New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-06-17
DENOCRdTIC EXTRA VAGANCE

There had better be some consultation be-
tween Mr. Morrison, Democratic leader of the
House. and his newspaper supporters, before it
is too late. On Tuesday, replying to Mr. His
cocks speech, in which it was shown that the
appropriations for the coming year were largely
in excess of the probable revenae, Mr. Morrison
denied that there was any such excess, and as
serted that, instead of deficit, there would be
a surplus which ought to be cut of by reducing
the tariff. That reply answered well enough
for people who knew nothing about the facts,
or were too lazy to examine them. But The
Herald which has been one of Mr.. Morrison's
most Jealous supporters in all his efforts In be-
half of British free trade, instead of claiming
that there is no deficit, pretends that the deficit
was caused by Republicans. If they had not
voted for sundry bills, 1t asserts, there would
be no trouble.
Once for all it may be stated that this defence
is dishonest. The bills passed are in fact based
on recommendations made by Democratic
Administration. They arc then framed by
Democratic committees, the organization of the
House being entirely in Democratic control.
They are then submitted to body in which the
Democrats have majority of forty-three, and
if the leaders of that party were disposed to
prevent any extravaganza appropriation of pub
lie money as au injury to their party, they could
muster their followers to vote it down, even if
all the Republicans favored it. But it is dis
honest to say that the Republicans have
fay ored as a body the measures which have
caused the threatened deficit, and if they had,
it is dishonest to pretend that Republican
members are responsible for measure which
Democratic Cabinet officers recommend as
necessary to the efficiency of their depart
ments, and which the Democratic committees of
the House report and urge.
In this case, it happens to be fact that the
Administration recommended larger apprOpria-
tiOns than the House committees ventured to
propose to that body. When the estimates of
the departments were made known, there was
not little surprise at their extravaganza. The
fact that profcssedly reform Administration
had asked for more money than had suficed for
the previous Republican Administration was
considered funny. But the Ilouse comm ittees,
though less loose or reckless than the heads of
departments, still reported bills apprOpriating
money largely in excess of the appropriations
made by the House for the last Republican Ad-
ministration, OF for the present year. The
recomn ended by its Administration and its
House committees, whether any Republican
members vote for them or not.
Moreover. it is dishonest to pretend that the
measures reported which have now been passed
by the House. would have been defeated by
that body if the Republicans had abstained
from voting altogether. The Democratic men,
bers have not only supported the recommends
ton of their committees, but it has been a
matter of loud complaint by the ablest Demo-
cratic leaders that the members of the House
will not De restrained by the committees, but
recklessly vote for amendments giving away
more money by the millions. 1t is only few
days since Mr. Holman denounced such conduct
on the part OF his political associates in the
House as being false to the pledges of the
party. WEereat his political associates
laughed. Even in the debate OH Tuesday Mr..