Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-10-11
What 10 Costs.
Burlington Nonpareil


1t will, according to the statement
of Senator Allison, require about
$500 000,0 900 TO pay the total expense
of the general government for the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1891. Ac-
cordimg 10 other authorities, such as
Senator Carlisle, of Kentucky, II will
require funny $500, 000,0 900, II not more.
Senator Allison says that the expense
of running the government for the fis-
cal year ending 1890, was SAIL ,0O0, 900,
aud that the receipts from all sources
aggregated $460,000,000, thus leaving
a surplus of $49,000,000, In this esti-
mate, however, the money the govern
ment paid out for its silver purchases,
and the amount required to pay of
claims against the government, are
not included.
1t would be safe to assume that de-
Quoting those two items from the al
legged $49,000,000 surplus, as claimed
by Senator Allison, there would really
not be a dollar of available surplus IN
the treasury with which TO begin the
fiscal year of 1891.
In the $460. 100000, or $500,000,000
which will be required 10 meet the
liabilities of the current fiscal year no
account is made of the probable
amount that will be necessary to meet
the pension claims under the new law,
which last item of expense will doubt
less increase the total liability 10 some
thing over $60,000,000 more than the
figures given by both Senators
Allison and Carlisle.
In considering these enormous sums
required to defray the current ex-
peuses of the government, 1t should
be borne in mind that the largest
single appropriation is that known as
the "River and Harbor Bill" one OF
the most uniformly and shamelessly
eXtravagaut measures of all the an-
nual raids made upon the treasury.
There is probably more jobbery and
corruption connected with this appro-
priation than with any other of the
numerous plander schemes which dis
grace our national legislature. Mil
lions Of dollars of the peoples money
is annually voted away by our repre-
sentatives in congress for the improve
ment OF rivers and harbors, the major
ity of which are never improved, the
balance of which need no improve
ment. Large sums are thus appro-
prialed simply TO give politicians and
their friends magnificent opportun-
ity TO rob the people. 1t is 10 eXag-
geration 10 state that for every dollar
appropriated by congress for the pur-
pose at least sixty cents goes into the
pockets of bOodlers, and that the Te-
naming forty cents is in the main,
worse than wasted through the incom-
petence Of engineers and the poor work
done.
If the proper economy and honesty
we're exercised in this matter of riv-
er and harbOr appropriations, the cX-
penses of the government would be re-
duced thereby number Of millions of
dollars every year. Honesty in this
particular would make vast differ
ence in our current liabilities.
When to the saving which a wise
economy and an honest disbursement
of this appropriation would make is
added the total saving from the same
cause in other items, the expense of
running the government, including
the pension account would easily he
reduced not less than $l00,000,000 an
nually.
1t is appalling to think Of how the
people of this country are thus imp0s-
ed upon and robbed by congressional
boodlers, their friends and sympa-
thizers. 1t is high time that sudden
halt be called at this point, aud that
reform should supplaLt the existing
corruption in the administration Of
national finances.
With the looping off Of the millions
of dollars wasted by corruption aud
extravaganza every year, tariff for
revenue only would be ample to meet
legitimate demands.