The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-27

I times-the commanding issue now before
.lgtho people Of the Union This strong
expression was called forth by the nation
4 al expenditures for the year 1875, which
amounted to 1914, 900 0O0--a situation which,
lin the opinion of a. atority5 of our peo-
1 pie, Justified an Imperative demand for
reform in the administration OF public
| affairs. AS the expenditures of the last
4 fiscal year amounted to the enormous
total OF $751;, OOOO 900, 1t Is evident that a
Thorough investigation of the public SER
i vice and the lnlmedia to abandonment OF
useless and extravagnnt# eX expenditures are
more ~ cessary now than they were then
| This astounding increase is OF Of all;
proportionstos tho increase of our popllla-
ton and finds no excuse IRON Whatever I
aspect we vIewgt,he situation. The Ma ton
al Democratic Platform declares that
large reductions can easily be made IN
the annual expenditures OF the govern,
any branch aof the public service. Can
there be any doubt of the accuracy Of
this statement? Between 81 the expe ed q.
tyres eo Of the year dSs amo " 10
the seventh after Grover Cleveland
ceased to be Prcsident-aggregatin s5S2,
100000, there is Il difference so grca as to
excite alarm in the breasts OF all thought,
full men. Even excluding the sum Of
$4,000. coo, paid for tho Panama Canal
rights and TO the State Of Panama, the
ceeded he & sum Of $4,000 900, being more
than double the expenditures OF the gov
ernment for all purposes during the first
year of Mi. Cleveland's administration,
Expenditures Increase; Receipts
Diminish.
The expenses OF the first four years sue
ceedng the last Democratic Adminlstr;i-
5tion amounted ia the enormous &averageS|
itof SSH ,O00,0 600 per year. This large ex-
lpendlture was duo 10 q considerable ca
tent to the cost OF the. spnnisil-Amerlcnn5l
War; which occurred during that period:
but the termina ton of that war brought
no relief to tho Treasury; for the average
annual expenses OF tho government dur
ing the three subsequent years ending
June 80. 1901, were about 1913, 0cO. 900, which
is tho largest sum hitherto reached. dur
Ing like period, since the close OF the
Civil War
This draft upon the revenues OF The
country has had tho effect which might
have been anticipated, and now we have
presented the reverse Of the. satuatlon
1T Is a condition.. and not n theory, which
confronts u.s." for, although the present
incumbent found mt the close of tho first
control OF tho administration, a surplus
OF receipts over expenditures of more than
Sal, O00,OG0 there was an excess OF cxpcn-
dlt,res oyer receipts 1T aao The he close Of NE
hcial monthly reports made By the Treas
.ury Department show that the eXpend-
lures are continuously and rapidly In
creastng, while the receipts IRE diminish
Ing.
IN this connection 1t is interesting To
note the recent administrative orders for
bidding government officers from max Ing
public any statement Of estimates on
which future appropriations are 10 bb
based - 5la .8i
II 4 man OF ordinary intelligence and
prudence should find in the operating ex-
penses of his business such II tremendous
percentage Of Increase. would he not
promptly ,set on foot an Inquiry fnm The
cause OF tho waste, and take immediate
measures 70 stop y espeeelally when
est and convicted nnd 9, widespread ln,-
preston exists that II thorough nyrsl-
cation may, discover other. eases Of NAL
fGasance? When tho Chief Executive re-
ported to Congress thar, Through frauds,
forseres and perfumes, and by shameless
tho. laws relating to the proper
conduct of the public service IN general, T.
aud tn. tho du" administration OF the
Phstoiiire Department have been noto-
rOns violated I, n, there was u gem
cral popular demand for i, rigid, sweep
Ing invest station hSz Congress In addition
to that undertaken by3 The Executive him
self. Sueh an Investigation the Republi-
ran majority In Congress- would not ner-
nit. although tho minority Insisted that Il.
The interests of good government demands
ed It. And the minority was right The
iheralty patriotism and national pride
VI lla people should not be- made al eX-