The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-09-09
CAMPAIGN ISSUES.
Senator Allison Makes a Scath-
ing Arrangement Of the
Administration.
The Democratic Party's False Pre-.
lenses Shown Up In No Enyi-
able Manner.
Speech OF Hon. William b. Allison before the
Iowa Republican Convention

lbpeecu OF hon. WILLIAM Is. ALLISON before the
Iowa Republican Convention
More than one-third of President Cleveand's
administration has passed into history the
Democratic House of Representatives, elected
at the same time, has been in session for more
than eight months. This time is long enough to
fairly and impartially review the conduct of the
administration and of the House of Representa-
tives Is compared with the promises and pledges
of the Democratic party made to the people in
1884, TO secure majority in the House and the
administration OF the Government These prom
Uses and pledges still fresh in tho memory of
the people.
The Republican party had been in power for
many years. IL had passed successfully through
the most perilous period in our history since the
foundation OF the Government and was con-
stanty compelled to deal with questions Of the
greatest magnitude Look at the situation and
condition OF our country and people when Abra-
ham Lincoln took the oath of Office in March,
1861. and then look at our situation and condi-
tion when the Republican party surrendered
power in 1885. period of great deeds and
achievements, making greater progress for lib
erty and for mankind than had been achieved
for centuries before. At every step OF the prog
ress we had the hostility of the party in
power. 1t was charged by our opponents that
we had abused the trusts imposed upon us, by
money. That we had created unnecessary offices
and employments for the purpose of rewarding
partisan service. That the legislation of Con-
gress had been in the interest of corporate
monopolies and what they chose to call the
money power That the tariff system, the
growth OF Republican ascendency, was unjust
That onerous and burdensome system OF
taxation had gathered vast boards in the Treas
ury which, instead OF being used for the pay
ment of the interest bearing debt OF our Gov
eminent, was being boarded in the Treasury
vaults in the interest of the bondholder and the
speculative interests in Wall street. That the
various departments of the Government were
honey-combed with corruption and that n
change of administration was necessary in order
to fully expose and lay bare these transactions.
These and kindred charges were made with
elaboration and reiteration, from year to year,
and pressed with all the vigor OF great party in
the campaign Of 1854 to induce the people to
abandon the Republican party and intrust the
great affairs of our country TO the Democratic
party. These changes were coupled with prom
ises that the Democratic party, If placed in
power, would reform these alleged abuses and
change entirely the current Of legislation and
administration SO as TO greatly reduce public ex-
pendtures expose fraud and venality mitigate
the public burdens of taxation by changes in
our existing tax laws; apply the surplus in the
Treasury so as to enlarge the volume of circulat-
ing money, and by this means revive our in
dustries and secure general prosperity through
out the country; that public offices should be
held as public trusts and not as rewards
for partisan service. These and kindred prom
ises were made in the campaign
of 1884. How have they been redeemed? Have
they reduced public expenditures as they
promised? brief comparison will show that
they not only have not reduced public ex-
penditures. but that they have been greatly in
creased.
Appropriations Of public money are not a sure
index to public expenditures. II they WERE
comparison of the last few years would make a
most favorable showing for the Republican
party. The total annual appropriations for
1854 were, in round numbers, S232 00J 00); for
1875, S235 0C0090 for 1856, S219 900, 600; and
by the Congress just adjourned, for the current
year, 3 5 j00) zoo, in round numbers. So that
the appropriations for this year are $50 000, 900
more than the highest sums appropriated for
the ordinary operations OF the Government
during the last four years, and S45, 900
more than the appropriations made for the
last fiscal year. IL has been stated that the
ordinary expenditures of the last fiscal year
were in round numbers, $4,000, 90 less than
they We're for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1885. i his is true, but is easily accounted for
by few items of expenditure of an extraordi-
nary character made in 1885, and entirely omit
ted from the expenditures of last year. OF this
sum 90, 000, 900 was expended for rivers and har-
bors, there being no appropriation for rivers
and harbors last year; s1,OO00O0 for the repay
ment OF deposits made by individuals for sur
veying public lands; s3.500,000 for Alabama
claims judgment 81, 800 900 account OF the
sinking fund to the Pacific railroads $1,000, 000
to the New Orleans Exposition; and 81, 500, 900
on account OF repayment TO importers. So that
OF this $40, 900 no portion of it can be credit
ed TO economies introduced by the new admins
tration into the public service. The expendi-
lures for every purpose OF 1885, including the
items / have named and including indefinite
and permanent appropriations and the sinking
fund, amount to s3jl, 900 600 in round numbers,
whilst the expenditures OF 1886 OF every kind,
including the sinking fund.- amount TO $780, 0O,-
600 in round numbers, or reduction OF S2l,OOO,-
900, which have already accounted for except
81, 1000, which was n reduction of the amount
of the sinking fund of 1886, as compared with
the amount OF that fund in 1885. This is the
state of the account comparing the last year of
President Arthur's administration with the first
year of Mr. Cleveland's administration
Now, what Of the present and future? When
Congress assembled in December last il was
confronted with the total estimate of the Treas
ury Department including regular and perma-
nent annual appropriations of S4O6, 0O0, COO; and
when the appropriations were all made, annual
and indefinite, at the close of the session, they
o1n m fpd m In or
S24 000,0 900 less than the departments asked for.
The appropriations of this year S5i, 900 900 in
excess of the expenditures of the last year.
This, in brief, is the net result Of the expert
ment OF an economical Democratic administra-
ton of public expenditures as disclosed by
eighteen months experience, $1,000 900 more
than was expended in 1885, and S54 900 900 more
than was expended in 1886. l make the COM
parison not for the purpose of showing that the
administration has been guilty OF q profigate
and wasteful expenditure of public money, nor
for the purpose OF showing that their extraordi-
nary demands made upon Congress for increas-
ed appropriations this year were intended to
put in their hands public money TO be
used for improper and wasteful purposes
but more TO show either the ignorance or
malignity with which they pursued the Repub-
lican party through all the years Of the past
with reference to its merits of expanding the
public money. And l will say further that
notwithstanding the extraordinary appropria-
lions for this current year il will be ut the
end of the year, that for many Of the necessary
| purposes of Government an insufficient sum
ficiency bills to meet the necessary expendi-
ture.
| SO il was said that there were vast number
| OF useless employees and ofiicehoders in the VA
| rious departments of the Government x
| scanning of the estimates will show that in
every department Of the Government except
| the Treasury alone an increase in the number
! and compensation Of employees was asked for
| il you will scan the appropriation bills Of the
| last session, you will see that in every depart
ment except the Treasury alone, the number Of
| employees has been increased showing that in
| the Judgment of the new administration more
persons were needed to carry the great
operations of the Government than had been
provided for by the Republican party when in
| power. Again il was said that il the Demo
| cratic party could secure control of the de-
partnents great frauds and wrongs
would be exposed to the public gaze.
With as much haste as possible, all the
heads of departments. and all the chiefs
OF bureaus we're changed, thus giving complete
and ample control of all the operations Of the
| Government and opportunity for a thorough
| examination of the accounts So that now for
more than year complete opportunity has
| been given for exposing wrong-doing, and with
but two or three trifiing exceptions, unworthy
| OF comment, not blur or faint rs found in the
| Executive Departments Of the Governments
| Thus, this party has been condemned by its
| own public and trusted servants for its injus-
| tice to the Republican party.
| In 1884 our opponents criticised severely the
| general MANAGEMENT OF the finances, and es-