Mexico Missouri message., 1900-08-23


crease of existing Offices.
At a time when the people are pay
ing extraordinary taxes to meet the
expenses of the war with the Fill
pinos, and other expenses of our CO.
lonial dependencies, the recent re-
publican congress mustered in more
than two full brigades of new fed
eral office-holders. and increased the
salaries of nearly a regiment of 9th
er officials now on the payroll. That
congress, only a few weeks since,
closed its first session, and with the
approval of President Mckinley In
creased the appropriations, exclusive
of Spanish war expenses, by S24,624.-
s41.4s over the amount appropriated
for the last fiscal year.
hold in my hand an official table,
comprising 523 printed pages, disclos-
ing the details of the shameless loot
ing of the national treasury. This ex-
bibit, among other things, shows that
the net increase of new offices, spe-
officially created by the last repub-
Gcan congress. was 2,270, carrying
annua, salaries amounting to $685.
OI5.77. The exhibit also shows a net
increase of s2.641. 647.s4. annually, to
pay the salaries of new officers OUT of
lump" appropriations. 1t further
shows that Si33, 529.75 has been added
to the annual tax burdens TO meet
the obligations imposed by raising the
salaries of 479 federal officials already
in Office.
In other words, my fellow-citizens,
the Mckinley administration has just
appropriated s5,36s, 1896 to pay the
yearly expenses of new Offices Great
ed and of salaries increased.
Comment upon this stupendous
waste of public money is unnecessary.
1t would seem that the time had come
when the people must interpose to
protect our ravished treasury.
Mr.. Chairman, | now desire to sub
nit a comparative statement of ex-
penditures, which also conclusively
establish the extravaganza of the Me-
kinley administration. This exhibit
deals with expenditures only (which, af-
ter all.is perhaps the best test, because
all appropriations are not expended.
l submit a comparison of the last
three years of the administration of
President Cleveland with the first
three years of the administration of
President Mckinley. This statement
includes every dollar of governmental
expense with the exception of the es-
timated expenses consequent upon
the war with Spain and with the Fill
pinos.
The total money actually expended
by the government for the three fiscal
years ending June 80, 1896. amounted
TO $3.50, 49,, s39.10. The total expendr-
lures for the last three fiscal years
ending June 30. 1900, were 81, 1894, 1872
3SS.22. In other words, the first three
years of the administration of Presi-
dent Mckinley cost the tax payers
$50. 329, 549.12 more in money actually
expended than the last three years
of the administration of President
Cleveland. This is an object lesson,
which should not fail to have an i'm
pressive effect upon the people of the
country; for | reiterate the statement
that this stupendous increase of ex-
penditures under this administration
is entirely exclusive of war expendi-
lures. The plea may be offered
that the increase is due TO the growth
of business and the expansion of ter
ritory. This view is a mistaken one,
because these mighty totals do not
!.
connected with the administration of
affairs in our colonial dependencies.
Cuba, which is now under the control
of our army, during the last calendar
year paid into her own treasury Sl6.-
46,015.17. and of this vast sum S14, 0s5.-
so5.32 has been charged up by the
representatives of this government for
the cost OF administration there. or
course this exhibit as TO Cuba in
cludes only the money which found
its way into the treasury of that is
land. / do not know how much, If
any, WAS stolen in transit. 1t appears,
however, that our officials there have
Inundated the republic before the
world by the acknowledged theft of
$131 900 up to this date, which has
been made good TO the Cubans by an
appropriation from our own treasury
j have not included the income and
expenditures of either Porto Rico OF
the Philippine islands. In the COM
parison submitted, as between the
cost of this administration and that
of Mr.. Cleveland, have, as heretofore
stated, not included expenditures on
account of our colonies. l have limit
ed the comparison to three years, be-
cause this administrat ton has not vet
concluded a four-year period, but at
the present rate of expenditure the
four-year term of President McKin-
ley will cost the people considerably
more than one hundred millions of
dollars in excess of the cost of the
last administration of President
Clevland. The extravaganza of the
republican national administration is
further demonstrated by the per cap
ita expenditure, which was only S6.09 in
1896, but in excess of S6.1S in 1900.
How long the people will continue to
tolerate the exactions of the repub-
lican treasury spoliators remains to
be seen. Our people are long suffer-
ing, it is true, but the time is not far
distant when a revolution in public
sentiment will retire to private life
all representatives, whatever may be
the party name, who have wantonlv
squandered the public money, and
thus proven faithless TO their trusts
THE INCOME TAX.
The demand for an income tax IL
not only just and righteous. but in
entire accord with the policy of this
Republic until the recent decision of
the supreme court declaring its I'M
constitutionality. That decision re-
versed the decision and presidents
of that august tribunal for a century,
and the country shares the apprehen-
sion of Mr.. Justice Brown,
a republican judge. in his dissenting
opinion, when he expressed the fear
that the decision might in some hour
of danger rise up to paralyze the arm