Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-23


the canal ring frauds were he was
pOwerless to initiate any movement against
them. 1t was the common scandal of the
state that gross abuses existed in this
branch of this branch Of its public works.
They cost $4,000 600 annually, and the
total tax levy was SIS, ,O0O, 600. In 1874 a
Democratic state administration came into
power. Before six weeks had elapsed came
that message from the governor (Tilden)
to the Legislature exhibiting the methods
Of the canal ring frauds. Within six months
the canal ring was dead. Before the close
| of that administration the expenses of the
canal ring were reduced to 57OO, 900 and
the tax levy Of the state to 81, SOC, 600, and
during four years Of Democratic governors
in New York. the taxes and public expen-
ses were uniformly kept down. Last year,
BY the divisions OF the Democracy, Cornell
was elected Republican governor, and al
though that administration has been in
| power only ten months an increase in the
tax levy already manifests itself of 1,5OO,-
600. Could anything more fitly illustrate
the tendency of the two parties than this
contrast in the Empire state Of the union,
whose electoral vote is to decide the presi.
dental contest
| III. There scM be no reform in gorern-
nent, no relitf from the burdens rhich
,raste and corruption impose upon the
people, until they teach the political leaders
Of both parties that they soM be held to a
or failure to discharge their duty. Punish
ment is intended mainly as Il terror to evil
dOers, and only the punishment and re-
moval OF faithess public servants will
teach the useful lesson that the public
hold them to a rigid accountability.
| Taking view OF the expenses simply of
the federal government, what are known
as the civil and miscellaneous expendi-
lures, apart from all the war. naval, pen
sion or any special class of expenditures,
We find that in 1S60-when the Republican
party viewed them with alarm and deemed
their enormous amount fit cause for q
change-they were s17, 500, 900, and for ten
years previous to that had averaged from
fifteen to sixteen millions. In the years
succeeding they steadily mounted up to
S27, ,OOO, 600 in 1S64-not an extraordinary
increase considering the initiation Of
values and the advance of gold.
But what is to be thought Of the fact that
in 1S74-ten years after the close of the
war. when values were settling dOwn-these
same expenses had amounted to $S5, OOOs-
900. From 1868 to 1872 they averaged $685.
/
aged S76, 900, 900. Allowing for the in
crease OF population, altered modes Of liv-
ing and every other legitimate considera-
ton, $50, 600, 900 are the outside figures for
a proper expenditure in the ''civil and mis-
| cellaneous.' How then are the other $45,-
OOO, 900 to be accounted for? Clearly in
no way save by the dishonesty, incOmpe-
tency OF extravaganza Of the public Off
| cials.
| The speaker invited any Republican to
explain this startling discrepancy. He had
frequently asked leading men OF both par
ties from both branches Of Congress to ex-
plain it and none had ever been able to do
so. Senator Edmunds, of Vermont, sat an
auditor before him the other evening,
and when he asked any Republican
present for an explanation all eyes turned
to Edmunds. He made no sign and in
speech ut Rutland next evening, when he
referred to other points of the speakers
address, Mr.. Edmunds made no answer
to this inquiry. He had been asked in
Ohio ii these expenses had not shown some
reduction under Hayes. True, they had.
fourth from their highest figure in fact
a steady increase since 1874. But
what happened them to effect this
change? It was then Il Democratic
House came into power. TTumultuOus
| applause. The New York Tribune ut tho
close of the congressional session pointed
| out that the Democratic house had cut down
the federal expenses $50, ,O0O. 600. But this
had been accomplished against the esti-
mates of Republican cabinet officers and
| the steady votes Of Republican senators.
The history of all the economies enforced
by Democratic Houses had been their cut
ting down of department expenses, the
refusal Of the Republican Senate to agree
and the final reductions fixed somewhere
between Republican extravaganza and
Democratic economy. Surely our national
experience demonstrated the tendency Of
Republican extravaganza and Democratic
economy.
Mark the contrast ut Albany There
the Republicans had had the legislative
and the Democrats the executive depart
ment, and for four years the Democratic
governors hal been compelled to veto ex-
travagapt Republican appropriations to All
excess of two or three millions.
Turn to the South, and under the Re-
publican carpet bag rule of the Southern
states it will be seen that their debts were
increased $3.50. 100000. In the state Of
Georgia, for instance, the clerical force Of
the executive department which. at its
highest, ought not to run above 1000,
in single year of BullOck's administra-
tion leaped up to $3.50, 200. Every state
cursed by the reign of the carpet-b gov
ernment showed Il vast increase of the debt,
while taxation was doubled, trebled and in
one instance increased ten-fOld. As soon
as they came under Democratic control
the stealing was stopped, the debt re-
duced and taxes diminished.
The different tendencies Of the two par
ties arise essentially from their different
theories of government. The Democratic
idea Ofa simple form OF government, with
constitutionaily limited powers and pre-
scribed functions, means a simplicity of
administration with economical! expendi-
lures. The complicated Republican idea
of imperial government means imperial
revenues and imperial expenditures, Op-
pressive burdens and heavy taxes. Thus
it has been that the people always come
back to the Democratic idea and for
three-fourths of the time give the govern
and lift the burthen Of taxation.
Of some of the issues which the Repub-
licans had projected into this campaign
the speaker thought it an insult to the in
tellisence of the people to speak,
except that in the cars here he
had heard men evidently sincere
express fears uf the rebel debt, South
eIn war claims and slave property being
paid. Under whom? The Democratic
House since 1874 had not paid a penny of
such claims. The Republicans up to 1874
naid a1OO OfO Oo of Such claims and even