Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-30
The Cost Of GoHernment.


In a recent editorial the New York
World calls attention to the need of re
form i'll the cost of government. 1t
says:
Judge Parker's need of acceptance
would have been incomplete indeed
without a statement of the fact that
now, as in 1876 and 1892, reform is
necessary in abe conduct of the gov
eminent. If there are no evils TO be
corrected, no wrongs to be righted, no
rascals to be turned out, the necessity
for a change is not apparent.
Judge Parker approves the st. Louis
platforms demand for "a thorough in
vestigatiOn of those executive depart
ments already known to TEEN with
corruption, as well as other depart
ments suspected of harboring corrup-
ton, and the punishment of ascertained
corriptionists without fear or favor or
regard TO persons" lie likewise in
dorseS the demand for reasonable re-
trenchment and insists that the gov
eminent should practice economy in
the expenditure of the moneys of the
people and to that end should return
once more to the methods of the found
ers of the republic
That there is need of a searching in
vcstigatiOn and u determined prosecu-
ton of culprits is evident to every
body who has knowledge OF the con-
dition of affairs at Washington and
elsewhere Although Candidate Roose-
Welt had the hardihOod to say in his
speech of acceptance that never has
the administration of the government
been on Il cleaner and higher level"
President Roosevelt i'll his message to
congress last December did not eX-
aggerate the truth in saying, while
there may have been as much official
corruption in former years, there has
been more developed and brought to
light in the immediate past than in the
preceding century Of our country's
history"
For all the corruption that has been
brought to light how few Of the real
culpritS-the men higher up''-have
been punished, a few underlings bore
the weight of the presidents wrath at
the exposure of the postoffice scandals.
And the postmaster general under
whose administration those frauds and
robberies continued and who scoffed
at General Bristow's revelations as
"hot air" still sits in the cabinet as
one of this honest presidents 'consti-
tutlonal advisers" and campaign man
ayers!
The World said to President Roose-
welt in its open letter-and no denial
has been made of the statements
that
You have, by your recommendations
to congress and your signature to its
eXtravaganceS, increased the national
expenditure during your term to more
than s., 100000 600, an excess of S211,-
100000 over the expenditures during
President McKinley's term (Which in
cluded the expenses of the war with
SPAIN and exceeding the cost of
President Clevelands second term by
$SSO,OOO, 0OO''
The fact was also mentioned that the
surplus of SS0,OOO.OOO in 1900 has been
converted into a deficit which no Off
cial Juggling can conceal In view Of
this surprising record of extravaganza
the World said TO the president:
1t is perhaps not strange, but will
be regarded by the'taxpayers as signifi-
cant, that the words economy re
trenchment' and reform once the rule
of the nation and the shibboleth OF
statesmen. do not once appear in your
entire speech of acceptance once"'
No explanation of this ominous ST.
lence has been given. There is every
reason TO think that the president be-
lieveS, with the other politicians of his
party, that this is a two billion dollar
country" and that even reasonable
economy and common prudence are old
fashioned ideas, out of place in this
go ahead age.
Upon what other theory can the fact
be explained, as stated by the Worlds
Washington correspondent, that
president Roosevelt's administration
for four years has added S1S,oOOOO0 a
month, or $4,000 a day. or $500 an
hour, more 10 the cost OF government
than was paid during the last four
years of President Cleveland's admins
tration:"
Is it not true that reform is neces-
saryTi