The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1904-05-05
Republican Extrayarauce.

hcpuOi1Cdu EXtrdNaGauCes
The government receipts are de-
creasing to such an extent that there
Is every prospect of a deficiency next
year. For the current fiscal year, that
is. from July /, 1903. to April IL, 1904.
the total receipts amount to S432, 49,,
D41, and the total expenditures TO
S42S, ,633 1884, making the surplus for
that period S3.S49,607. The surplus
last year for the same dates was S32,-
4o6, ,957, so that there is a decrease in
round numbers of thirty nillion 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, it 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.
One thing is certain-that the next
Congress must either 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
Postoffice Department does not seem
to have been met by reduced ex-
penditure, which shows that the sys-
tenn is still rotten and requires thor
ough reforming.
Millions of dollars go into our army
and navy every year." said Represent
ative Gilbert NJ. Hitchcock, of Nebras-
ka. There are chances for great
leaks in the appropriation bills for
both. We have about $1,000 men in
our army, and this year the appropria-
ton for it is $77,OOO.OOO. The appro-
priation for the German army is less
than S15O,OOOOOO with 100000 men
ten times the number that we have,
and only twice the appropriation. The
appropriation for the French army is
less than $15,OOO,O00, and numbers
SCI 900 men.
1.-The big item, find, is transporta-
ton. Here is big leak. The apprO-
priation bill for 1903 shows that it
amounted to $15,5O0,OO0. More than
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 1905
are $77,OOO,OOO, practically the same
that they were for this year, but the
navy appropriation has been increased
from So, 100000 to S1O2, 100000. Out
Of $23,OOO,OOO for construction and ma
chinery, and $13.OOO,OO0 for armor and
armament, the steel trust will get the
lions share A cut of $23,OO0.OOO has
been made in battle ships, which will
have to go on the bill next year.
'Ine expense of running the United
States government for 1904 will be
S775 100000, while the expense Of
Great Britain, which is paying war
debts, are $92O,OOO,OOO; Germany,
$500. .OOO, 900. and France, $4,000, COO.
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 $115,0OO,-
BOO and France S30O.OO0.vvO, while the
United States has an interest of less
than $2S,OOO,OO0. 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 naval station in the Philip
pines, to cost S32 ,OOO, 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.