The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-14
Public Extravasance.


7 At the reception rendered him by the
chief democratic organization of Buffalo.
n. Y. on Tuesday night ex-President Cleve-
land spoke earnestly relative to the extrava-
gance in public expenditures. He called the
| extravaganza reckless and wicked, and his
remarks were heartily applauded, showing
beyond question that his audience was in
| sympathy with him. And 1t is not too
much to say that the country is becoming
! alarmed at the steadily increasing extrava-
| gance in public expenditures. The last
congress appropriated more than 81 ,000, coo,
900, very large part of which was for PEN
sions- For pensions alone more than $780,
000, 900 year is required And at the rate
at which the pension burden is being in~
creased it will not be long before $500, 000.-
900 will be needed to meet the pension
charge.
But Mr. Cieveland's statement with re-
spect to the river aud harbor bill is calcu-
lated to create a wrong impression. He said
that not many years ago a river and harbor
bill appropr1ating 81. 100000 gave rise to
loud popular protest. and that now public
extravaganza commands an appropriation
Of $22, 900. 900, aud the people are silent. If
we are not mistaken the appropriation of
s11, 100000 was for only one year, while the
appropriation of 500, O00,0 900 was for two
years If such is the case there has been no
increase in the amount appropriated for
rivers and barbors.
But If there is extravaganza in appropri-
atoms for rivers and harbors it is not in the
amount appropriated, but in the way it is
appropriated. Hundreds of thousands and
perhaps millions of dollars are wasted be-
cause the amount of money appropriated is
not sufficient to carry on the work on pub
lie improvements continuously. The ap-
priation for an important public improve
ment is generally exhausted months before
another appropriation is made. Work on
the Improvement is stopped, and the incom-
pleted Improvement, not being able to re-
sist the action Of the wind and currents, is
damaged to an incalculable amount. The
damage has to be repaired before further
progress can be made with the improve
ment. And this condition of affairs has
existed for years, notwithstanding the
efforts Of the engineers in charge of public
improvements to have different system
for making river and harbor appropria-
tions adopted
The last congress did adopt different
system with respect to Galveston harbor, in
which an improvement to cost &c, 900, 900 is
being made. Doubtless the improvement
will be completed for the sum named, and
within a comparatively few years. And
the commerce of Galveston will be bene-
flied every year after her harbor is deep
ened to the extent of many hundreds of
thousands of dollars. Had the old system
Of appropriations been adhered to it would
have been twenty years, perhaps longer, be-
fore she would have had a deep ship channel
from the sea to her wharves, and the cost
Of such channel would have been at least
twice six millions of dollars
There should be an appropriation for Sa-
vannah harbor that would enable the engi-
neer in charge of it TO go right on with the
work Of improving it until 1T is completed.
The commerce of Savannah is great enough
to justify such an appropriation. it being
greater than that of Galveston, and con-
gress could not be charged with reckless
and wicked extravaganza if it should appro-
pirate Sc 900, 900 for Savannah harbor. It
would he wiser from every point of view to
spend that amount in five years than to
spend 100000 or 1000. 900 in twenty
years If Mr.. Cleveland should think over
his statement with respect to river and har-
Dor appropriations he would modify it,
doubtless, somewhat.