The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-04-13
ECONOMY AND REFORM.

Though In o minority in both houses OF
the Illinois legislature, the democratic
members have entered upon contest
which, If not Immediately successful
promises to tell nightly on future cleo
tions in this state.
There was no issue more pointedly
made and consistently pressed by General
Palmer in his canvass for the governorship
last fall, than that of economy and reduc-
tion OF expenses In our state administration,
II was shown that In every department of
the state government, from the executive
office down to the cost of running the
least and most insignificant of the score or
two of "boards," which necessity less than
greed for more offices and enlarged execu'
tive patronage had brought into being,
there was a steady duplication of expendi-
ture and piling up of taxation for their
support, without any corresponding in
crease In the necessary duties OF such
boards while the basis OF taxation, the
ability OF the people 10 pay, was actually
on steady decrease.
| Thus the expense OF keeping up the
governors mansion, for which 81 600 a
year was for decade regarded as entirely
adequate, had in late years been run up to
$4,000; the military establishment from
$4,000 had been run up to T250,000 a
year; the medical board from $4,000 TO
$4,000 And so on through the whole
list,
The Republican committe on appropria.
tions, in the present legislature, week
ago, brought In their bill TO cover the ex'
penditures for the next two years, and in
every case all the extravaganza of the last
two or three Legislatures was not only con-
tinued, but In a few instances even In
creased. The democrats, to be consistent
with their ante-election record, as we'll as
to maintain their honesty, got up counter
appropriation bill in which these extrava-
giant appropriations We're cut down 10 what
certainly any pretense of honest economy
fully demanded and necessity In every case
justified, Thus the republican bill fixes
the clerk hire for the governors Office at
$4,000; the Democratic bill says $4,000
They pay for clerk hire In this office in
Missouri $4,000, in Indiana, $4,000, and in
Ohio $500. The Republican oill gives
the Secretary of State $l0,500 for clerk
hire; the Democrats fix 1t at $4,000. In
the same Office Ohio pays $1,000 for clerk
hire, Iowa $500, lndisna $500 and
Texas $4,000, And so on, the Democratic
bill pares down little here and a little
there, until the whole amounts to a saving
of $25000O, while the Republicans are
defied to show that In single case the
service will be in the least impaired or
crippled, yet the saving would cut down
the states levy of raxation five or six per
cent
The assault of Gen. Palmer on the eX-
travagance of former legislatures in these
Hlhtc was SDintWIlul WtHktDbu
by the fact that for many of the most mex
cusible appropriations Democratic men,
bers had voted with Republicans, and in
no case had the Democrats insisted on
economy and reductions as party meas
ure. That mistake is now avoided. The
Democrats introduce their measure of
reduction and reform as a strict party
measure, and every Democrat as such
votes for It, while every Republican but
one votes against it; and even the conces
sion that one honest Republican to the
righteousness of the Democratic demand
for economy Is stronger argument in Its
favor than dozen of party speeches
would be.