The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1908-09-24
FALSE CHARGE OF .
EXTRAvAGANCE
Scrutinizing with Microscope to
Pick Flaws in Republican
Record.
Actual Figures Show Increased Ex-
penditures Of Government Con-
sistent with Growth Of
Country.

sues OF free silver, Imperialism and
government ownership Of railways, Mr..
Bryan is scrutinizing the record Of Re
publican administration during the
past twelve years with microscope to
| ind some peg on which to hang an at
tack. 1t would not be altogether sur
prising If party which had done so
much in this period to advance b
glory and economic progress of the
country had made a casual error here
and there. These twelve years have
witnessed the war with Spain, which
gave freedom to Cuba and Porto Rico
and brought the Philippines under
American authority. They have wit
messed the emergence of the country
from depression and financial uncer-
tainty upon the firm ground of the gold
standard, enacted into law by Re-
puuiican Congress. They have Witness
ed the erection of Il navy which is car
rying orr flag with honor around the
world. They have witnessed the ex-
tension of the strong hand over the
railways and the great corporations in
behalf of equality of treatment for all
citizens. In sum and substance, these
twelve years have witnessed for the
average man degree of prosperity and
comfort never before equaled under
any flag in any country since the world
began.
COrtelyOu Punctured Charges.
In picking flaws In this record Mr..
Bryan has taken upon himself to criti-
TfSn
gress and to make the declaration that
there was n deficit of some $60,0O0.O0O
in the last fiscal year" If Mr.. Bryan
knows what he is talking about. this
reference to deficit is amazingly dis
ingenious. Secretary Cortelyou pune
tured this particular Bryan gas-bag eff
fectively soon after the fiscal year
closed on June 30. He issued state
ment showing that when the proceeds
of bonds sold were added to the re-
ceipts from taxation and miscellaneous
sources, and allowance was made for
the reduction of the public debt, the
was no deficit, but a surplus The ap-
pearance of deficit was only arrived
ut by counting all expenditures for the
Panama Canal and other public works
and failing TO count on the side of the
receipts the proceeds of the bonds sold
for the construction of the canal. 1t
is the custom in nearly every other CIV
iliZed government to issue bonds for
all public works, but SO large have
been the receipts of the treasury of the
United States that it has been the GUS
tom to pay for these permanent invest
ments of capital out Of current receipts.
1t is bad system of bookkeeping and
Secretary Cortelyou has announced
that he proposes to correct it. 1t
might have been pardonable for "the
man in the street" to be misled by the
present form Of treasury statement. 1t
is not pardonable on the part OF man
who pretends to be student of public
questions. Mr.. Bryan must either con-
fesS himself n stupid novice in regard
to public finance or as deliberately
seeking to mislead the people as to
the facts.
General Economic Activity.
The tremendous expansion of mill
tary and economic activity throughout
volume Of expenditures which calls
for serious consideration. In Germany
1t became necessary last spring to issue
n large loan to cover ordinary expendift
lures and to consider every possiHs'
means of increasing taxation. In
France the ministry even pressed
through the Chambers the dishonest
proposition to tax the coupons of the
public debt, thereby taking back from
the citizen in taxes what 1t had prom
Used to pay him In interest when he
loaned his capital. In Great Britain
changes in the rate of the income tax
afforded ready means of adjusting
income to expenditures, but the burden
falls heavily first upon the small shop
keeper and Is shifted by him largely to
the masses whom he supplies with
daily necessities. In all these countries
substantially all public works OF per
manent character, whether great or
small, nre charged to special accounts
and are not permitted to cucumber the
statement of operating expenses or te
add to the weight of taxation on no
count of their principal.
What Would Bryan Wipe Outf
Secretary Cortelyou has already an
nounced that he Is having the system
of bookkeeping at the Treasury over
hauled and modernzed. All admins
trations in the United States are pre-
vented from applying the pruning knife
resolutely to expenditures, because
there is not the complete control of the
budget by single minister which pre-
walls In Europe Some steps In this
direction should undoubtedly be taken,
but few voters are likely to be mlsled
rs TO the rnlntiYe efficiency and lntelll.