New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1904-12-31
A POLICY OF REINFORCEMENT.

a POLtkN OF kEIKEN(0RlENI,
With the prospect of a 800, 900, 600
deficit at the end Of the recent year
the Republican managers at Washing
ton are experiencing perfect spasln
of retrenchment and economy. Every.
thing is to be cut down except official
salaries Of course and the pension list
with its enormous total and the thous-
aud and one private bills which are
nothing but raids on the Treasury.
All these expenditures could be
safely and profltaly cut down, and in
many instances abolished altogether.
but no ono hears OF any desire to dis
turb Them, but on the contrary, the
list Of private pensions to be asked
for is larger than ever, more offices
are to be created, and desperate at
tempt is TO he made to saddle on the
country the payment Of millions upon
millions of dollars in the shape OF
suhside towards encouraging the up.
building of an American merchant
marine.
The cry Of economy ia to extend
only to rivers and harbors appropria-
tions. the construction Of needed pub
lie buildings, the cutting down Of the
building programme Of the navy and
the stoppage of permanent improve
ments in navy-yards. the looping off
of appropriation for the army and
some other public services.
Speaker Cannon has welded his
official trunchen and let it be under
stood that the various committees
charged with the framing of supply
bills must cut their estimates in all
direction, being, of course, always
careful about salaries and pensions,
ship subsidies and private Treasury
raids.
No doubt all the great annual ap-
preparations may be profltably re-
duced, since there is reason for it,
but it would be sound wisdom 70 be-
gin where the cuts can do the least
harm 10 the public service, and that
il in the pension appropriations.
Pensioners, Of course, claim that they
enjoy vested right to their pension,
but there is nothing in law to uphold
such claim. The pension is simply
q government bounty, or aims, which
Congress can at any time refuse to
grant, and should refuse to grant
whenever the public service is made
to suffer through super abundant liter
atty in the way of bounty to pension
ers
As far as the military services arc
concerned, reasonable economy will
do no very great amount Of harm.
Spectacular military maneuvers can
ever we'll be dispensed with, as we'll
o. O good part If the man millions Of
dollars spent each year for transports.
ton. There is no good reason for all |
the travelling that is done, and no spe-
cial necessity or moving troops about !
the country from the Atlantic TO the
Pacific, and from the Gulf to tho
Lakes as often as is now the practice.
There could also be economy in gen.
eral military administration, in com.
misssry and quartermaster's depart.
ments, and in many other way, with
ont the necessity for actually crippling |
the service by cutting of entirely
needed appropriations.
Much the same line of argument is
applicable to the proposed cuts in nav
al appropriations. It might to he
we'll to reduce the building programme
without cutting il of altogether. but
il would be the rankest folly to Grip
pie the navy by substituting the en-
tirely unwise idea Of depending upon
a Subsidized merchant marine that
does not exist, in lieu Of trained nav
al personal The proposition to stop
further permanent improvements at
navy yards is a particularly unfortun.
ate move. because these additional
facilities are needed, not merely for
ships that may be constructed here.
after. but for those already built.
While it is hoped that the Republic
ran leaders will insist upon greater
il is Likewise to be wished
that tho saving be wisely distributed
where it will do the least harm to
The public service. Picayune.
Between now and tomorrow noon,