Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-08-29
The TREASURY IMPROVEMENT.
Success Exasperating the
Republicans.

Democratic Success Exasperating the
Republicans.
"A great part of the stuff that is pub
1ished from day to day as Washington
dispatches in newspapers that regard
1t as solemn duty to discover jug
Cling of figures and distortion" of
facts in the daily reports of the condi-
ton of the United States debt is very
plainly intended to be taken without
reference to the ascertainable proofs
TO the contrary.
Some apparently Juvenile writer's
take up the daily reports, and, evident
ly suffering uncomfortable exaspera-
ton because the receipts of the govern
ment persist IN keeping pace with, and
even exceeding, expenditures, these
jealous but unrefecfing critics at
Washington straightwEy make a hula
ba1oo about the wrongs that are being
inflicted upon all manner of persons
because, as it is alleged, payments that
are due from the treasury are withheld
TO enable the treasury to make
report ;that.will discredit partisan pre-
dict;ons.
IF the readers of these rash and per-
sistently wrong reports Will take the
trouble to examine the daily reports of
the state of the treasury and compare
the expenditures with the appropria-
tons, it will become apparent at once
that the pensioners, for instance, are
not being deprived of the money APP
propriated for them. The Appropria-
ton for pensions for the year begin
ming July / was Sal, lbs. 800. That
would be at the rate of 81, ISL per
month. According to the report made
h. 4l.1-A Gn T0aI n
out on July Is on account of pensions
81, 237, 0o0,or at the rate OF about SIS
600, 900 for the month.
Take the war department. which APP
pears to have drawn So, 1874, 600 in Is
days. The figures do not suggest that
appropriations have been withheld
from that branch of the service, for
the amount appropriated for the army
is about SEA, $50. 900, or at the rate of
less than So, OOO, 900 a month The
treasury has honored acquisitions ia a
little more than half the month far in
excess of the monthly average of the
yearly appropriation for war. The
navy is entitled to an average expendi-
ture of 81, so1, 600. It has received ST.
Ss1. 900 in 1s days of July, or at the rate
of about 500, O0e daily. Should the
rate of payments on navy account be
maintained, the navy will have ex-
ceeded by July 81 the average to which
it appears to be entitled
Has the secretary of the treasury
withheld appropriations from the In
dams? The allowance for Indian ex-
penditures for the year was $4,000, 600,
or $741 ,666 per month. During the
1s days of July there was drawn
from the treasury on account of Indian
expenses $476, 900. If the treasury had
cared to withhold money and to issue
it only upon a schedule arranged to
restrict the outgo it might have saved
sac, 900 in the is days. If the
rate of payment for the first half of
the month is main tanned until July 81
the average to which the Indians are
apparently entitled will have been
considerably exceeded.
The criticisms which have provoked
these illustrations of their falsity do
not really deserve further explanation.
It is absurd to imagine that they are
believed by anybody except possibly
the men who talk SO glibly and fool
ishly and ignorantlv about the ''mis-
representation" that'is practicable fur
nish good showing. No one who has
a valid demand upon the treasury is
likely to hold it beyond the time it can
be presented with reasonable expecta-
ton that it will be honored. The dis
position of rejected applicants for pay
ment to make a fuss about delays
would speedily advertise any general
tendency to delay on the part of the
treasury officers. If delays have &C.
Cured, if they have been common, in
large number and for large amounts
of money due, who has prevailed upon
the postponed creditors to keep so pro-
found silence? Why do not the pratt
ers about the government postpone
ments of pay give some particulars to
make plausible the charge that pay
ments are not met with reasonable
and customary promptness?-N n. Y.
Times.
Tariff Reform Benefits.
no