Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-14
FRIGHTFUL FIGURES.
The Record of n Prohigate Con-
gr9SS.

From the New York sun.
1t is well to have the exact figures
for the appropriations made at the first
session of this pr0nigate congress, so
that they cannot be successfully diSput-
ed. TO be entirely on the safe side and
to prevent controversy hereafter, we
will take the statement made by Mr..
Allison, chairman of appropriations in
the senate, rather than our own sum
mary, even when both rest on the same
data. After making Il comparison Ee--
tween all the bills Of 1883 with those
of 1892, Mr.. Allison sums mp in these
words: met increase OF apprOpI iationS
for 1888 over 1882, $77,532, ,G2l.34."
he declares his party guilty of Wild eX-
travagance, while he attempts TO ex-
cuse these unprecedented grants of the
public money for questionable objects.
No lame explanation, no weak in
vention, will satisfy the people who
have been yictimized 10y IA rlundoring
| congress. From the brSt hour TO the
last, one supreme purpose dominated
the councils of the republican party,
led by Secor RobesOn in the house OF
representatives. That was to get the
most money out Of the treasury, with
out regard To the nature of the appro-
! priation.
The democrats carried the house OF
| representatives in the tiCal wave of
1874 by majority Of seventy, oustiug
Il republican majority of one hu1dred.
That revolution was mainly caused by
the eXcesses of Grantism. The people
rose up and rehuked the corruption Of
GIANTS first term. They compelled
the Was hington ring. the whisEey
ring, the Indian ring, tho postal ring,
the army ling, the navy ring, the land
ring, and the othec organized rings TO
suspend Oper ations. Tley broke up
much of the stealing that had been
common in AL the departments, and
they forced the republisans to abandon
yenal practices that had diSgraced TIE
administration.
The democrats came in pledged tu
retTonch and reform, and they kept
faith with AL their obligations. The
record of the FoGrty- fourth congress is
an honoraL le witness of the fidelity and
of the zeal with which every pledge
was redeemed. They reduced the ap-
pruprialions many millions the first
year, against the bitter opposition OF
republican senate, and against the
false cry that the reduction w0uld Grip
pie lie public service. That good work
was cont inued, through perhaps with
less vig0r than should have been eXhib-
tied. During the six years Of demo-
cratic aSc4ndancy in the house, jobbery
found no favor, and the lobby became
impecunious. The old brokers in leg
iSlation withdrew from active business
and gave up Washing ton rs their head.
quarters. The rules with which the
democrats began their career shut the
lobbyists out and excluded the multi
tude Of riders" that were mounted on
appropriation bills prior to their advent
of power.
The republicans obtained a narrow
majority III the present house, which
they have augmented by coalition with
the grlenhackers, and by turning out
six democrats who were fairly elected.
The transition from one party to the
other revived Instantly the scenes, the
methods and the lobby that were famil-
lar before the tidal wave Of 1874.
This session of congress has brought
together the jobbers, the traders, the
thieves aud the spectators. who were
accustomed to flourish aud to dictate
legislation under republican rule. The
election of keifer, aud the leadership
OF Secor Robson, announced to the
country that prodigalitY was to be the
law, and that corruption was to be the
practice Of this congress. The result
shows that the announcement was
true.
At the end of eight months this con-
gress disperses, leaying the foluest re-
cord in our leg islative history, surpass-
ing the worst days Of Grantism in rCck-
less expenditure, and defying public
opinion by outrages that are likely to
receive condign puDis,neEt at the ballot
box. Needless OF the lesson OF 1874,
the republican leaders have exceeded
their own worst extravaganza and neg
lected the duties which the people
demanded at their hands. Senator
Allison's reluctant confession of
seventy-eight millions excess over tt
last appropria iation will stand in judg-
rnent against them at the fall election
HENRY Mckinney, Of Great Bend
Pa, announces himself as an indie
pcntent candidate for Governor. |
His platform is weekly wages, to