The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1910-05-05
VITAL WASHINGTON NEWS.
Tayenner. writer and Thinker" Gives
Fadts as They Really Exist.
Snecia, Cor. TO The Commonwealth:

of four million dollars for the first
twenty-six days Of April.
| A deficit Of more than nineteen
million dollars so far this fiscal year.
A deficit Of $780, 57, 887.86 since
June 80. 1907.
These are features of Taft "cut-
to-the-quick" economy, about which
so much has been heard everywhere
save in Washington.
Here are more illustrations Of a
Republican business administra-
ton:
Marble baths for senators.
| Autos to carry them 100 rods be-
tween their Offices and the capitol.
Touring cars for the President,
Vice-President and "Uncle joe"
White House receptions which
"rival the glory of Napoleon's
court" at one Of which, according
to the Washington Post. "a dazzling
ravine of gold blazed before the
vision"
Another group Of ''cut-to-the
quick" economies includes:
More than $1,000 for appolinaris
water for the senators.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars
to keep the senators in vaseline, cas-
tor oil, olive oil, bromo quinine, hair
tonic, costly perfumes, glycerine,
bergamot, nail brushes, clothes
brushes, travelling expenses in at
tending funerals, etc.
Then we come to this item, which
stands by itself:
The addition in the last eight years
of 99,2 federal office-holders to
the pay-rolls of the republic, at an
increase of expense to the people of
more than seventy million dollars
This item helps to explain why it is
costing the Taft administration more
than twice as much to run the gov
eminent than it did Cleveland.
How does this riotous extrava-
gance effect the treasury? is asked.
These figures tell US:
Since June 80, 1907, the total bal
ance in the general fund has dropped
from $272, O61 ,445. AT to $82, OO3, 557.-
81. With an average daily deficit
eating its way into this remaining
eighty-two million dollars, but a
short time can elapse before the
government will have to sell more
bends to secure more money to meet
more extravagances. Outstanding
bond issues are national debts.
How does all this concern the av-
erage citizen? This is how:
The per capita appropriation by
Congress jumped from Sc 90 in 1890
to S12.4O in 1909. Since the govern
ment raises the bulk of its revenue
from the custom houses and internal
revenue offices, you, reader, are pay
ing for Republican extravaganza in
increased prices.
There is no use of your CORES
pondent reporting further on the
proposed investigation of the sugar
underwrighting frauds, or the alleg-
ed illegal sale Of rich Philippine
sugar lands to the sugar trust. The
trust has shown itself powerful
enough to prevent probe by Con-
gress. Just how 1T was able to pro-
tect itself from an investigation the
writer does not pretend to know.
All that is known is that nine reso-
buttons providing for a probe of this
thieving trust have been introduced
in this Congress-, and every one of
them has been chloroformed. The
brother of President Taft was the
attorney for the sugar trust, and
Attorney General Wickersham was
former law partner of this brother.
The attorney general says the sugar
trust should not be investigated, and
the President sustains this view.
eve expect that the customs re-
ceipts will fall off from now on"
said a high official of the treasury to
the writer. ''The recent increase in
the customs receipts was largely if
wholly due to the interruption Of
business while the tariff bill was in
the making Importers held their
orders because of uncertainty of
what the new rates would be. AS
soon as the tariff bill was passed
these delayed orders were sent
abroad and the increases in the Gus
toms receipts of the past couple of
months are merely temporary and
do not by any means indicate that
the new law is to be a much better
revenue producer than the old one."
"Aldrich is not candidate for re-
election and therefore is no longer
an ISSUE" is what the Republicans
are preparing to say from the stump
in the approaching Congressional
elections. But such progressive Re-
publicans as Senator Lafollette ex-
pect to see Aldrich in the next Con-