Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-04-29

money is the spirit which continuailv
ilutters American pride with tho pros.
pset Or grand American navy. Fron,
49,, ,i,i v IN =, lS9S, to October !, 1898 there
mas proprlated for the Increase of the
navy SHls4,l63. This does not inelude
me expense OF Improvement and eon-
strucVon OF machinery plants at the
seNerai navy yards The tendency n
70 expand this branch ~ tho hubble OK
pense. Glowing descriptions OF inc new
va, var vessels i'll the newspapers every
~, yVus connected with naval affairs from
tiie secretary OF the navy down 10 the
humblest sailor takes a natural pride
IN enlargins the field Of their action.
SnlpDulders Know that a stinuinted
pubic interest ls prerequisite to con-
uhued appropriations. Many good men
VINO , view the great navics or other first.
elass powers conclude that we must
put ourselves in like armed array nj
any cost-and so pride. interest and
lnlsdirected patriotism combine to swell
the demand for extensive naval appr3.
palons. In my Judgment this spirit
mas already gone too far. Let Europe
take care OF the policies which think OF
nothing but battles by land and water
armies and arm0dus-this country
seeks a different fate. Armed vessels
cruising throughout the world only
tend TO provoke difficulties. We came
10 tne verge of war with Chill on nc-
count OF the pranks OF American sal,
lors. We are widely separated from
other great nations. and II wars come.
We VIII md means OF defense without
burdening the Industries of our country
10 Ouild great ships Of war in times cf
present and prospective peace.
These are but Illustrations OF vast
abuses which custom has engrafted
upon our appropriation bills. They
could be multiplied indefinitely. but 1
lat To -.
long list Of public expenditures, doubt
tul IN utility, and not sufficiently justi-
ned by necessity to warrant their con-
tinuation In these times OF universal in
dustrial distress.
There is too little attention paid TO
these matters.
There never was an appropriation so
authorized that II lacked q plausible
reason for its existence. There never
was an expenditure so useless that it's
beneticiarleNx could not show strong
figures for Its support. There never
was claimant so INSCRIPTIONS that
some good people did not believe
him deserving reward. There never
was project OF Improvement so
fantastical thai II found rejection
by all sensible men. The people
must completely reverse the policy OF
the government In regard TO approprlR-
tons They must demand not only the
NANAlNAA hNhl VI lilt FluAluN privilege
from ocean steamers--not only the
shifting Of the burden OF supporting the
government Of the District of Columbia
upon the taxpayers Of that District,
where II justly beiOngs-not only the
abandonment Of the magnificent dream
OF war navy. rivalllng the English
or the French. but they must lnfieXlbly
insist upon the abolition OF offices, the
reduction Of salaries and the cutting
of appropriations from top to bottom.
until we reach the point where bill for
tariff taxation and internal revenue
can be enacted without bringing the
country Into the perils OF a probable
deficiency Such deficiencies are not
only contrary to sound sense but they
invariably produce the occasion for
dangerous financial expedients.
Government Bonds.
We have Just seen the Federal
finances subjected to this danger.
Secretary Carlisle, finding II necessary
to trench upon the gold reserve Of
500 100000 TO get money to pay the
current expenses Of the government in
February last, issued and sold $5c, 0V0,-
900 of United States bonds. The au-
thority for this action on the part OE the
secretary of the treasury Is predlCuted
upon the act of January u, 1875, for
the resumption of specie payments.
The 500. 900 900 OF gold long held in
IthtINt DA lIt 1ulAtu gAdltS treasury
is not required by any positive statute
OF the United States, but is precau-
ton Of custom which successive adj
1ninistrations have insisted upon as
necessary to meet any demands for
gold which may arise by presentation
Of paper money for redemption in that
coin, 1t Is not separated quantity
but mere balance Of gold on hand,
which the national flnanciers have
deemed it prudent to constantly keep
The present secretary Of the treasury
has stated plainly that whenever
the gold balance is reduced TO this
point he will not stop the payment Of
the claims against the government but
will use the gold reserve FOR that pur-
pose The power OF bond issue which
he claims amounts to this II will use
the gold reserve 10 pay current eN-
pensos; | viii then issue and sell gov
eminent bonds to replace the gold /
have paid out; that action l will take
as often as necessary" So that in
truth and in fact the secretary's plan
is nothir~ more than the proposition to
sell bonds to obtain gold to settle de-
hciencies which may arise whenever
congress apprupriates more money than
the taxes actually produce. To such a
policy l am unalterably opposed. do
not believe that a power Of this sort
ought to be conceded 10 any one in
diVidual on earth. While the bonds
actually issued by Mr.. Carlisle were
ten-year bonds, he could under the
same act have issued them for thirty
years. While the amount he issued
was $50 900 600, II he so willed 1t might
have been $500 100000 or even more.
The credit of the United States is no
more sacred than the credit of Texas,
The duty OF the Union 10 pay Its debts
as they mature is no more imperious
than the duty Of our own proud state To
pay its creditors. But n the legislature
of Texas should enact an appropria-
tIon bill which the taxes fail to meet,
the governor and the comptroller and
the treasurer and every state official at
Austin combined could not issue a
state bond for the smallest sum on the
shortest time. II a government credi-
tor finds that by a miscaloulatlon Of
appropriations or an unexpected railing
off in revenues the treasury is left with
out money to liquidate his current sal
ary or payment. let him do so as one Of
you would II he served on the jury and
found when the scrip was presented
that the money was not on hand with
which 10 pay It. or ike a sheriff or
district clerk would do II the state
treasurer was unable to pay his fees.
In either case the state or county cred
itor would hold his paper until tag col
lections caught up, or n unwilling to
a., tIiq he would discount his paper