New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-08
~ AUTHORIZATIONS 7RiTES7T.

Amid oll the unworthy doings of the present
Conpres - II would be difficult to say which Is
absolutely worst. There can, however, scarce
IL be any more contemplate than the prcseh'a-
ton Of the so-caed Notifications bill, when
was effected in the House on Thursday under
the distinguished direction OF the Hon. ME-
Livingston. of Georgia. This Is measure pur
porting to make appropriations for the cohstruc
ton and maintenance OF land defences ior Tue
coast and scaboard cities. II was framed ny
the Hon Mr. Livingston. with the assistance
Of the Hon Mr. Breckenridge. OF kentucky 10
meet the estimates made by the expert eiSi-
neers Of the Army Department who nave the
work Of coast defence In hand And 1t meets
them In n way hat can best be described by
the popular phrase of adding insult to injury.
II these Democratic statesmen wished 10 re-
verse the policy Of the Government on TINS I'M
portant matter, they had the right To say so.
True the Nation desires that policy TO be main
famed and continued. True the ablcst leader
of the Democratic party in this generation dis
tinguishcd himself by his eloquent AMI forciDie
advocacy Of that policy. But these things need
not 10 have moved the committee. They might
have reported against appropriating a cent Tor
coast defcnccs and In favor OF abandoning inc
whole system In doing they would have
bccn unpatriotic and offensive To the country.
But they would have been straightforward ana
logical That however. they did not do. They
reported an appropriation Of about onefourti
~ the estimates: an amount which would OF
course compel the Army engineers Ia Keep on
with their work and yet would not permit them
10 do that work in a satisfactory manner. II
is worse than II they had made no appropriation
in fln Int sr
would have occurred than the neglect and aban-
donmcnt for n time Of all coast-dcfcnce work:
while under their proposal not only that would
happen but more than Slsoo0oo Of public
money would be misspcnt besides.
Either the work should be- done or 1t should
not be- done II 1t Is to be- done the money
necessary for the doing ~ II should be appro-
pr,a,cd II It is not To- he done. no appropria-
ron should be- made. There * no use In fool
lng away money IN guns without carriages. or
On carriages without guns. There Is no sense
I'm spending money for care and preservation Of
existing works when It will not be- sufficient To
accomplish the purpose. Such appropriations
are n waste Of the public money and an Insult
ro the department officers who made the csti-
mates Mr.. Livingstons bill Is nj par with the
Democratic naval policy OF former years, when
\
new ships or even for adequately repairing -old
ones but vast sums were fritcrei away IN
Intellectual driblcts until the very name Of the
Navy became a rcproach.
Naturally. the Democrats wish 10 cconomlze.
They have Frustrated the industries Of the
country. wcllnigh bankruptcd the Treasury.
converted the inyariablc surplus Of former
years into deficit. and vastly Increased the
public debt Their last desperate resort Is 10
make as nlggar,lly and inadequate appropria-
lions rs possible Thus they Will seek n reputa-
ton for economy. and be able 10 tell how much
les. they spent than the Republicans. Such
/ trlckstcr work will not avail. The people of
/ this country do not want small appropriations
as such They want appropriations wisely
made and properly expended. They would
rather spend ten millions and have ten millions
worth II results 10 show for II than to spchd
ONLY one million and have no results. That Is a
| fact which Democratic statesmen or the Georgia
and Kentucky school do not seem able To max"
room for In their brains. But II Is fact when
/ the sensible and patriotic men In congress
ought 10 keep In mind when dealing win ms
miserable traycsty ~ an appropriation Dill