The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1901-06-08
THE WASTE OF PUBLIC
MONEY.

land occasionally pulls himself out
of innocuous retirement to write an
article or two for the newspapers.
Whenever it is possible for him to
eschew the temptation of saying
some mean things about the Bryan
wing of the Democracy, the ex-
president never fails to give utter
ance to rock ribbed Jacksonian
doctrine. His last warning to the
American people as to the waste of
every thinking man in the Union.
The most implacable enemies of
President Cleveland will, if they
are just, concede to him the credit
of having withheld his signature
from a number of bills which car
ried with them extlavagant appro-
priations. He is therefore quail
fed to speak on this subject. Mr..
Cleveland says:
ssProbably no one will have the hardi-
hood to deny that the cost of our govern
ment is excessive and wasteful, and there is
ground for the suspicion that for this con-
dition the needless neglect and indifference
of our people are in some degree response
bic. They are not, however to be charged
with deliberately and willfully approving
the scale of waste and extravaganza too
often apparent in these latter days. Indeed,
a tremendous roar of applause was recently
heard throughout the land when river and
harbor bill, well laden down with extrava-
CANT iniquity, was talked to death in the
closing hours of the last session of the
United States Senate.
1t will be remembered that dur
ing Mr.. Cleveland's second admin
istration Congress adopted rivers
and harbors bill which was noto-
rious for its reckless expenditure
of public money. Mr.. Cleveland
vetoed the bill, but it was passed
over his veto. By his opposition
to the bill he incurred the personal
enmity of every Congressman,
Democrat or Republican, for whose
district seat had been reserved at
the National pie counter. Whatever
may have been the sins Of the sage
of Buzzard's bay he exercised the
veto power as healthful check
oSoAhoS tAS oAASIouSAIo AAouS III SLS
United States treasury by a too
prodigal Congress. 1t is in the
matter of pensions that the former
executive put himself between the
Peoples Money and the pack of
hungry wolves that are continually
knocking at the nations door. OF
the shameful squandering Of the
public money in the way of pen
sions, Mr.. Cleveland says:
ssAnother astounding occasion of public
waste and extravaganza has grown out of
the abuse of our nations tender regard for
those who suffered in its defense. Through
the efforts of unprincipled pension agents
and attorneys lavish administration of ex-
trenely liberal general pension laws has re-
shifted in numerous undeserved allowances;
and these have been largely increased by
thousands of pensions granted by special
laws to those who have failed for want of
merit under general statutes. These bene-
fciaries have thus earned that earnest sup
port of party leader, pledge of parti-
san return for especial Congressional favor,
may be relied promising substitutes
for reasonable disability.
'sThe amount expended on account OF
pensions during the year ending June 80,
1885, was slightly over Sc, 100000. Twenty
years had then elapsed since the close of the
civil war; and it would have been reason
able to suppose, upon a just and prudent
theory of pension legislation and admins
tration, that the limit of just expenditure
this account had been nearly or quite
reached. Such belief, however, would
have been vastly wide of the mark. Ten
years afterward, and for the year ending
June 80, 1895, the amount expended on ac-
count of pensions was more than $I4I ,ooo, 900
about one-third of the entire expense of
supporting the government for that year.
There has been since that time impor-
tant variation in pension expenditure, In
the year ending June 80, 1899, the amount
was above $I3o,ooo,ooo, and during the
next year nearly 81 Al 100000.
The profligacy in the pension de-
partment disclosed by the fore
going figures is practiced in the APP
preparations for internal improve
ments with the same shameless dis
regard for the public interest which
characterizes the conduct of the
pension bureau. Public buildings
are erected in cross-road towns,
bayous and Insignificant creeks are
improved, commissions are created
for the purpose of providing salaries
for ssstatesmen out Of jobs' and the
taxpayers are made to bear the
8 burden Of it all.
But il is very doubtful if Presi-
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