River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-06-02
DEMOCRATIC RETRENcHmENT.
Instances of Cheeseparing of the Party
of ssTs


of REFORM"
Following the passage of the colossal
fifty million river and harbor bill the
democratic house brought forward the
-sundry civil service appropriation bill.
and as if TO make compensation for the
former appropriation, which is twice as
large as any ever passed by congress
before, began cheeseparing the latter.
Mr.. Cogswell, of Massachusetts. in his
vigorous speech exposed not only the
partisan sham and humbug of this al
legged economy, to be used for campaign
purposes, but the serious detriment
these demagogues have inflicted upon
the service of the government and the
vital interests of the people at large.
1t is claimed by the committee demo
cratic majority that it has saved Sl3,-
600, 900 in this appropriation. Gen
Cogswen shows how it has been saved.
1t is claimed that there is difference
Of 7,700, 600 in the appropriation for
government buildings already ordered,
which is merely postponement of nee
essary expenditures, if the buildings are
to be finished. For the improvement of
certain harbors 81, 1877. 600 less is called
for, but this is not democratic saving.
The government engineers report they
need that much less. In the construc-
ton of the congressional library build
ing the compittee enters up a saving
was done by a trick. While they APP
propriate s45O,OOO the engineers in
charge are authorized to obligate the
government to the tune of 81, O35. 600.
So nothing las been saved. The COM
mittee has struck at the safety of
those who go down to the sea in
ships by cutting down the estimates
Of the lighthouse board from S317. 600 to
s42, 000- 1t not only has decided that
navigation shall be made more perilous
for want of lighthouses pointing out
dangerous reefs and shoals. but it has
wickedly and inhumanly cut off the
last hope of vessels in distress by refus-
ing to make any appropriation for life
saving stations. With criminal recl-
lessness and Indifference it has still fur
Their endangered navigation by cutting
off SIS, 900 from the coast survey appro-
priation. 1t has reduced the expend-
iture necessary to preserve the public
buildings nearly one half. Is this econ
omy? 1t has so far cut down the appro-
priation for light that the public bust
ness will have to be conducted in semi
darkness unless the employees pay for
the gas out of their own wages. Ii has
almost wiped the fish bureau out of ex-
istence and thereby struck a deadly
blow at the cheap food of the people
The moonshiners of the south and the
rascals who evade paying revenue viii
be grateful to the democratic cheese
parers for reducing the appropriation
intended to aid in looking after them.
1t has crippled the land Office and the
Howard university, closed the schools
in Alaska, encouraged crime in the ter
ritories and struck deadly blow at the
United States courts by a wholesale
slashing at the appropriation for wit
nesses and jurors.
Such are the details of this sham
democratic economy which naaes Ho
provision for the future and cripples
the present; which makes no saving of
expenditure, but simply creates obliga-
tons which must be provided for in de-
6ciency bills; which paralyzes the activ-
lty of the government and endangers
the rights of the people, and which is
practiced for the narrow, mean and
contemplate policy of making partisan
capital in presidential campaign. And
yet the man who is chiefly responsible
for this petty. picayunish business
which is disgrace to a great. rich.
powerful nation-is the one who would
fhnVFrrh 70 n oil q
any opposition to a large and useless
waste of money on dam at Lawrence
burg, on the Miami river, in the state
af Indiana, from which this peanut
political humbug halls And this dem
Ocratlc house which has made this ham
exhibition of frugality where it affected
no votes is the one which passed the
river and harbor bill, carrying with it
$50, ZOO, 600. or twice as much as any
other congress ever appropriated-yeas,
1856; NAYS. 65i Could there be any clear
er evidence of the inconsistency and
humbug of democratic economy. which
turns off the gas in the post offices, puts
out the lighthouse lanterns, locks up
the life stations, cripples the courts of
jus tee. shuts off fuel and water for
public offices, takes away soap from the
military academy of the nation and fish
from the people, shuts the doors of the
schoolhouse upon Indian papooses, and
makes the servants of the government
pay for their own gas-and then, pumps
$50, 900, 900 into rivers. creeks, slvamps.
bayous, duck ponds, frog-holes and
mud-holes where votes may he had
yeas, 1SG; nays, 65,-Chicago Tribune