Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-28
A Striking Comparison.

efficiency with which they will conduct
the affairs OF the government if the con-
troll shall be placed in their hands, COM
parison between parties in this respect
taken from the records Of the past is in
order. Such a comparison is found in
statistical tables prepared at the Treasury
department, showing the receipts and dis
bursemcnts of the government from its
organization to June 80, 1915. with the
amount OF defalcations, and the ratio of
such losses per $1,000 to the aggregate re-
ceived and disbursed, arranged. as nearly
As practicable, in periods of Adminis;ra-
tons, and also in the periods prior and
subsequentto June 30, 1861.
This NAV justly be regarded as a test of
the honesty anu efficiency of the office
holders appointed TO the several admins
trations, and if we take the result during
the period other parties had the admins
tration and compare it with the result
since the republicans came into power.
we also have fair comparative test as be-
tween parties. CHANGING at these tables
we find the following facts:
Under republican rule the receipts and
disbursements have enormously increased.
and the conduct of the war rendered it
necessary to appoint in places of trust
thousands of men concerning whom there
was not time to make exhaustive inquiry
Yet the results show the wisdom which
governed their appointment. Under the
administration Of Andrew jackson the re-
ceipts for Customs were only $l73, $780,
or 81, but out Of this there were lost by
the dishonesty OF the democratic officers
not less than Sl,2l5. 304.45, or Sc SO for
every $1,000. On the other hand, the re-
ceipts under President Grant were 81, l25,-
$40, Jas, or eight times as much, collected
by many more officers but of this amount
only $24;342 .43 were lost, or only 2 cents
on $1,000. instead of $500. Under John
Quincy Adams the receipts from all other
sources were only $3.50, 95o.l7. but ont
of this there were lost Sll0,S49. 80, or
AZ on each $1,000. Turn from that
picture Of dishonesty and incapacity to
the administration of Abraham Lincoln
during which the receipts from all other
sources were $780,. 099, 6Si. or nearly
500 times the receipts under Adams. In
collecting this enormous sum there were
lost only 10 cents on each $1,000. against
SPAS for Adams administration.
Turn to the disbursements Under
James Monroe, S23.63 were lost out of
every $1,000 paid ont for war, Navy, pen
sion and Indian expenses. although the
whole sum paid was only $74.7s7 POI %.
These expenses rose to over 5000, 0O0.-
900 under Lincoln, but the loss per $1,000
was only sl.79. This is in sharp contraS,
with Buchanan's methods. Under this last
of the democratic rulers. the loss per $1,000
was S9l II, although these expenses were
to those under Lincoln only As to 10. Bu
under the disbursements on account tf
public debt. interest, premiums, and all
civil expenses the figures are still more
striking. The losses under Jackson. the
tutelar saint of the democracy. were
Sl4.76 per 81 900. bat under Van Buren,
they rose to $3.50 per $1,000 The to-
tai sum paid on these accounts under his
administration was only SOL ,7S3. 947 10.
but out of it he succeeded in losing 81
S5,356.F, or nearly ) per cent 1t is
plain that the ''emoluments'' of an officer
of the Government in those days did not
consist entirely of his salary. in fact. his
salary must have been insignificant in
comparison with his part of what the GOV
eminent lost. The losses on these ex-
penscs continued to be heavy until the re-
publicans came into power Under Abra-
ham Lincoln the expenses under this
head rose to 81 sos. 23l .4l5.36. or thirty
times what they were under Van Buren, ::
but the losses on each 81 900 were only
60 cents. against 81 80 under Van Buren,.
Under Grant these expenses were doubled
but the losses were still further reduced to
- cents.
The recapitulation shows the contrast
very clearly. The whole amount involved
collections and receipts. was $50, 295, 6S3
96S.l5. In handling only s4,7l9. 4sl, 10
63 of this. previous to 1861, the losses va
ried from Sill per $1,000 under Van
Buren, and 1882 per $1,000 under Jackson,
to 1856 under Pierce and 1881 under Blu
chanan. On the other hand. in handling
the remainder. 25.576, 2O2, S05.52. the
losses were only 76 cents per 1000 un-
der Lincoln. 50 under johnson, and "a un-
der Grant. The figures given for the Pc
RODS before and after 1861 are very sug-
sestive. Before 1861 receipts to the
amount of %. 263 600, 6lO.6S were collect
ed with a loss of go per $1,000; after
1861. receipts to the amount of Sl2, 709.-
6i5.059.9l were collected at loss of only
81 cents per 1000. The total disburse-
ments before 1861 were 81. 230,o47, l73.2l.
expended at a loss of 2s.47 per 81 900; the
total from 1861 to 1875 was Sl2. 566. S92.-
569.53. expended at a loss of only 80 cents
nor 81 ono Tho