New-York tribune., 1888-08-31
ECONOMY OF CLEVELAND'S SORT

ECONOMY OF CLEVELAND'S SORT
Senator Alison's speech on the appropria-
tions will probably be found an exceedingly
important campaign document. II disposcs Of
the Democratic pretcncc of economy about as
effectively as THE TRIBuNE's Extra on APP
pointments disposed of the pretcncc OF Civil
Service reform. Thus one after another the
false pretences upon which President C!evc-
land secured the votes of many thousand we'll
meaning citizens four years ago are exposed
and 80 completely that his supporters, unable
to offer any good defence, find it necessary to
ignore issues upon which they sought and OBJ
tanned popular support in 1884.
One of these was stated in the Democratic
National platform Of 1884 as follows: "The
Democracy pledges itself to purify the admin
istration from corruption, to restore economy.
and to reduce taxation to the lowest limit con-
sistent with due regard to the preservation OF
the faith Of the Nation to It's creditors and
pensioners. We demand that Federal
taxation shall not exceed the needs of the Gov
ernment economically administered" 1t was
claimed that the Republican party had been
prohigate in Expenditures, and had appropri-
ated many millions wastotully for no other
purpose than to excuse high taxation. Not
day passed during the long campaign OF 1884
without reiteration of the Democratic pledge
that economy in administration and in ex-
penditures should follow the election of Dem
ocratic President and House.
Mr.. Allison, as chairman OF the Appropria-
tons Committee of the Senate, reviews the acts
of the party in power to see how far these
pledges have been kept. lie finds and proves
that tho appropriations for the four years OF
Cleveland's Administration exceed the appro
priations for the previous four years. the latest
of Republican Administrations by $95,000,-
600. The details of this comparison are not
given in telegraphic reports. and will be ex-
amined when the Senator's speech in printed
report is received. but it Is noteworthy that tho
Democratic Senators. who have had some ex-
perience in trying to combat Mr.. Allisons state
ments Of fact, made no effort in this case to
deny his statement. Their defence was that
the appropriations made had Ieen justified,
and that tho Administration was not re-
sponsble for appropriations anyway.
These defences were precisely as applicable
to the preceding Administration as to MIR.
Clevelands. His Cabinet officers have sub
mitted estimates and reasons for the estimates
which they made, and President Athurs heads
of departments gave convincing reasons for
their recommendations. But Mr.. Clevclands
Cabinet officers have argued and labored and
plead for much larger appropriations than Con-
gress has granted. II the Republican Admin
istration was honestly charged with response
bility for appropriations which were recon-
mended and by Congress granted, MIR. Clcvc-
lands Administration is in every respect as
much responsible for appropriations which his
own friends in the House have granted upon
the appeals Of the department officials Mr..
Cleveland has Senate not in sympathy with
his Administration, but President Arthur bad
a House politically opposed to him. and the
House initiates appropriation and revenue bills.
It does not become the first Democratic Admin
istration for quarter of century to sneak out
of responsibility to which Democrats held
every preceding Republican Administration.
The bottom fact of the business is that Pres
ident Cleveland, the RefOrmer and head of the
Economical Democracy. will have spent $685.
100000 more for four years than Presidents
Garfield and Arthur in the latest term Of Re-
publican Administration. If the President did
not think the money ought to be expended, he
had power to veto bills and in most cases also
had power to prevent expenditures which were
left to Executive discretion. lie has taken the
money and thus far has spent it, and his Ad-
ministration has every year asked for more.
Every year it has implored Democratic ma
jority in the House to vote vastly larger sums
than even his partisan friends were willing to
vote, and the sums actually voted were vastly
larger than Republican Administration re-
ceiyed from Congress. Thus the Democratic
false pretcnce of economy in administration
goes where the false prctence OF reform in the
Civil Service has gone. In both respects the
party has been trying to deceive the people.