New-York tribune., 1908-07-15
EACING BOTH WAYS.

Mr. Taft aptly saws of the trust plank in the
Democratic national platform that it attempts
ito embody two fundamentally irreconclahle
~prnciples." That is true, moreover, of the
Denver platform as a whole. How could it be
otherwise with a set of declarations to which
both William ]. Bryan and Alton B. Parker can
subscribe? Mr.. Bryan approved, with mental
reservations. the primitive Jeffersonianism of
The plafform of 1904. Mr. Parker approves,
with similar reservations, the neo-Jefersonian-
ism of the platform Of 1908. But such approval
was possible in each case only because the
builders of these two platforms embodied in them
conflicting principles and thus made it possible
for primitive Jeffersonians and neoJeffersonians
to stand at opposite ends Of the same scaffold-
ing.
The author of the resolutions of 1904 was the
Hon John Sharp Williams. and be exploited in
them his favorite theory Of Jeffersonian SIM
plicity, under-expenditure and a weak central
government. He cried out against enlarged and
efficient federal administration, and indicted the
Republican party for 'eXtravagance,' intending
thereby TO indct it for enlargng and developing
federal functions. The Williams philosophy did
not fare well at Denver Yet it survived in two
paragraphs of tie platform which are grossly
inconsistent with the rest Of the programme ap-
proved by the convention. Here are the two
leftover williams celebrations To- the practice
Of the frugal and simple life:
The Republican Congress In the session just
ended has made appropriations amounting to
81 OOS OO00OG. exceeding the total expenditures
IF the last fiscal year by S90000.00O and leaving
"a deficit of more than s60.000,000 for the fiscal
year We denounce the needless waste OF the
l,eoDle's money which has resulted in this ap-
pzllling increase we demand mat d
stop be put TO this frightful extravaganza ana
insist lrpor the strongest economy in every de-
partrnent compatible with frugal and erlclent
administration.
Coincident with the enormous increase IN eX-
renditures has come an addition TO the num-
Der of oficeholders. During the last year %.
were added costing $16156,o00. and IN the last
six wears Of the Republican administration the
total number of officers created, aside from
any commissions. has been 99319. entailng an
additional expenditure Of nearly S70,0O0OOO. as
against only 1928 new Offices created under
The Cleveland and Mckinley administrations
which involved expenditure Of only S6,00O.-
0eo- We denounce this great and growing in
crease in the number OF Oficehoders not
only unnecessary and wasteful, but also
clearly indicating a deliberate purpose on the
part of the administration 10 keep the Repub-
lican party in power at public expense by thus
increasing the number Of its retaineTs and de-
pendents-
The chief increase N officers and in exIendi-
tire as is well known. has been due 10 enlarge
nents of the artillery corps and certain staff
,.orY,s IN the army ,:lle enlargement of the navy
and fbe marine corps, the building and commits
sioning OF new ships, an increase ia the pay OF
ali the military services, the building of the
panama Canal, an expansion in pension ex-
penditures and the creation OF the Inspection