The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-10-26
rAe ISSUE OF ECONOMY.


The Republican organs show great
er zeal than discretion in defense Of
The administration against the charge
of extravaganza made by Mr.. navis n
his speech Of acceptance Of the vice
presidential domination. and by the
New York World In its oren letter to
President Roosevelt.
Those apolopists are wisest who
stick to gcncrulities "a big coun-
tryy needs big expenditures" is re-
ioinder whose SILLY soaorousress Inc
presses the unthlnl,ing But by meet
ing the charges in detail the advo-
Gates ipyiie difficulties.
Congress has twice reduced tax
alton since 1900" they say, repeal
ing emergency revenue taxes laid dur
ing the war with Spain and thus
( llessering revenue Certainly congress
has done SC It IS in the nature Of an
emergency tax 10 be repealed with
the pasaing Of the emergency win
any Republican leader advocate the
Ite.anactment rf these spanish war
tayes2 Assuredly not, They were
ievied to meet special Ieeds which our
traditions justified us n assuming
would net exist after the war had
closed, ana which in fact do not EXIST
TO use their repoai in time of peacr
as an excuse for lightning change
from surplus to deficit is prepoaterous.
After thus attempting to explain the
transformation in our balance sheet
the crowning absu'dity is 10 deny It,
Here let the New York Tribune speak
for it's party.
"The Democratic candidate for vice
prcslden. and the New York World
both valiantly insist that the deficit
for 1903 "a was over $40. .O00.OO But
this result can he produced only by
Including among the governments
ordinary expenditures the $50 NOO, ,OQo
paid IN cash forsa. right OF way across
the Panama isthmns and for the canal q
plant left there by the French Panama
company. Yet these captious, econo,
mists include this extraordinary dis, !.
burse.nent In .hs s,cmrent expenses OF
the year and thus bring out trick adj
verse balance ef SAL 100000 As a.
matter Of record, TIE excess Of ordi-
nary receis's ever ordinary expenses
for ia03-a4 was about s9,0O0,OOO"
IIcwover ,ausod, however explained,
however excused deficit is deficit
And since ihe $4,000 GOO payment
TINS paraded includes the wastefu
81 900 OG0 awarded to Panama, thai
profigacy certainly. is no. among
the governments ordinary expenses /
u is "eVtraordnary" expenses that arc
the sea cf ;he difficulty Compore bur
three items of tie midget OF 1862
the wear before the Spanish war, with
that Tor the wear endine June 3ON19O4
1897 Expenditure for civil and mis-
cenaneous saoOfo.O0o war depart
ment SsSUOc0Oo; navy department
SltOe0.eo0. l90i-Expendiure for
ciyh and i'isoa'lanoous, s132 O00,O0
war depart ncnt. $ll5.O0OOOo. navy
department 500 90C0,O OO0.
And The nnNarFantahie increase ia
the oension roll by executive ukass
stin 70 appear.
Put last year is already history. Is
its extravarance now checked? Ia.
stead, he lshoit foI July and August
the nrst two months OF the present
fiscal year was s2teHo.o -Szs .OOO.-
coo more than in The same months Of
1908. And Sls,O,aeo0 Of that stupend
Gus change is accounted for. in bu,
two moaths D saddlUons TO The al
ready gigantic army and navy exnep-
ditures Not the "big country" but
the Bie stick demands big expendit-
ures.
The issue of nc deficit is raised