The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-06-11
The Matter Of Appropriations.

arraigned Mr.. German q few days
ago for advocating liberal appro-
priations for river and harbor i'm
provements. Mr.. Watterson is an
able and brilliant man, but we
cannot but think he has permitted
his better judgment to be blinded
in this matter by mistaken policy.
Indeed, the entire theory and argu-
ment of his article makes it evident
that policy and not convictions Of
craftsmanship suggested and die
tated the editorial. He assumes at
the outset that republicans can be
relied upon to sustain extravaganza
in appropriations, as a means OF
bringing the democratic party into
disrepute before the country, and
that the responsibility for the pas
sage of the river and harbor bill
must be shirked by tho democrats
if they would escape defeat in the
coming election. He also assumes
that the purpose of the bill is
glory" by which we presume cam
paign buncomb is meant and that
its passage would be an act of ex-
travagance, and that to avoid the
just charge of extravaganza the
present congress must cut its ap-
preparations down to a less figure
than $50O,OOO,OOO. There are at
least two views to be taken of all of
these assumptions. The republi-
cans might and doubtless would be
willing to pass laws obnoxious and
detrimental to the public veal to
cripple their opponents, but it has
not yet been shown that the river
and harbor bill is of this character ;
nor do we believe any such showing
can be made. The carrying busi-
ness Of the country is increasing
immensely every year. The rail-
roads are piling up mountains of
gold out of this business. River
transportation is the only competi-
ton these corporations have to fear
under our present system. To make
this most perfectly available and
effective as a relief to the producers,
our rivers and harbors must be kept
in the best possible condition for
use. This can only be done by an
ample expenditure of public money
for the purpose. Moreover, such
expenditures are legitimate and
proper, but it is natural and to be
that the railroad sharks
will cry out "extravagance" when
such appropriations are proposed,
and it is possible that the opposi-
ton to the bill that has alarmed Mr..
Watterson came from that source.
But wheresoeyer it come from it
is true that the farther inland we
are able to open our rivers to nav
igation and the more we can facil-
itate that branch of the carrying
trade of our country, the less the
producer will be taxed for market
ing his products, since the excess he
is required to pay out to his govern
ment for the rightful and necessary
purpose of providing the public
with cheaper facilities for marketing
his wares would be deducted from
his freights. And to be eble to tax
the citizen without impoverishing
him, to be able to save to him by the
very process of taxing him, the sum
you take from him by the process
of taxation is the highest order of
craftsmanship. Taxing the public
for the upbuilding of private en-
fails of this great end, and
it is herein that republican expen-
ditures are extravagant. That party
taxes the public not only without
regard to the welfare of the nation
as a whole, but it appropriates in
millions from the treas
ury of the people for the purpose
of promoting and completing pure
ly private enterprises. The correct
principle is that money appropri-
ated for strictly public and neces-
sary improvements is never ex-
travaganoe, while even the smallest
sum taken from the national treas
ury to aid private enterprises is ex-
travagance and robbery; it is rob-
berry because the public neither
gave nor meant to give to Congress
or any other body the power to tax
it for any other than public
purposes.
Mr.. Watterson's other PROPOSE
ton, that the appropriations Of the
present session must come below
$500, 100000, is equally untenable.
The laws as they exist on our stat
ltes call for appropriations approx
that amount. Those laws
we're enacted by the republican
party. Were they to be repealed
oy this congress as they should be,
he appropriations provided for
would still have to be made for this
year or the subterfuge of a deficit
escorted to in order to cover up the
actual state of things. OF the two
courses, we would prefer the
straight out one of making the
appropriations comply with the
aw and then hold the party that