Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-05-11
Republican E1travaeance.

The government receipts are de-
creasing to such an extent that there
Is every prospect of a deficiency next
year. Fer the current nScal year, that
is. from July l, 1903. to April IL. 1904.
the total receipts amount to $432 .4S2.-
OIL, and the total expenditures to
S42S 6S3, 1874. making the surplus for
that period $3.s49,6O7. The surplus
last year for the same dates was $780,
456,051, SO that there Is a decrease in
round numbers of thirty million dol
lars.
With this dwindling of receipts the
Republican leaders in Congress have
made no serious effort to decrease ex-
penditures. When the total appropria-
tons for the coming fiscal year, made
BY the present Congress. have been
added up, 1t will be found that the
amount equals the extravaganza of
the last Congress. The only real effort
to reduce appropriations is the deter
mination to pass no river and harbor
bill until after election. But in other
respects the present Congress has been
more extravagant than former ones.
Que thing is certain-that the next
Congress must elthcr reduce appropri.
atIons, or add to the taxes, or authorize
another bond issue. The extravagant
estimates made by every department
have not been investigated, although
the cost of running the government
has doubled since Cleveland's admins.
tration. The discovery of graft in the
Postotiice Department does not seem
to have been met by reduced ex-
penditurc, which shows that the syu.
TEN y still rotten and requires thor.
ough reforming.
millions of dollars so into our army
and navy every yeaV." said Represent
alive Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, Of Nehras
,ka. There are chances for great
leaks in the appropriation bills fol-
both. We have about $1,000 men in
our army. and this year the appropria.
ton for 1t is S77,OOO.OO0. The appro
priation for the German army is less
than $150,000,00O with 100000 men
ten times tho number that we have
and only twice the appropriation. The
appropriation for the French army is
less than Sl5,OoO,C1U, and numbers
$4,000 men.
"The big item. l find. is transporta.
ton. Here is big lcnk. The appro
prlation bill for 1908 shows that 1,
amounted to $15,5OO,OO0. More thar
one-third of this goes to the railroads
which clearly indicates why all the
railroad officials favor great armies
The estimates for the army for 1906
are S77,000,0OO, practically the same
that they We're for this year, but the
navy appropriation has been increased
from SS2,0OO,000 to $1O2.0OO,OOO. Out
Of 500, 100000 for construction and ma.
chinery, and $4,000 for armor and
armament, the steel trust will get the
lions share. A cut OF S23,00O,00O has
been made in battle ships, which will
have to go on the bill next year.
''lne expense of running the United
States government for 1904 will be
SI175,0000cO. while the expense of
Great Britain, which is paying war
debts, nre s92oooo.ooo: Germany,
$500, 100000, and France, $4,000, 900
In this connection it must be consider
ed that the other nations are burden
ed with heavy interest on their debts.
England pays an interest of S115 OO0,-
600 and France S30O, C00,yyO. while the
United States has On interest of less
than $2S,000,O00. But there seems to
be a desire TO increase expenses on
every side. The naval board asked
the House Committee on Naval AZ
fairs for a naval station in the Philip
pines. TO cost $50, 900, 900, but Admiral
Dewey opposed the plan, and said
what was needed there was docks.
That is only an instance of what they
are all doing.