The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-10
EXTRAVAGANCE IN PUBLIC EXPEN-
DITURES.

In view of the present condition of gov
eminent finances it is surprising that
neither the President nor the secretary of
the treasury makes any definite recommen-
dation in regard to the retrenchment of
need of retrenchment no one can deny, and
in the large field of government operations
there must be room for it. Some of the
items in the secretary's estimates for ex-
penditures in 1899 look unnecessarily large.
For instance, there is 81, 465.532 for 'legisla-
tive establishment" With the country
staggering under q load Of debt and taxes
and the bond-issuing record of the last
three years, Congress might well set an ex-
ample of reducing it's own expenses. OF
course, it holds the Nations purse strings,
and it would be useless for the secretary to
cut down the estimates, as it would pay no
attention to him. But the appropriation is
excessive and undoubtedly covers a great
many extravagances and abuses. Another
item in the estimates is $4S, 72S 100 for river
and harbor improvements. This item has
been a source of more legislative jobbery
and national scandal than any other in the
entire list of government expenditures. OF
the millions of money thus appropriated by
every Congress a considerable proportion is
literally wasted. The present estimate for
this appropriation would be very large even
in the most prosperous times, but in the
present condition of government finances it
is monstrous. The appropriation last year
was $40, 516 412. That was considered large,
but the estimate for next year is considera-
bly, more than twice as great A portion of
it. no doubt, is necessary under contracts
already made and to carry forward inn
provements on which work cannot be sus-
pended without loss, but, after making
every allowance, the estimate is grossly ex-
cessive. The country would have been
pleased if the President and secretary had
both taken strong grounds against this APP
preparation. The secretary has control of
the estimates, and could have cut this or
any other item to any extent he desired.
He should have reduced it to the lowest fig
ure possible under existing contracts. If
Congress makes the appropriation the Pres
ident should not expend the money. There
is precedent for such action. On the 14th of
message to the House, as follows:
In affixing my signature to the river and
harbor bill, No. 1922, deem it my duty to
announce to the House of Representatives
my objections to some features of the bill,
and the reason L sign 1t. If 1t was obliga-
tory upon the executive to expend all the
money appropriated by Congress l should
return the river and harbor bill with my
objections, Notwithstanding the great in
convenience to the public resulting there
from and the loss of expenditures from pre-
viouS Congresses upon incompleted works.
Without enumerating, many appropriations
are made for works of purely private or
local interest, in no sense national. cam
not give my sanction to these, and will take
care that during my term of office no public
money shall be expended upon them. There
is very great necessity for economy in ex-
penditures at this time. 1t may be
a question to consider whether any expen-
oiture shall be authorized under the river
and harbor appropriation further than to
protect works already done and paid for.
Under circumstances will allow ex-
penditures upon works not clearly national.
The river and harbor bin of 1876, to which
General Grant thus objected, appropriated
$5Ol5 900, while the estimate for next year
is $4S.7 2S, 100. OF the amount appropriated
in 1876 less than half was expended. In his
annual message in December, 1877, General
Grant said:
The appropriations for river and harbor
improvements for the current year were
$5.0l5,000. With my approval the secretary
of war directed that OF this amount 81, 0000 900
should be expended and no new work
should be begun and none prosecuted which
was not of national Importance. Suisse
quently the amount was increased to 81, 237,-
600, and the works are now progressing on
this basis.
Here is a precedent for President Mcxin-
ley which the people would like to see him
follow There is more necessity for econ
omy and retrenchment now than there was
in 1876. The total appropriations for all ex-