Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-13
The Estimates for 1883.


The estimates of expenditures for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1888, foot up
three hundred and forty millions of dol
lars. This is an excess of forty-two mil
lions over the appropriations for the pre-
sent fiscal year The pension drain makes
the Interior Department estimates double
those voted by the last Congress. 1t is
more than probable that this grab will
have to be permitted, as the mischief has
already been done and cannot now be
undone in justice to those who have not
yet received their share of the spoil.
There is no doubt, however, that care
can be taken to prevent all the money
called for by Commissioner Dudley go
ing out of the Treasury.
Among the myriads of claims there
are thousands that are fraudulent. 1t is
proposed to post the lists of applicants
so that the citizens of every community
can Judge of the claims of their neigh
bors. In this way it is thought that
many thousands of dollars can be saved.
Another abuse is allowing individual
firms to grab up vast numbers of claims.
One Washington firm has forty
thousand applications on its books, and
at SO per claim, will clear $500. 900.
Besides, it is known that the attaches of
the Pension Bureau are not 10th to
profit by the splendid opportunities
offered them. Every now and then a
story comes of a clerk "gone wrong,
and where many are known to have
fallen it is fair to assume that others are
following in their track and profting by
their experience. The Pension Bureau
should be thoroughly investigated.
Congress owes it to the people, after
having lavished their money, to see to it
that none of it goes as bonus to greed
backed by rascality.
There will likewise be demands made
for the increase of the army, the restora-
ton of the navy, steamship subsidies
and thousand and odd jobs. The army
is large enough. 1t is mainly employed
against the Indians, and reform in the
management of the agencies and the
treatment Of the savages will relieve it
of much of its labor. The navy
can be restored gradually. There
is neither need nor occasion
for ordering in one year the vessels and
defenses called for by the Naval Advise
~ Board. Three or four ships a year
will in time give US navy ample for our
needs, and we will have few worthless
tubs left on our hands. The river and
harbOr bill will also, as usual, be saddled
with items for the improvement of rivu-
lets or gravel beds, to the loss of verita-
bic waterways and valuable harbOrs.
The prOtectionists will back up the sub
sidy hunters, in the hope of exhausting
the surplus revenue and keeping taxa
ton on its present basis. Altogether,
there is a very fair outlook for a deter
mined onslaught of jobbers.
The Democracy in 1874 demanded re-
trenchment and reform and won the ap-
proval of the people. They have ad
hered to that policy. There is still need
Of reductions all around The country
is prosperous, its revenues are large, but
the people, the toilers of the land, find
difficulty in making both ends meet.
Wages in private life are small in pro
portion to the work done. Government
employees should not be made exceptions
to the rule that regulates labor and its
compensation. JObbery in every form
should be rebuked, and the lobby sent
packing. 1t has lost footing for years
past and should not regain it now.