New Ulm weekly review., 1879-12-31


THE UNITED STATES.
(From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, D. c., Dec. II, 1879.
This session Of Congress is like all
It's predecessors, in the introduction
of hundreds of bills with which the
country will fortunately never have
even bowling acquaintance. There
is another class of bills with which
the country is only too familiar. I
allude to those called the regular ap.
preparation bills. Two have already
been passed this session, and it is
expected that two more-the Mill
tary Academy and the Consular Dip
lomatic bills-will be passed before
the adjournment for the holidays.
It is understood that there will be
no reduction from the sums appro.
priated last session. In the Army
and Navy bills, as we'll as in the
Diplomatic service bill, every year
ought to witness reduction of ex.
penditure. The Diplomatic Service
might be abolished at once without
any, except it's elegant incumbents,
feeling the loss. Diplomacy is an
effete art. Before the day of rail-
roads, telegraphs, and newspaper
reporters, it was necessary, perhaps,
for warlike nations, with contiguous
frontiers, to have erudite and polite
detectives at their respective capitals;
but this necessity has long since
passed away, and the institution lives
only because no statesmen have had
the boldness to effect it's abolition,
and because it furnishes convenient
sinecures for those who have been
serviceable to the party. If this
latter class would have the patriot.
ism to retire to the haunts of pri-
vate industry, the gain Of the coun.
try, through saving, would be aston
ishing. Then would we be able to
abolish not only the foreign service,
but to cut down appropriations in
every department and branch of the
public service. It is a fact, known
to every one who has any acquaint
ance with our public service, that
all the necessary work could easily
be done by one.half the force EN-.
ployed and at one halt the expense.
This is startling, but it is not the
whole truth. Some will not believe
it. Others have heard it so often
and consider the situation so IRE.
mediable that they tolerate it in apa.
thy, with the comment that ours is
a powerful wealthy government, and
that we can endure the loss of pet.
ty 500, 100000 per annum.~ It is
startling, but as true as Holy Writ,
that 500, ,000,0 900 will not cover the
useless yearly expense. There are
hundreds of men in this country
who would contract and give heavy
bonds to conduct the military, nav.
al, and civil services of the United
States upon one half the average
yearly appropriations. The man
who could get such contract would
in five years, be richer than Van.
derbilt, on entirely legitimate saw.
ings. His first step would be to dis
charge all government employees,
and then employ about one half Of
them. at two-thirds the salary he is
now receiving. One in thousand
might refuse to be re.employed; his
place could be Immediately filled by
more competent man. To handle
the top.heavy, over-o&cered Army
and Navy would he more difficult.
They have so fortified themselves by
inter-marriage with the families Of
politicians that it will be almost i'm
possible to reduce their numbers or
their pay, or even to stop the in.
crease Of both. fit were not for.
the fact Of their matrimonial con-
connections with the House and
Senate their pay and numbers would
quickly be reducedIat least fifty per
cent. England, France, Prussia,
and all European countries get as
good military and naval service as
ours for less than half the money
we pay our officers. But some one
will say: What, would you turn
half Of these helpless clerks and Off.
GERS upon the cold charities Of the
worlds There You are again. Will
you ever get over the nonsense that
this government IS q charitable in.
stiitutiion. Government clerks
are supp posed to work seven hours
per day. Each one IS entitled to q.
month leave during TIE yea, and