The Coconino weekly sun., 1895-03-28
PUBLIC PLUNDERERs.
How tho Nation Has Been Despoiled by
 the Democratic Congress.

the New York Sun stated the other day, turns wholly upon the condition of the treasury and the people at the time the appropriations were made, and the character of those appropriations with reference to national safety and productiveness Even in a time of great depression an appropriation by which the productive power of the peo- pie would be clearly and quickly in- creased might be held excusable by the most economical. But when the num- Der and salaries of taxeaters are large ly increased at a time when the re- sources of taxpayers are at the lowest, no words of condemnation can be too sharp.
 It is in this aspect that the wanton wastefulness of the last democratic congress is most conspicuous and of fensive. Appropriations were no larger, but on the whole smaller, for the pro lection of American citizens at home by the army, for their protection on the coasts and the seas by the navy, for their protection in foreign coun- tries by the diplomatic and consular service, and for their protection by the courts But the salaries embraced in the sundry civil bill were enormously increased, while the payment of pen sions to loyal veterans was greatly re- duccd. Poverty might serve as an ex- cuse for putting off or pairing down pensions payments if the aggregate ap- propriations had been correspondingly reduced. Economy in expenses for the nations defense might be excused if the army of taxeaters had not been en- largcd, and enabled to swallow many millions more of the public revenue, But when public defense is neglected, and loyal veterans are stinted and scrimped if not robbed, it is simply in- famous that the army of taxeaters in civil service should be increased and more lavishly fed.
 This is done, moreover, in time of great national embarrassment. The treasury is empty, and the future of the nation has been mortgaged more than Sl62, ,0O0, 900 in only about one year to meet the deficit. The people suffer from great depression of industries, and every dollar they now pay takes larger share of their earnings or prof its than Sl.50 took four years ago. The differences in aggregate of appro- priations, about which democratic leaders make such chatter, are too contemptible for consideration in view of the enormous differences in the con- dition of the treasury, the people and the industry and business of the coun- try. It is no exaggeration to say that appropriations of Sl,000, 100000 this year will take from the people a greater share of their earnings and profits than appropriations of Sl ,500,- 900 900 would have taken in 1891, when the last republican congress adjourned. In every true sense, the congress of ls94-95 has actually increased the ex- penditures by at least $500, 900 ,000, in proportion to the ability to pay, over those required by the last republican congress.
 The official statements disagree, as usual, but even the democratic calcu- lation admits an aggregate of appro- priations slightly larger than that of ls9O-9l, as reckoned by the official esti- mates of the clerks. In order to swell the latter, democratic calculation in- cludes the entire amount of money payable in future years under the ap- propriations of ls90-9l, but carefully avoids doing the same thing in esti- mating the appropriations by the con- Cress of lS94-95. If the same method were pursued for both years, as repub- lican leaders have shown, the appro- priations by the congress of ls94-95 would be greater by many millions than the highest democratic estimate of appropriations by the congress of lS90-9l. Or if the amount actually ap- propriated for payment within the fiscal year be taken in both cases, which is the more accurate mode of reckoning, the congress which has just adjourned, even on the democratic estimates, has surpassed in expendi- ture that of 1s90-9l. But the difference is insignificant either way, when it is remembered that out of an overf1owing treasury republicans appropriated about S1,0OO,O 0,0OO, while out of a treasury bankrupt and borrowing the democrats expended about Sl,000, ,00O,- 900.
 One other fact is commonly over- looked. The kind of taxes imposed makes tremendous difference in the burdens which the people have to bear. The democratic congress has just ap' propriated about Sl,000, ,O0O,0OO, of which about S2OO, ,OOO,O 900 must be paid directly by the people in excess of former taxes of the same nature, name- | ly, about 800, ,000, ,000 on sugar, $d0, ,000,- 900 or more according to democratic estimates on incomes, and $40, ,0O0, GOO or more additional taxes on whisky. But the republican congress raised as much and even more money by taxes on i'm. ports, which were paid to a great ex. tent by foreign manufacturers and i'm. porters. Not only has the taxeating class been greatly increased, and its plunder of the people, but the people themselves are compelled to pay about 20 per cent. of the aggregate expenses which were paid under republican ad ministrations by duties on goods brought hither for sale.--N. Y. Re