The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-25
It Must Fail.

A scheme to convict the Democratic
party of extravaganza in the admins
tration of the State government has been
inaugurated, and is being pressed with
more or less force in different quarters.
AS We have already intimated, the
discussion of this matter is premature,
snless it be the object of those who make
the charge of extravaganza, to turn over
the affairs of the State to some other
political party or discredit the members
of the Democratic party who have aided
in placing on the statute books the laws
which have made the present financial
condition of the State possible.
If there be those in Office who have
been faithless to their trusts, we shall
not attempt to cover up their misdoings,
or to shield them from merited censure,
but as no specific acts of malfessance
have been laid at the door o. any official
which might not with equal propriety
be alleged against the majority of those
who have had control of the receipts and
expenditures of the State, we can but
view the attack upon the present admin
istration as an attack upon the Demo-
cratic party.
BY the present administration we do
not mean the present Governor. He is
but part of the present administration
He makes no laws, collects no money,
pays out none. If the income is less
than enough to meet the necessary ex-
penses, he is powerless. But it may be
said, and we believe has been said, that
the Governor possesses the power under
the Constitution to prevent the enact
ment of extravagant laws. So he has;
and this brings us to the point where it
becomes necessary to inquire what laws
should have been approved and what
should have been vetoed. A statement
comparing any given term of years with
another, is misleading, when it deals in
totals. The inquiry should be, How
much money has been received and from
what sources? and how much has been
paid out and on what account? If too
little has been received, ascertain the
cause and lay the blame where it belongs.
If too much has been paid out, inquiry
should go TO the ascertainment of the
particular items of expenditure which
might reasonably have been dispensed
with. Economy is desirable and so is
retrenchment, but it is folly to clamor
for either, without pointing out method
which makes one or both possible.
The Democratic party has right to
be treated as fairly as was the Republic
can party, when it was assaulted for its
extravaganza. In the memorable cam
paign of 1876, the wrongs which the
Democratic party promised to remedy,
were stated with great minuteness. 1t
was not considered enough to declare
that the Republican administration was
collecting and paying out toe much
money, or that it was living beyond its
income. The particular items which
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were given in detail, and it was shown
that these being Topped of, tsxes could
be materially reduced. The people
trusted the Democratic party and its
promises have been redeemed. Until
now no serious charge of extravaganza
in State administration has been made,
and tits made now in such general terms,
that we do not know whether it has
reference to the collections or the expen-
ditures. 1t is charge unfairly stated,
and it must fail. We believe that we
can successfully defend the Democratic
party, before the people who are the
judges, against all charges of extrava-
gance in administration and will cheer
fully do so, if it, opponents will cease
to deal in generalities and state their
points of objection, whether to tho in
come or to the expenditures
The proposition we make is fair and
We offer it without reference to any
body's candidacy, but in the interest Of
: continuance of Democratic rule in
Mississippi.