The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-08-10


principal OF the public debt; but as this
will add less than S50,000,OO0 per
annum to the funds out OF which the
increased expenditures must be made,
| the next necessary step will be the in
position of new taxes, or the issue OF
| new bonds and possibly both.
To some this may appear to be al
extravagaht view of the prospective
situation, but if the present republican
programme is fully carried out, the re-
suit will be even worse than is here
predicted Large amounts will doubt
less be appropriated for the navy, but
whether they will be honestly and
judiciousIy expended in the cOnstruc-
ton of efficient vessels of war, or
practically wasted, as was the case
during the last 18 years of republican
administration, depends mainly upon
the integrity and business capacity OF
| the executive department having charge
of the expenditures for that branch OF
the service; and, therefore, until the
policy of that department has been
lulIy developed, the result cannot be
anticipated. Nor can it be said yet,
with any degree OF confidence, what
the general financial policy of the pres
ent administration will be. So far IL
| has not made any material departure
from the course pursued by its imme
diate predecessor, and It probably will
not do so. One OF the lOudest and
most persistent complaints made
against the democratic party by its re.
publican opponents during the last
presidential campaign, was that the
administration had deposited large
amounts of the public money in the
national banks without interest and, as
alleged, without authority OF law and
it was distinctly announced in mauY
parts OF the country that, in case zen.
| Harrison should be elected, this pohcy
would be instantly changed and the
deposits withdrawn. The facts that
these deposits were made under the
authority expressly conferred by d
statute passed by republican congress
and approved by republican president
in June, 1864, land that every republican
secretary of the treasury who has held
office since that time had made deposits
in precisely the same way, were eitnel
disingenuouslv suppressed or positive
1 ly denied, and the democratic admins
tration was denounced in the most
extravagant terms for its alleged tavor
itIsm TO the national banks. But now
that the election Is over, and the new
administration has assumed control OF
financial affairs and become responsible
for the custody of the public funds, the
party at once faces about, and Senator
Morrill, charges that the democratic
party ia "opposed to these most useful
Institutions" while the secretary of the
treasury continues the deposits in the
banks without the slightest intimation
that they will be either withdrawn or
diminished in thS future. Thus the
campaign thunder which frightened the
greenbackers and political labor men
in the west, and induced large numbers
of them TO seek temporary shelter in
the republican fold, has died away iD
the distance, and the country has an
other illustration of partisan duplicity.
In view of this trick, and others that
might be mentioned, Senator Edmunds
is fully justified in the statement that
.. there are men who believe it praise
worthy to over come political enemy
sby any of the methods of deceit OF
, corruption that are considered justi
! fable in dealing with All enemy in time
of war;" Unless absolutely necessary
in order TO meet increased expendi
> lures resulting from the extravagan
, course of legislation upor which con
gress proposes to enter, the deposits
!. will not be withdrawn from the banks
and the deluded voters who bartereC
their suffrage for republican promises
p will be left with no other consolation
:. than the assurance that they will know
q better next time.
e GRoUNDLEss CRITICISMS.
g Most OF Senator Morrill's criticism:
i upon the democratic party may be pas
II sed without notice, because par
: of them are wholly without fOun
: dation. and the remainder are no
e material TO any issue now before th'
}. country. What the country now want
is, not "reminiscences of the past
n in W. 'ch all parties have committed
e many errors, but intelligent discussion
i OF the present situation and a candi
r avowai Of future purposes and policies
: There is one statement made by tb
v senator, however, which ought not t.
o be left unchalIenged, because unless a.
IS the facts connected with the subject ar
N given, what he says will necessaril
If lea ye an erroneous Impression upon th
lie public mind.
~ He states that the appropriation
a. made "for the support of the govern
he ment during the four years from 1Ss
Is to 1889, inclusive, were S95 ,303, ,O53 i
H. excess of "like appropriations mad
IN under republican admiDistratio
is from 1882 TO 1885, inclpsive; and b
in adds: "This is fact which silence
Of all the loud democratic pretentiOI
" about economic REFORM" The sena
V, tors statement, as he makes it, is yer
/. far from correc'; but he probably in
le tended to assert that all the appropris
tions for every purpose-not merely fC
Dr. the support of the government mad
er during the four years last mentioned
ct were 5.303, ,053 In excess OF thos
ne made during the precc dingiour year
ID and with this rudersl ding his as I
as ton may be accepted as sufficient
ly accurate, except that the appropriation
IN for the fiscal year 1886 were mad
ne uuder q republican and not under
20 democratic administration. The sens
be tor is not ignorant of the fact that al
I'd preparations are not made by the exec
NJ utive department of the government
MS but by congress, which during ii
I'd whole period of Mr.. Cleveland's admit
ip istration was divided politically just ,
mt il was during the preceding for
t. years-that is, the senate was republ
tn can and the house democratic; nor
as he ignorant of the further fact that Il
of republican senate has almost invariab
be made very large increases in Il
ch amonnts proposed to be appropriate
as by the democratic house.. During u
OF recent short session of congress Il
ey regular appropriation bills, includir
ey the deficiency bill, appropriated,
ly they were passed in the house, the su
lis of 1868, ,024, SIT, but the senate increa
he ed the amount to S222 ,672 ,315, an az
to dition of $l3,547 ,739; and this is II
he above the increase usually made
so the senate at each session.
e. | do not propose to offer a compile
* and satisfactory analysis of the appr
on priations during the last eight years
We brief statement will be sufficient
lis show tor what purposes the increas
wv were made under the recent admin
I'LL tration, aud will enable all who take
be interest in the subject to determine &
IN for themselves whether they we
he necessary and proper. That some
them were unwise and ought to ha
~ been avoided is not denied, but th
most of them were inevitable under (
cy circumstances will certainly be adm
ns ted by every candid man who unde
vi stands the situation. The appropriate
a. for the fiscal years 1888, 81, SO and
~. were made under republican admi