Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-10-27

In accordance with promisemade
by me in u speech at Council Bluffs,
Iowa. on the first day of September
1894, accepting the nomination for
Congress OH the Democratic ticket, !
now promulgate this letter, giving to
the voters Iiy views on the political
questions involved In the present cam
paign.
Reckless Expenditures.
Believing, as l do, that when one
accepts q Resaination as candidate
for aA office, where 1t may become
his duty to Assist in making laws for
the people be should state what his
views are ON public questions that
are presented for discussion, and, not
being able to meet and talk with all
the voters about what | would work
end vote fer, il elected to Office, /
have concluded to reach as many OF
them as is possible, by addressing this
letter to the public, instead of at
tempting to make speeches through
out the congressional district. When
proceeding to express my opinion OH
these important questions, the first
that imEresses me with great weight
is the stupendous extravaganza now
being practiced in the administration
OF our Government. believe that re-
form along this line is absolutely es-
seItial to the well-being of the pco-
pie. The time has fully come when
this reckless expenditure of the peo-
ple's money should cease. This Gov
ernment Should be conducted on bus
mess principles and the same care
taken in its management and the
same economy practiced that is essen
tial to success in private business af
fairs. In this connection let me state
a few facts and figures to show the
increase OF the expenditures within
the ten years last past for the ad-
ministration of the Government. We
assume that these facts and figures
are correct. as they are taken from
the reports CT the secretaries of the
treasury.
The total expenditure for the four
years of the last administration OF
President Cleveland was One Billion
Seven Hundred and Fifty-eight Mil
lion Six Hundred and Ninety-nine
Thousand Two Hundred and Sixteen
Dollars and Forty-thrce cents. The
total expenditure for the four years
of President McKinley's administra-
tion was Two Billion Four Hundred
and Thirty Million Three Hundred
and Sixteen Thousand Three Hundred
and Ninety Dollars and Twenty-nine
Cents. The total expenditures of ad-
ministration for the four years OF
President Roosevelt is Two Billion
Six Hundred and Forty-one Million
Seven Hundred and Twenty-four
Thousand Nineteen Dollars and
Eighteen Cents
Roosevelt administration over that of
Mckinley. which included the ex.
penses of the Spanish-American war
is two hundred and eleven million
four hundred and seven thousand six
hundred and twenty-eight dollars and
eighty-nine cents.
The excess of expenditures by tho
Roosevelt administration over the
last one by Cleveland is eight hun
dred and eighty-thres million TWEEN
ty-four thousand, eight hundred and
two dollars and seventy-flve cents, be
ing an increase of the actual expenses
for administering the Government OF
about fifty per cent within the last
twelve years. Now consider the fact
that our population has increased
within the same period but little
over ten per cent and you will find
these facts and figures nothing If not
appalling. Voters, is it not well, in
the light of this showing. to consider
what the next decade will bring forth
Il this kind Of business is allowed to
go on unchecked? What assurance
have we that anything will be done In
the way of reform along this line if
the present administration is con-
tinued in power? Does not President
Roosevelt "stand pat" in his letter Of
acceptance and say that the same pol.
1cies will be pursued as heretofore? :?
And does he not say that his oppo-
nents cannot and. should not reduce
those enormous expenditures? | be-
lie,e that they can and should be re-
6ueed. without in the slightest degres
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