Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-26

me expenses or tne nrsr ruur years sue
ceeding the last Dc,aocrsltic administra-
tion amounted to tn" enormous average
OF &tl-NltS0 per Nv-t-- This large eX-
peuCItaTC was due tp a considerable eN-
tent to the cost 81 the Spaaish-AGlerican
war. which occurred during that period.
But the termination Of that war brought
no Tcl.-t To- the treasury. for the average
annual ,Npe-lSes of the government dur
ing thn three subsequent years ending
June -. 1874. We're about $4,000. coo. which
Is the largest sum hitherto reached dur
ing = like p'ttud since the close of the
civil war.
This draft upon the revenues of the
country has had the effect which might
have been anticipated and now we have
presented jEC reverse OF the situation
which led to the famous obserVat alton. 1t
Is Il condition ana not 4 theory which
Confr"ntS MS for. although the present
incumbent found at the close of the first
hscal year during which he assumed con-
troll OF the administration surplus of re-
ceiptS over expenditures of more than
ISL cJ0000. there was an excess of eX-
penditurcS over receipts at the close of
the last fiscal year of $2l. 100000. and the
official monthly reports made by the
treasury department show that the ex-
peuditurCS are continuously and rapidly
increasing. y. lille the receipts are di.nin-
fishing.
In this connection it is interesting to
note the recent administrative orders for
bidding government officers from making
public any statement of estimates on
which future appropriations are to be
based.
If a man Of ordinary intelligence and
prudence should find in the operating eN-
penses - his business such a tremendous
percentage of increase. would he not
promptly set on foot an inquiry for the
cause of the waste and take immediate
measures To stop it, especially when
trusted employees have been found dis
honest and convicted and a widespread
impression exists that thorough inVesti-
CATION may discover other cases of mall
feasancc? When the chief executive re-
ported to congress that Through frauds
fCrCcrics and pCrjuries and by shameless
bribCTicS the laws relating To the proper
conduct of the public service in general
and to the due administration of the post
Office department have been notoriously
violated >" there was a general popu-
lar demand for rigid. sweeping invcsti-
cation by congress in addition to that un-
dertaIen 10y the executive himself. Such
an investigation the Republican majority
in congress would not permit, although
the minority insisted that the interests of
good government demanded it. And the
minority was right. The Iibcrality. pa
triotiSm and national pride of the people
should not be made an excuse for waste
OF the public funds. Official extravaganza
is official crime.
There is not a sentence in the Repub-
liCan platform recommending a reduction
In the expenditures of the government.
not line suggesting that the increase in
the cost of the war department from S3l-
600 600 in 1856 to Sis 900 600 in 1904 should be
inquired into. and not = paragraph calling
for thorough investigation of those
departments of the government in which
dishonesty has been recently disclosed.
The people. however. can by their votes.
If they Gesire it. order such an investiga-
ton and lnaugUrate policy of economy
and rCtIenChment 1t is safe TO say that
this will not be accomplished by indorS-
ing at the polls the Republican majority
of the house of representatives which re-
fused the invest gation and made the 1p-
prOpra tons. nor by continuing In power
the administration which made the dis
bUrSemeutS.
Reform i'm expenditures must bc had
in the civil, military and naval cStab-
lishments in order that the national eX-
penditures may be brought to a basis of
peace and the government maintained
without recourse to the taxes of war.
Conclusion.
1 have put aside a congeniaI work. 10
which | had expected to devote my life,
in order to assume as best l can the re-
SpOuSibilItics your convention put upon me.
l solicit the cordial cooperation and
generous assistance of every man who
believes that a change of measures and
of men at this time would be wise, and
urge harmony of CudeaNOr as well as
vigorous action on the part of all so
minded.
The issues are Joined, and the people
must render the verdict.
Shall economy of administration be de-
mandcd or shall extravaganza be encour-
aged?
Shall the wrongdoer be brought to bay
by the people. or must justice walt upon
political Olgarchy?
Shall our government stand for equal
opportunity or for special privilege?
Shall il remain a government of law or
become one of individual CapriCe2
Shall We cling to the rule of the people.
or shall we embrace beneticent dcspotism?
with Calmncss and confidence we await
the peoples verdict.
If called to the Office OF president I
shall consider myself the chief magistrate
of all the people and not of any faction.
and shall ever be mindful of the fact that
on many questions of national policy
there are honest differences of opinion.
believe in the patriotism. good sense and
absolute sincerity of all the people. /
shall strive to remember that he may
serve his party best who serves his coun-
try best.
If it he the wish of the people that
undertake the duties OF the presidency l
pledge myself with Gods help. to devote
all my powers and energy to the duties OF
this exalted office. Very truly yours
ALTON Il. PARKER.