The Washington critic., 1886-01-23
THE TRUE ECONOMY.

III VIII DC luSl like inc CCOHOHly Ol u
Democratic House" says the Indian
apolis Times "to reject the senate's bill
Increasing the salary of the United
States District Judges to 81, 900. For
small savings and great wastings a
Democratic legislature can generally
be relied on.
There is more truth than poetry in
this observation of our snappish lndi-
ana contemporary, but we live in hopes
that our Democratic friends will event
ually get over their primitive notions
about frugality in the administration
of the Government and rise to the ad.
vanced standard of expenditure which
the constantly increasing wants of
great commonwealth like ours impera.
lively demands.
The Democratic party does not seem
10 realize us it should that between the
time Mr. Buchanan went out Of Office
and Mr.. Cleveland came in some Won
derful changes have been wrought in
our material, rs well rs political, con
dition. The world has been moving
right along all the time, and Demo-
Gratis who on coming into power ex-
pect to find the country where they
left 1t twenty-five years ago make a
sad miscalculation.
4 he governmental establishment is q
far different thing now from what it
was then and the responsibilities of its
administration vastly greater. There
is more to do for ana more to do with,
and how to do the best for all is prop
osition never before presented with
such force as it is today
These remarks have no special ap-
plication to what salary the District
judges shall receive. That is COM
paratively small matter. 1t is right
and proper, however, in an era of re-.
form when we are summoning the
schoolmaster and his blackboard to our
aid to improve the calibre of the civil
service that We should hold out some
inducements to good lawyers to quit
the bar and take the bench. 1t is right
and proper that all the officials of the
Government should be well paid. There
is no reform system that would be worth
the snap of a finger if it were compelled
Il struggle with the difficulty of an un.
derpaid service.
AT the same time we have nothing to
say against economy. 1t is just as
But economy and stingiucss are two
different things. Economy consists in
having done whatever ought to be done
upon the best terms compatible with
j s being well done. Tie Democratic
idea seems to be that it means to do as
little as | ossible at any one time OF
what ought to be done without delay
and that it is a saving of money to put
off till tomorrow what ought to be
done to-day. The Government can be
kept running on this policy after q
fashion, but it cannot be kept in good
repair without constant and liberal
hlbr. cat on.
Now n ore than ever press upon us
questions involving the destiny of the
Nation-questions of commerce, OF
education, of naval reconstruction, OF
internal improvement of coast defense,
of foreign relations--and over against
these lies that other great question OF
human labor and social order. If Con
gress would solve the latter to the
peace, contentment and prosperity OF
the people it must respond to the for
mer in spirit of broad and patriotic
craftsmanship and see to 1t that the
money of the people is distributed by
every Legitimate expedient known to a
government of progress alive to its own
welfare.