New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-04-23
-NEU REBEL R.1IDS.

The economy which this Democratic Congress
practices has curious variations. Like the
economy of the preceding Democratic Congress-
ii Contrives to starye the public service in many
directions. and at the same time 10 increase The
appropriations. Everybody will recall what
Mr. Reed. with exquisite irony, has described
as the "pious sclf-dcnying ordinance with
which the Democrats Of the Lid Congress be
gan their vicious onslaught upon the public
treasury. They denounced the Republican List
Congress with bitter invcctivc as a "bllliondol-
lar Congress" and then proceeded with one
accord 10 grab after the public money until
they had made their appropriations several hun
drcd thousand dollars in excess Of those which
they so violently ccnSurcd. They did not re
peat in This Congress their 'plous SclfdcnyinS
ordinance" hut they are repeating with great
enthusiasm their attacks upon the Treasury.
Not that their prOtcStationS Of economy have
ceased On the contrary. individually they are
loud in proclamatiOns Of n purpose to reduce
public expenditures. and the way they are re
ducing them is by starving thc service in
dozen directions 10 save n paltry penny, while
passing dishonest rebel war claims five times
rs great. They have not the money 10 make
necessary additions to the Navy. They are too
Door to pay the clerks Of the POStollicc Depart
mcnt a decent salary for labors unduly severe
and trying They cannot afford To maintain The
West Point Academy in proper state of ell
cheney They have 10 be drubbrd all over the
floor Of Congress before they will consent 10
pay the petty sum of $4,000 10 keep the typhoid
fever ont of the Ncw-York Posiofiicc Building.
They require a fight and encounter defeat be-
fore they will allow the ftatcrnal and bcncyO-
lent newspapers 10 avail themselves of a law
passed as much for their benefit aS for hat Of
other journals. They are too absolutely poor
10 pay the postage TO foreign countries on GOV
eminent publications. actually paid for. These
are examples of thciF economies. reinforced
with intense arlor against the claims of men
who have offered their bodies 10 be shot at in
defence Of the Nations life for poor little
pension Of ST. month or less. Ia save them in
their old and lonely days from the public poor
house
But when II comes 10 allowing rebel rald
on the Treasury then all at once they discover
that this is rich country which afford 10
pay it's debts. and which ought not to ask It's
citizens TO suffer losses on its account without
remuneration ON every "privatcbll day"
these rebel war claims appear rs thick as flies
in molasscs jug. The public cannot realize
how vciousy they are being pressed. nor how
recklcssly they are being passed \ compla
ton Of them was made by the Treasury De [
partmcnt about year ago. from which II ap |
pears that their exact sum total is Si7iN2l. !
500 81 They cover all sorts Of charges More |
than eighty millions are for cotton claims. /
Nearly sixty millions are for stores and sup |
plies The origin Of these claims is subStan |
tally the same IN all cases. Federal armies in |
the South had TO live in order 10 fight. and |
found II convenient when in hostile country, |
as armies have IA way Of doing. 10 call upon |
the people in the ncighbOrhOOd for Il few tons !
Of hay or barrels OF beef. or bales of cotton or |
other things useful for the construction Of for |
and the preservation Of life. And |
now along come the children AMI the grand |
children Of the people from whom these sup |
plies were taken. with warm protcstatonS Of |
the loyalty Of their ancestors. and OF an abiding !
faith in the generosity Of great and good !
Government for which their fathers fought and |
blcd ard died. Nothing can b. more reckless
than the manner in which this Democratic CON
grcss is allowing these false and absurd claims. |
They are unbuShing steals. and the men who !
are promoting and passing them, 50 far aS the |
Of their proceedings is concerned. |
might Just as well be making midnight raids !
on a bank or lifting purses in a crowded |
shop.