The L'Anse sentinel., 1904-10-01
GROWTH OF THE COUNTRY
National Expenditures Have Simply
Kept Pace with the Nations
Unique Development.

II Mr.. Parker would consent to de-
scend to particulars instead of dealing
with generalities when on the subject
of national expenditure the American
people would have more respect for
him. Itis all very well to denounce
extravaganza, but such denunciations
have little or no effect on the public
mind. 1t is absurd to institute compar-
isons between expenditures Of different
periods, for they depend upon the ma
tional growth and could only be fairly
compared If the country were in an
arrested stage Of development. Judge
Parker points out that during Mr.
Clevelands first term the average an
nual disbursements of the government
were much less than they are at pres
ent, but he does not let us know
whether anything was accomplished
in the way of properly meeting the ma
tional needs during the democratic ad-
ministration. 1t may happen to have
been the case that the smaller sum ex-
pended during Clevelands term repre-
sents greater degree Of extravaganza
than the larger disbursements of later
years. At any rate, 1t is up to the
critics of republican expenditures to
point out in which items extravaganza
is displayed, and not to confine them
selves to wholesale denunciation Of to-
tails
not particularize is known to everyone
who has any familiarity with the sub
ject of national expenditure. If he
should attempt, says the San Francisco
Chronicle, to furnish bill Of details
It would be possible for republicans to
analyze it and demonstrate that his
charge is groundless. If, for instance,
he objected to the increased expendi-
| lures for naval purposes, it would be
promptly shown that all appropriations
! for the navy were made with the ap-
| proval of the major part of the demo-
Gratis in congress. If he has a quarrel
with the size of the pension list, it
must be with democrats as well as re-
| publicans, for the appropriations for
war pensions are practically made
unanimously What Is true of these
two great classes of appropriations is
true of all others. The record does
not show any consistent or persistent
! attempt on the part of the democrats
in congress to check expenditure. They
! are notoriously of the class which fa-
vors "the old flag and an appropria-
ton" and the worst offenders in this
regard are the members from the "solid
x,h iaf
in Washington seems to be to secure
substantial recognition for their re-
spective sections.
Apart from these considerations, 1t
Is preposterous to make comparison
of expenditures with Cleveland's first
term without dwelling upon the growth
of the country in the interval. Judge
Parker says the average annual ex-
penditures during Cleveland's first
term amounted to 1859 ,OQO, 900, and for
the past three years they have been
$519 900 ,000 During this interval the
population of the country has grown
from 5S,O00,000 to S0,000,000; bank
cearings have increased from S55 ,000,-
900 900 to 4,OO0,OO0,O00; exports Of
to 1892 900 900; bank deposits from
81, 4,035 ,622,914 to $1O.3S2 100000; value
of mineral products from $619,512.173
| to s., ,260 ,649,265; insurance In force
from $4,O49, 9,57S,567 to $10,50S, ,47S,T6;
annual postage receipts from less than
$50, 100000 to about SIS 900. 100000. Is
It astonishing that the expenditures
should have kept pace with the devel-
opment noted? Not to anyone famil-
lar with the early history of the coun-
try, which shows that there has been
a steady increase of disbursement un-
der democratic as well as under repub-
lican administrations, and that this
process has never been checked with
ont producing a marked deterioration
of the public service, the efficiency OF
which can only be maintained by keep
ing 1t we'll abreast Of the national
growth.