New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-30
EFEP "THE RANCALS OITID

very important document obtained from
the Treasury Department by the Hon. Ed-
ward Mcpherson deserves more attention than
! it has yet received. 1t is mass of figures iol
which unfortunately few newspapers can find
space but which ought to be in the hands OF
every speaker or active manager in the Rcpub-
lican party during this campaign 1t contrasts
| the receipts of the Government under different
administrations, from its earliest organization
to the present time, and its disbursements in
! like manner with exact statements OF all
losses sustained by the Government either
in receipts or in disbursements through
any NEGLECT or misconduct or miSfor
tune of its officials. The receipts include
those from all sources, and are classified from
customs, from post-oiliccs, and from all other
sources. The disbursements are not classified
in detail rs this is impossible. That part of
the document which Will convey to the public
mind most instructive lesson Is a conn arson
of ratios of the loss at different periods to the
receipts aud disbursements during the same
periods.
The aggregate loss on each $1,000 received
and disbur,od was greatest under the Admins
tration Of Martin Van Buren,. II then averaged
%ll II. II has been least under the Admins
nntion of Chester 4. Arthur having averaged
for two years only ~ cents on TlOO,UOp.
Nonroc's eight years rank in proportion OF
losses next to Van BuIcns; then follow An
drew ,Jaclison's eight years, and next the four
years under Harrison and Tyler These were
exceptional. but prior to the expulsion of tho
| Democratic party from power in 1S0l there hld
been no administration of THAI party under
/ a. Of a nd ia
brrscmcnts vns less than $50 90 on $1,000. II
was So II under Buchanan 81 90 under Polk,
and II Is also noticeable that from the accession
of the Democratic party TO power, when I(loI
abandoned those who had elected him, the ratio
of loasca had varied but lillc exceeding 50 90
nj all times on ~ 600 collected and dlsbnrscd.
But under Lincoln, notwithstanding he cN-
uayngancc of the war, md the extraordinary
chances for poculation which were then
afforded, the ratio of LOSSES fell to 7G cents {;
under Andrew johnson to 81 cents; under
General Grant tor eight years to only = cents
ON each 81 900 under Rutherford Il. Hayes to
3 cents on $40 900, aud under President Arthur
to | : cents ON 100000
II il not possible to conceive of test more
rigorous and thorough than this of the fidelity
and efficiency of administration in all its de-
parlmcuts. In every branch OF public service,
it will loo observed, the same astonishing i'm
provomcnt Is demonstrated. In tho receipts
from customs. the LOSSES under Buchanan were
less than ouc.sXtccnth of the LOSSES under
Tyler but they wcro moro than double the
lo,,cs under Lincoln, and from . cent, on
ST 600, under buchanan, the los, dropped 10 3
cents under Grant, cents under Hayes, and 7
mills under Arthur In like manner the ratio
of losses 10 disbursements for war, navy pen
,ions and Indian purposes fell from - L on
81 900 under Buchanan to 81 20 under Lin
coin 10 sc cents under Grant, mills under
HAYES, aud mills under Arthur 1t may be
said with truth therefore. that in every branch
of the public service, without exception, there
is conclusive proof of greater economy, fidelity
and efficiency ut this time than has ever before
been seen under any administration from that
of George Washington to this day. The Demo
Gratis who arc bowling for a change will not
dare to present these facts to the people. The
Iascals who are proposing to turn the rascas
ont y will not dare to admit that their partcu-
lar objection TO the present Government is that
they do not have a chance to steal public