The Democratic advocate., 1908-09-11
CULPABLE EXTRAVAGANCE.
Reckless PrOdigality Under Republi.
can Administration.

More eloquent yet than the burning
words of Mr.. Bryan is the speaking
record of Republican extravaganza iI
national administration. AS mat
ter of course in the rapid growth ol
this great country expenditures of the
Government must steadily increase
in volume. But the official figures toe
plainly, show that in the last decade
the public expenditures have swollen
beyond all proportion with the capa-
city of the masses of the people who
in the long run must pay the heavy
burdens of taxes wasted in reckless
prodigality.
Under Cleveland's second Admins
tration the total expenditures of the
national Government amounted in
round figures to $1,75S, 100000, OF
| $434, 100000 a year, and under Nc
Kinley's term they rose at bound to
$2,430 100000. In this the increase
| caused by the war with Spain must be
reckoned. Making all allowances for
army and navy expenditures under
McKinley's term they do not account
for the increase in Roosevelt's first
term of $2,641 100000, or upward of
$500 100000 a year. Under the pres
ent Administration the prodigality of
expenditure is such that it. has risen
by leaps and bounds to the enormous
appropriation of more than 81 900 ,000,-
900 for the fiscal year beginning on
July 1 last.
The official figures are startling in
their contrast of extravagant Repub-
lican administration with the wise
economy of Democratic rule. There
are many people, too many, who treat
the wasteful expenditures of the Gov
ernment with frivolous Indifference
in the vague notion that it is of small
concern to them. They dimly con-
ceive that all the money expended
by the Government comes out of
taxes, but that their share of payment
is infinitesimally small, if it can be
discovered at all.
Yet the vast sums lavished in waste
full expenditure of Republican rule
and the far greater sums diverted to
the Golfers of the predatory Trusts are
drawn from the masses of the people
from the earnings of the farmers
mechanics, storekeepers and men in
every business pursuit and profession.
OF this enormous taxation the child
less man of wealth pays much less
than the Industrious mechanic with
a large family; the larger the family
the greater the burden of tax upon
their necessaries and comforts of liv-
ing. If the money thus levied upon
each citizen were put in tax col
lector's duplicate the revolution hurl-
ing from power the authors of ruth
less combination of extravaganza in
government and spoliation Of the peo-
people could not be stayed. Repub-
licans everywhere would unite with
the Democrats in this generous politi-
cal movement. But what Is not seen
in the blindness of party spirit has
no existence.
In it's last analysis the policy OF the
elements in control of the Republi-
can party has degenerated into an
odious system of class rule. AS long
as these elements that dominated the
party in the Chicago convention con-
tinue in power reform in legislation
and government is wholly out of the
question. Restoration of the rule of
the people, and with it extinction of
the favoritism for the few at the ex-
pense of the many, obviously can come
only throughh the agency of the ma
tional Democratic party and a new
triumph of the principle of equal
rights for all and special privileges
for none" ."-Phila Record.