New-York tribune., 1884-01-26
"ECOyOuyr, OYCE MORE.

Mr.. Randall and Mr.. Holman, in the House
Committee on Appropriations mean economy
it is said The word parSimOny would mt the
case better. Neither of those statesmen has
ever shown that he knows the meaning OF the
word economy. The only understanding of the
word that Democratic leaders seem to nave Is
to spend az little as possible except for partisan
pnrposes. To spend Us little IA possible when
there is sound reason for spending, and when
every dollar spent will como back hundred
fold-that is not economy at all, but merely
stupidity.
Jones has bought farm. 1t pays decently,
but Jones is afflicted with a notion that Il Le
spends one cent more than is absolutely neceS-
sary, he may die in the pOorhouse. His
ncighbOr buys manure and improved implc-
ments, and doubles his yield, getting back
thousands where he spent hundreds in making
his farm more profitable. But Jones holds
every penny so close to his eyes that he never
can SEQ the dollar beyond, and spends not a
cent in keeping his Land productive or in labor
saving tools. Slowly the land wears ont, and
Jones does die in the poorhou>e, while his
ncighbor gets rich. That is Democratic econ
Omy.
The farm of "Unclc Sam" is n good piece Of
property, and it yields ut present good income.
Butthere are many ways in which, by reasonable
expenditure. the farm could be- rendered more
profitable Its natural channels of commerce
could be so improved that the saving TO the
people in frcights would exceed every year the
whole cost Of the improvement. But it is
Democratic economy to spend AS little money
as possible, except when votes can be made.
The commerce of this with other nations could
be indefinitely extended by wise liberality in
providing for the consular and diplomatic ser
vice. But Democratic economy has apparently
labored to starvc ont that service altogether, or
TO cripple it to the utmost. a few millions spent
in encouraging the establishment Of direct
steamship lines would enable our merchants
and manufacturers to secure foreign traffic
worth to them millions yearly, and to the
laborers millions more. But Democratic econ
omy pronounces it shameless johbery to
spend money in promoting steamship lines
A decent sum expended each year in collecting
official information of the state of different in
dustrirs, their production. and the probable de-
mand for their products would save the country
many millions that are now lost through lgnO-
rant misdireclOn Of enterprise and labor But
Democratic economy will set itself to whittle
down the stingy appropriations upon which Il
narrow service now barely exists. The Demo
cratic theory is to starve out even the most
necessary bureaus if thereby few Thousand
dollars can be cut off the annual expenditures
of . nation OF fifty millions.
Wastcful stinSincss is not entirely monopO-
lied by eitherparty, we regret osay. There are
some Republicans who are So afraid Of an I'M
asinary popular Ignorance" that they dare not
vote for measures they know to be wise. But
melancholy experience teaches that the Demo-
Gratis have nearly all of that kind of statesman
ship. Ii is never the Democratic, but always
the Republican party, that trusts the people to
know when thcir interests are wisely promoted
by public expenditure. 1t WIS the Republican
party that iuauguIated the building OF railways
across the continent, and the granting of home
steads to actual settlers and the improvement
of the real and important channels OF National
commerce. We shall see millions thrown away
this year, no doubt, in trying to hire districts
TO vote tho Democratic ticket. And then we
shall see a desperate eflortt to save those millions,
and TO keep down the aggregate of expenses, by
! scrimping and pairing and starving the lcglti-
mate service Of the people. That is what DEM
craIs mean by ECONOMY"