Daily Republican., 1884-02-20
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY 20. 80.
False Democratic Economy Again


fonr years ago, only he is doing the
work now as chairman of the committee
ON appropriations. what he did then
a. Speaker of the House. 1t will be
recollected that the appropriations We're
then cut down so low that there We're
large deficiencies at the end OF the term.
that the following Republican Congress
had to make up and this was imputed
10 that Congress as Republican extrava-
gance. Though the last Congress was
not distinguished for extravagance, and
though the appropriations We're none too
high, Mr.. Randall is plying his old
role of an economizer, the object evi-
IDENTIFY being to put his party before the
country as the party Of economy, and
to advance his chances for securing the
nomination for the Presidency.
Mr.. Randall has already reported his
regular Naval Appropriations to the
House. The bill appropriates Sl4, ,36,-
900, being s., 900 less than the
amount estimated by the Naval Depart
ment, and Sl,63l, 900 less than the
amount appropriated for the current
fiscal year. The Germantown Tele-
graph, referring to this matter very
properly says that this is not economy
Mt all, but sheer skintiint parSimony. IfI
there ever was time when larger ap-
preparations could consistently be made
and used to great advantage that time
is now when the Treasury has great
Overplus in its vaults, and when there
are large numbers OF working people
out of employment. The bill merely
provides for the regular routine expen-
Ses of the naval service, and for the |
equipment and armament of the new
naval cruisers previously ordered but
provides nothing at all for armament
and equipment of the armOr clad moni- |
tors, some of which have been rtcently |
launched, after lying for IA great num-
Der of years in the >hipyards, and others
that still remain upon the ways in the
yards
One OF these monitors, the Amphitrite,
has been tor something like twenty
years occupying one Of the ways in the
Harlan x Hollimgsworth shipyard in
this city, and but recently committee
reported thar the company was entitled
TO so 600 for giving the vessel storage b.;
room in their yards for that time. Wei
are not complaining that this amount is
too high, but itit was only half that
much or as much more than the amount
reported il might be- saved 10 the gov
ernment by finishing the monitor and
putting her 10 u>c. or else by breaking {
1t up into old iron, The same may be- t
said of three other, in like unfinished :
state, and for which similar appropria-
tlonS have been recommended for Stor- '
age room. Neither does Mr.. Randall's
bill make any provision tor the con-
structlOn Of more new cruisers or armOr
clad vessels and this is the way the
great Democratic leader Of the House
makes out aSaving of over s., 900, 900. by :
refusing 10 authorize expenditures that
are indispensably necessary to provide
for the safety of Our commercial inter-
ests in maratimc affairs.
1t is with apparent truthfulnesS sup
posed that the withholding ofthe Naval :,
bill by the committee i, a !,
part of the program privately agreed
upon by the Democratic leaders to pre- =,
vent the action Of Congress upon i'm
portant matters except the apprppria-
tion bills until after the meeting Of theI
two great National Conycntiou>aud tine =,
opening Of the Presidential camMjgu, !.
and if the appropriation bill shall pass
the House in the shap" reported by Mr..
Randall, it will constitute a portion Of
this bid for the Democratic nomination !
for President of the United States. Here.
Is an excellent opportunity offered to :,
get clear in a legitimate and u,"fu!
manner Of considerable portion Of the
large surplus on hand. a liberal ar- "
now would give WONDER y,
ful impulse 10 business, which is in a i
very depressed state, and thousand, Il
Of workinglnen would befurnishcd with
But the Democratic lead
ers seem to have no regard for th>.-j
President making TO them is Of more
vast importance. SO that Democratirj
President is elected, the unfinished
may rust TO atoms on the
ways and thousands Of working people !
may suffer for want of work and bread.
This is Democratic tnanCiering. This
Is Democratic economy.