The leader., 1904-10-01

entitled to pension. VIII they autneris
tativeiy state that they Intend % 90
This suggests the suspicion. ct least.
that the order was made to create az
i5sue-that it wae supposed 70 preseHt
q strong strategic position ln the PAL naa-
o. that order was, III my Judgment, an
attempted, though perhaps inviting
eneroachmefit upoh the legislative power
CO constituf Sssa0t TIE Challenge Is accepted
IL elected, VIII revoke that order But
/ go further and say that that being
done, / will contribute my effort toward
the enactment Of a law to be passed Dy
both houses Of congress and approved Dy
the executive that will give an age pen-
sion without reference TO disability TO the
surviving heroes Of the civil war; ana
under the provisions 0f which pension
may be accepted with dignity because Of
the consciousness that Il comes as lust
due from the people through their chosen
trfbuted by the chief executive:
Reform in Governmental Expenca A.
tiares.
'.Twenty-elght years have passed since
the democratic party OF the state OF
New York in convention assembled. reco m.
inended to the national democracy the
nomination of Samuel j. Tilden as ITS can.
didate for the presidency, and declared II
to be their settled conviction that q re-
turn to the constitutional principles, fru-
gal expenses and administrative purity
OF the founders OF the republic is the first
and most itnperieus duty Of the times--the
commanding issue now before the people
OF the union This strong expression was
called forth by the national expenditures
for the year 1875. which amounted to STA
D00, 000-a situation which, in the opinion
Of a majority OF our people, justified an
imperative demand for reform IN the az.
fninistfaticn Of public affairs. AS the ex.
penditures Of the last fiscal year amount
ed to the enormous total of 1852, coz, O0O II
Is evident that d thorough inyestigatlon
OF the public service and the immediate
abandonment of useless ana extravagant
expenditures are more necessary now than
they were then This astounding ln-
crease is~out of all proportion to the In
crease Of our population, and finds no
excuse from whatever aspect we view the
situation. The national democratic plat
form declares that large reductions can
easily be made in the annual expenditures
OF the government without impaiflng the
efficiency Of any branch of the public serv-
Ice Can there be any doubt OF the aceu-
racY of this statement? Between the ex-
penditurss Of the year 1885; amounting g
the seventh after Grover Cleveland
ceased to be NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. $751;.
00,000, there is a difference so great az
to excite alarm In the breasts of al
thoughtful men. Even excluding the sun
Of $50 200, 900 paid for the Panama CANA
rights, and to the state of Panama, the
expenditures of the last fiscal year exceed
double the expenditures of the government
for all purposes during the first year oil
Mr.. Cleveland's administration.
1.-THE expenses of the first four years sue.
ceeding the last democratic administra.
tion amounted to the enormous average
of SOIL, 100000 per year. This large ex'
penditure was due to considerable ex
tent to the cost of the Spanish-AmericaT
war which occurred during that period
but the termination of that war brought
no relief to the treasury, for the average
annual expenses Of the government, dur
ing the three subsequent years ending June
30, 1904, were about s519, 100000, which !:
the largest sum hitherto reached during
a like period, since the close of the civil
This draft upon the revenues of tn,
country has had the effect which nigh
have been anticipated, and now we have
presented the reverse of the situation
which led to the famous observations: Il
is condition, and not theory, which
confrontS u.s. for, although the present
incumbent found at the close of the frs
fiscal year, during which he assumed con.
receipts over expenditures of more thar
$91, 000,0 900, there was an excess OF expend
lures over receipts at the close of the last
fiscal year of S42,000000, and the offeia
monthly reports made by the treasury de
partment show that the expenditures arr
continuously and rapidly increasing, whil'
the receipts are diminishing
In this connection 1t is interesting Il
note the recent administrative order!
forbidding government officers from
making public any statement of esti
mates on which future appropriat ton!
are to be based.
IF man of ordinary intelligence ant
prudence should find in the operating ex
penses of his business such tremendous
percentage of increase. would he no
promptly set on foot an inquiry for tn
cause of the waste, and take immediate
measures to stop it, especially wheI
trusted employees have been found dis
hnnnSf a a u
impression exists that a thorough inves
tigation may discover other cases o
maheasance? When the chief executiv!
reported to congress that through
frauds, 'forgeries and perjuries, and By
shameless briberies, the laws relating t
the proper conduct of the public servict
in general, and to the due administrator
Of the post office department have beer
notoriously violated there wa
general popular demand for rigid
sweeping investigation by congress, II
addition to that undertaken by the execu
tive himself. Such, an investigation TIL
republican majority in congress wouls
not permit, although the minority in
sisted that the interests of good govern
was right The liberality. patriot
ism and national pride of the peopl
should not be made an excuse for vast
| of the public funds. Official extravaganza
is official crime.
There is not sentence in the repub
| lican platform recommending reduc
ton in the expenditures of the govern
ment: not line suggesting that the in
crease in the cost of the war department
from $34, 0O00 900 in 1886 to $115 900 in 100
should be inquired into: and not a para
graph calling for a thorough investiga
| ton of those departments of the govern
ment in which. dishonesty has been re
Gently disclosed.
Reform in expenditures must be hal
| in both the civil, military and naval es
Establishments In order that the nationa
expenditures may be brought to a basi
| of peace and the government maintafnei
without recourse to. the taxes of war.
Conclusion.
Among other things which are touches
upon In the letter is the democratic pledg
| to secure to all citizens equal protection
abroad The need of careful diplomac.
in the management of the foreign relation
| pledge to administer this department o
| the government In conformity with tn
| principles laid down by Washington TIL
need Of legislation in aid OF American ship
ping, SO that It may again be eommensu
| rate with American commercial interests
He pledges the democratic party to
wise and careful administration of the ma
Of the arid lands Of the west, and in con
| clusion says:
/ sThe issues are Joined and the peopi
must render the verdict:
shall economy of administration be de
manded, or shall extravaganza be encour
LACED?
..Shall the wrongd0er be brought to ba,
by the people, or must justice wait upo
i political oligarchy?
ssShali our government stand for equa
/ opportunity, or for special privilege?
"ShalI 1t remain a government of Law
/ or become one of individual caprice?
"Shall we cling to the rule of the pee
/ pie, or shall we embrace benefcent des
potism?
..If it be the wish Of the people that
| undertake the duties OF the presidency
pledge myself, with Gods help, to devot
all my powers and energy TO the duties o
/ this exalted office. Very truly yours,
ALTON B. PARKER