and holding il up
as an example of honesty and. d.economy
worthy of the imitation of all future
generations, il occurred to me that il
could only find out Just what kind OF
an administration Jackson's was /
should be s5le 10 foretell in advance
previous beforehand the kind OF an adj
ministration Thurman's will be IL he
should happen to he elected President.
So wended my way to one Uf the
government libraries at once and in
formed the librarian of the object /
had in view.b
II want" said /, "all the records
and public documents which show how
honest and economical General Jack
son was. am informed by Senator
Thurman, and, indeed, / think ] re-
member to have heard OF it before
somewhere, that Jackson's was a mod
economical withal, and
HONEST TO A FAULT;
and | wish to present his record In an
attractive form to a large but select
circle of readers ont west, inst to show
them what Kind Of President Thur
man will make II his an Tbition is graf
fled"
"Jes so," said the ancient librarian,
81 will assist you all in my power. l
am a great admirer of Jackson myself.
He il was, you know, who declared that
30 the victors belong the spoils, and.
acting upon that maxim, inaugurated
that admirable system OF government
which consisted Of kicking everybody
out OF office. competent or incompe-
tent, who did not vote for him. Jack
son was great reformer. He was
elected on a reform platform, like the
present democratic House, which COM
menced by kicking out the republican
doorkeeper and-has been kicking ont
its own doorkeepers ever since, and
Never mind the present House" /
interrupted; "What | want to know is
all about the great and good Jackson. "
well. Jackson did some tall kick
ing. / tell you-over
FIFTEEN HUNDRED THE FIRST YEAR.
John .. Adams only removed twelve
all for cause-ouring his whole admin
istration; and during the preceding
forty years his predecessors had only
made one hundred and thirty-two
changes. The record is all here. Shall
bring the books?"
mo" ] replied, 81 want the records
which will show the result OF these
CHANGES. j want 10 show how he beat
'em all on economy.
With that be disappeared, and pres.
emily returned laden with musty tones.
Throwing them down he picked mp one,
apparently at random. and said:
Here is n portion of the record OF
Jackson's postmaster. general. Follow
it up ond you may find something that
you want"
followed il up to my sorrow and
dismay. / found that after a hard
fought battle, Senator Thomas Ewing,
father OF the present Tom Ewing, who
inherits his fathers name--and moth
ing else-had succeeded in getting up
al investigation into postmaster-gener-
al Barry's department. The chairman
OF the committee was opposed TO the
Investigation-and so was BarTy-and
the latter fatty refused TO give any in
formation whatever. Nevertheless it
was proven that
HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS. OF DOLLARS
were annually squandered ia extra al
lowances' TO party favorites, without
warrant or authority Of law; that what
was called 'incidental expenses" and
"secret service expenses increased in
one year TO about go, 600 and ia the
year Of the next presidential election il
amounted 10 SSS, 900; that an immense
sum was paid annually TO party news
| papers, for no service whatever except
! political service; that in one year over
! Sl3, 900 was paid TO editors Of newspa-
pers; aud that old F. +. Blair alone
was paid GIG for every day his paper
was issued during that campaign. |
I found that the aggregate result OF this
eXtravagance and fraud was that the
| excess Of expenditures in four years
as compared with the preceding four
years under Jackson, was over three
millions Of dollars, that the depart
ment was IN debt over one million OF
1 dollars; whereas under Adams il had
paid oil its expenses and furnished an
annual revenue 10 the government of
over a million Of dollars.
This is not exactly what was af-
/ ter" said 10 the venerable librarian,
who was watching me over his specta-
/ cles "what I went DOW il 10 find what
became Of this man Barry. OF course
Old Hickory promptly removed himF'
"Yes, he resigned-the unanimous
voice Of the Senate compelled him to
do that. aud Old Hickory promptly
sent him ont Of the. country-appoint-
ed him
MINISTER To SPAIN.
Here is the record.
"Well. suppose this little eccentri.
city on the part Of the postmaster.gen-
eral taught the President lesson. The
next head Of that department must
have been honest.
Here is a report Of the Wise COM