West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-02-13
CHAMP CLARK
Calls Halt on the Extravaganza OF the
Republican Administration.

Democratic leader from Missouri, made
some of the best points ye, given out on the
subject aud we herewith give some extracts
from his speech which was an extemporan.
eous one
''rhe gentleman from Illinois, chairman
of the Appropriation Communicable. Can
non), has not been as candid today in an-
swer.ug questions as usual. On the con-
trary, he was decidedly tender-footed and
squeamish l asked him a fair question on
which he lodged. II was this: who is to
pay the expenses of the Honorable Whitelaw
Reid. General Wilson, Captain Clark, young
Mr.. Morgan, young MIR. Wetmore, aud
young Mr.. Baihes in dancing attendance AT
the coronation of King Edward VII ?
'sThe gentleman ducked on that aud said
that he did not know---he had not consider
cd the subject l suggest that he turn his
luminous mind TO that question. know If
he does not, finally, somehow, in some way,
AT some time, the bills will be saddled onto
the American people. SO far as | am CON
cerncd. will never vote one cent TO pay
any mans expenses 10 go TO England or
elsewhere TO help crown KING We went
out of the coronation business July 4, 1870
"For a long time have been looking for
the man who would rather work than eat.
l have never found that abnormal and in.
teresting character, for the all sufficient rea-
son that he does not exist. lie is a mere
hgment of the imagination. lie is a myth
as much so as Jupiter or Minerva, Hercules
or Venus, Vulcan or Aphrodite, Cyclops, or
the sirens with their dulcet songs.
al have long since abandoned my chase
after him. and have been diligently search
ing for the man who really enjoys paying
taxes--epjoys IL as he enjoys going to the
circus and other such hilarious performan-
ces. haven't found him. He has neither
a local habita,iou nor name. Tie is as
heeting as the mirage of the desert, will
o'-the-wisp or an ignis fatuus. lie does 10,
exist. If he did he would lie monstrosty
in the animal kingdom.
''If we lived up TO the golden rule, we
would have little need for Presidents aud
congresses, Governors aud legsla lures, pen
itentiaries and iails, armies aud navies aud
all the other costly adjuncls of modern civil
ization, but because we do not observe the
golden rule VIC have all these things galore.
"ro support them, the tax gatherer-like
the poor we always have with us, aud we
most probably will have him until the dawn
OF the millennium.
"Ali sensible people recognize taxes as a
necessary evil--the less of which we have
the better.
Therefore, it should be the constant aim
OF legislators, national, state or municipal,
to secure the maximum of good government
with the minimum Of taxation.
Every dollar wrung from the brow of
toll, in the shape of taxation, in excess OF
what is necessary TO conduct Government
economically administered. is robbery com
mitted under the forms of law.
at is easy TO be generous, even prodigal,
| with other peoples money.
! .sWhen the Fifty-hrsi Congress was first
| dubbed a billion-dollar Congress- it is re-
ported that the Honorable Thomas Bracketl
Reed answered the taunt with the brayado
| that this is a billion dollar country. II
that brilliant man ever considers the acts OF
| tie Fifty y-sixth Congress he must be com
! PEELED TO remodel his famous motto so as 10
read: "This is a billion-and a half-dollar
county, in order 10 make il harmonic with
the appropriations of that Congress
''ln 1903. the second year Of JeHerson's
administration, the per capita Federal ex.
| pendiiures were only so cents
'In 1912, under John Tyler, they had
risen to sI.3o.
''ln 1860, when James Buchanan was
| President, they had grown to 81 OF.
''During the Civil War, the totals of APP
! propriations, rs we'll as the per capita ex-
! pendtures. took an immense jump.
"The lowest per capita appropriation
since the war was IN 1886, during Cleve-
lands FIST term, when II was 81 ~, the
total being sz42, ,4S3,I3S
"In 1891, the per capita expense was
s5.7I; in 1896 s4.o3; in 1897 SS.oi. And
the tendency is unfortunately towards still
greater expenditures.
''Liberality IN pensions 20 our soldiers and
sailors and their widows, ophaus and de.
/ pendant par snts has become the settled pol
icy Of our government but few have ayowed
themselves openly IN favor of a civil pension
] list and yet that system-and Of colossal
1 proportions Al that--is in sight II is al
present a cloud no larger than a mans hand
but, unless Congress takes an immediate and
resolute stand against it, in a few years il
will envelope the whole land.
"rhe retired list is growing like Jonah
grourd vine. II is great pity lha, il viii
not wither as soon.
''To place a person on the retired list with
a salary is only another way Of granting 9
pension.
"lhe bill pending to raise the salary oi
the officers of the revenhe cutter service and
then retire them on three-fourths pay will
cost the people about $500, 900 year
There is no shadow Of excuse for that raid
on the Treasury. What is still worse. IL i
only the forerunner Of a vast brood Of simi
lar bills 10 retire somebody, and finally {,
retire evcfybody--that is. everybody hold
ing an appointive place under the govern
ment--at a good. fat salary
"rhe employees Of the Weather Bureau
aud the railway mail clerks will come next
and, truth to tell, they arc just as much en-
titled 10 q pension as are the revenue cutie
officers. Then the vast army--constantlj
growing vaster--of clerks, agents and super
numcrarics in al the departments and IN th0
service II the Government anywhere ans
everywhere, will be pensioned
''If voted 90 retire the officers Of ih
revenue cutter service, ! would vote to pen
sion all che resi-
"Ihe inevitable result is that none of ih
taxpayers will be granted pensions. aud al
Of The tax eaters viii enjoy that luxury.
"Ihere would be more wisdom and NOR
justice in establishing universal old ag
pension for every citizen Of the Rcpohli
than there are in the manner in which W,
arc proceeding 10 create an old age pensio
list from the civil departments Of the Gov
eminent.
'The average citizen, who is no, IN th
cmploymeni Of the Government, Is lust o.
worthy Of an old age pension as is The Gog
eminent cmployc, for the latter receives o.
higher compensation. while the former doe
more and harder work
~ have never had any ambition to o.
proclaimed AS "a watch dog of The Treasury
7 have not arogatcd 90 myself the characie
oi en- economist ] have not posed AS n
objecior. 10 is an ungracious and uncfac,
fol performance 90 object 10 the pet bill
and provisions II other members and wc
calculated 20 render man unpopular wit
his fellow representatives, bui there no
waste and cxirayagance everywhere.
"h halt must BE called sometime. some
where. some how, by so ne one, or The Who'll
system will become So top heavy that it wi
iopple about our ears