Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-19
Saturday Morning, June 1s, 1880.
THE PARTY OF ECONOMY.


 THE PARTY OF ECONOMY. When the Democratic party came into pow CT in the House in the fall of 1874 it was 1 loud in it's declaration that the expenditures l for the support of the Government were | much beyond the needs of an economical ad- ministration, and that the internal revenue 1 and customs duties laid unequal and excessive burdens upon the people. And not content with merely denouneing the delin- l quencies of the Republican party in ! these respects it promised to retrench the l first and reform the second A statement prepared by Hon. John H. Baker, of Indi- | ana, shows how well the Democrats have kept their word, and how much better they have managed affairs than the Republicans did
 The periods contrasted are the five years ending June 30, 1876, Cthat being the date to which the appropriations made by the Forty third Congress extended) and the time since. And it must be borne in mind that during the 1 five years of Republican control there were larger and more numerous claims and obliga- tions growing out of the war which had to be provided for than have existed since the Democrats gained control of the House. During the last five years of Republican aseendency the expenditures | of the Government were as follows For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, $292, TIT, 18S. 25 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, SPIT, ,517, ,962. CT for the :is- ! cal year ending June 30, 1873, $29O, 345,- 245. B for the fiscal year ending June 3O | 1874, $287, 133, 673.17 for the fiscal year ! ending June3o, 1875, $274, ,62s, ,3s2. s4; >r | the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876, $25e, I 459, 797.33. Thus the Republican party in 1 the course of five years made reduction in the expenditures of $33, ,717, ,39O92. Taking ! the annual expenditures since the Democrat 1 ic party got control of the House we find the | following exhibit For the fiscal year end ! ing June 30, 1877, $23S, 660, ,OOs. 93 for the ! fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, $236, ,964, 326.SO; for the fiscal year ending June 30, | 1879, $266, ,947, 1883. 53 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880, the amount appropria- ted is $297, 66O, ,237.17 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881, the amount appropria- ted is $291, 423. 68s.90. The sum of $6, 424, 012 was appropriated for deficiencies for the present fiscal year like sum, and perhaps greater, will have to be appropriated next winter to cover deficiencies for the fiscal year ending June 3O 1881. This sum for deficien- cies must be added to the amounts already appropriated to enable us to get a true state ment of the expenditures during the fifth year of Democratic ascendency. It will amount to the of $297, SAY, 9OO.9 90. Thus the boasted Democratic economy has succeed ed at the end of five years in making the annu- al expenditure $59, 1888, 1O3. 57 more than the amount expended during the last year the Republican party had control of the House. The contrast of what the Republican party accomplished in tariff and revenue reform during the last five years of it's ascendency with what the Democratic party has accom- plished since it has been in power is equally instructive The Republican party removed or reduced the duty on one hundred and si1ty-six articles of prime necessity, efecting an annual reduction of taxation to the amount of $31, 106, 129. During the last five years the Democratic party has placed the sulphate l and other salts of quinine on the free list l effecting an annual reduction of taxation to 1 the amount of $32,657. The Republican
 
 ] revenue taxes $S9, ,151 ,000 This reduction was made upon objects which entered into every industry. The Democratic party in 1 the same period of time has reduced internal I revenue taxes $9,OOO, GOO on tobacco, cigars, | and snuff. During the present session a l change has been carried through which it is | estimated will reduce the tax on whiskey about 8, O0O, ,O0o. While Republican Iegis- 1 lation effected an annual reduction of taxes, I internal and for customs dues, of $12O, ,OOO,- i 900, reaching nearly every object end indus | try, the Democrats in the same period of 1 time have reduced the taxes, internal and for l customs, about $11, 100000, and have con- fined their reforms to quinine, tobacco and l whisky. These statements show how utterly the Democratic party fails in capacity to leg islate for the great business and material in- terests of the country.
 But this is not all the saving the Demo- cratic party has effected. It has found it necessary in the interests of economy and good government to do a great deal of investigating. Between March 4, 1875, and June 30, 1879, the Democratic majority in the House raised 'thirty-eight investigating committees, and the sum of $263, 7.35 was spent in prose- cutting their investigations. Since June 30, 1879, something like half dozen more in- vestigating committees have been raised, which will increase the total expenditure for investigations down to the present time to more than $500, 900. It is but fair to say, however, that this money has not been en- tirely wasted, for in fishing for Republicans the committees have usually caught Demo- crats Thus the Potter committee was or ganized to impeaeh the title of President Hayes and, as MT. Baker says, sit came near landing the fraud of Cipher Alley in the penitentiary for attempting to secure the Presidency by the purchase of electoral votes y
 The Democratic party, the party of the Constitution, the party of economy, and the only party with which the business interests of the country are safe, 'tpoints with pride" to this record and asks for votes on the strength of it. Any man who gives it a vote votes to add to his own burdens.
 EDITORIAL NOTES.