Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-18
ExpENp1rUREs AND ELECTIONS.

Besides the points on the increase of ex-
penditure noted by THE DISPATCH the
other day, there is a relation of political
cause and effect which only the most
stupid can fail to understand. 1t is set
down in the comparison of the annual ex-
penditures of the Government with the
results of the national election, and re-
veals popular sentiment on the subject
of Governmental economy very different
from that expressed by Senator German
and the organs of plunder which pretend
to oppose him.
In 1873 and 1874 the process which had
been previously going on of cutting down
Government expenditures at the rate of
fifteen to twenty millions per annum, was
checked From a minimum of SGT, ,O00,-
600 in 1872 expenditures rose to S292, ,0O0, 900
and S2S7 ,OOO, 600 in 1873 and 1874. The re-
suit was that in 1874 a Democratic House Of
Representatives was elected for the first
time since the war. The lesson had some
effect, and the Democratic House aided in
cutting down expenditures to S274, ,OO0, 900
and. S25S, 600, 900 in 1875 and 1876. The
showing as to retrenchment caused the
very close approach to an election of Til
den in 1876.
During the succeeding four years there
was an apparent comprehension of the
value of economy in public expenditures
Tho total reached the low-water mark in
1873 of S236, 900, 900, and the Republicans
carried the elections of 1880. But the
leaders of that party, with Kiefer as
Speaker of the House, displayed the
present tendency. Appropriations for the
first time reached SIT, 900, 600 for the ell
tire Congress; and the people put in a
Democratic Congress. That Congress cut
down appropriations, under the leader
shin of Randall and Holman, to
$685. 900, 000-a reduction of $50, 200, 900
annually, and Democratic President was
elected in 1884 During the first half of
the Cleveland administration the Demo
Gratis bore the lesson of these elections in
mind Expenditures were kept down to a
moderate level, notwithstanding the
growth of the pension list; and the
Democrats retained control of the Lower
House and were within one of tie in the
Senate. But the Fiftieth Con-
gress yielded to the standing temptation
of the small politicians Randall
was retired from his controlling
position. Appropriations increased in the
first session S43, ZOO, 900 over the cores
ponding session of the preceding Con-
gress and sos 000, 600 over its last session.
In the succeeding election the Republicans
elected the President and gained full con-
troll of Congress for the first time in eight
years. The final example is too recent to
need more than a mere reference. The
Billion Congress, subjected to the most
sweeping defeat ever suffered by the Re
publican party, completes the record.
These facts, with the present indica-
tions that the Democratic House is rival
ing the Republican vice of extravaganza,
prove not only that both parties are
equally prone to place private grabs above
public welfare, but that the representa-
tives of both are alike too stupid to read
this lesson of popular condemnation fol-
lowing every marked increase of expendi-
ture. Or is there the ability to understand
this lesson, and have our politics reached
that stage of profigacy in which the pres
ent opportunity of plunder is more desira-
BILE to the public man than the continued
supremacy of his party?