The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-03-22

| the advent OF the Republican party into power,
| being the whole existence of the Government.
Taking the same expenses for ten years OF
Democratic rule before the war, beginning
with the fiscal year ending June 80, 1852, and
ending June 80, 1861, both inclusive, the to-
tai expenses were $572, S72, 26O. The same
expenses were in ten years of Republican
rule, from the fiscal year ending June 80,
1867, Sl,52s, 9l7, 137. Thus we find the cost
of Republican expenditures were $956, O44,-
S77.35 more than the amount expended dur
| ing ten years of Democratic rule, an increase
of more than 40 per cent.
Comparing ten years before 1861 with ten
years after 1867, we find the average per
annum of these expenses during the ten years
of Republican rule was $50, 672,6l4, whilst
the same items of ordinary expenses, during
ten years of Democratic rule, average but
$57 ,287, 226. So that the increase during
decade of Republican rule is nearly three
times as large as for the last decade of Demo-
cratic rule. Taking the census of 1860 and
1870 as basis, we find that the cost of ad-
ministering the Government per capita during
the ten years of Republican rule was SS9.65,
while under Democratic rule in decade 1t
was but $1826 per capita, or an increase OF
III per cent. against the Republican party.
The commercial marine of this country
previous to the war was nearly as great as that
of England. 1t was swept out of existence by
the war, and since then nothing has been
done to reinstate it. The tariff on boat build
ing material is so great that American builders
cannot cope with foreign ship builders, and
the law prevents Americans from registering
ships built abroad. The result is that Amer
lean commerce is thing of the past, and
nearly all our millions of exports are carried
abroad in foreign bottoms American ship
carpenters are driven into other pursuits or
driven into foreign countries to seek employ
ment.
The Republican party has also been waste
full of the public domain, donating it to cor
porations by statutes enacted through bribery
and corruption in many instances, and we
have a fair sample of it in the history of the
Credit Mobilier. The domain acquired I'M
der the Democratic administrations of Jeffer-
son, Monroe, Polk and Pierce, amounted to
2,198, $50 square miles, embraced in Louisi-
ana, Florida, Texas and Mexico; while all
other territory acquired was that OF Alaska,
by Andrew Johnson administration, amount
ing to but 577 $3.50 square miles Of these
public lands there have been granted to states
and corporations, instead of to actual settlers,
for railroads and other purposes, under Re-
publican administrations, from 1862 to 1875,
a total actual value of $3.50, 274 ,066, according
to the estimate placed upon them by the gov
eminent itself!
If review of facts like these taken from
the public records, is not enough to bring the
intelligent mind to sober reflection, we know
not what is. He must be blinded by prejudice
who cannot see that the policy of the Repub-
lican party is exerting abaleful influence
upon the country. That our country is
comparatively prosperous in spite of the
maladministration and adverse policy of
Republicansm is but another evidence of
her vast resources and Of the energy and ac-
tivity of her citizens. But it is time for a
change of such policy. Let the administra-
ton be put into other hands, that will reform
all such abuses out of existence. These re-
suits need not be looked for until the Demo-
cratic party is restored tot power. Happily for
the country the indications all point to that
restoration in this year of grace 1884, under
the leadership of that greatest of retormers
and most conservative of American citizens
SAMUEL J. TILDEN.