Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-02
DEMOCRATS HUNTING
FOR extravaganza.
RIGID INQUIRY TO be DIRECTED
AGAINST BIG GOVERNMENTAL
DEPARTMENTS.
TO YIELD SOME
GREAT POLITICAL THUNDER
REPORTS of These Investigations Will
BE Sprung on Eve Of Campaign OF
1s12-lnvestieators Are Experienced
in Their Line-Ris Departments to
Be Serutir;zed.

in Their Line-Bis Departments to
ga Scru+irized.
Washington, May 2.-The great exc
cutiye departments in this city are
about to be investigated to MAKE
known whether. as the result OF Sixteen
wears Of uninterrupted republican con-
troll of the government, there has peeh
an undue expenditure Of public FUNDS
There has been no suggestion on the
part Of any of the democratic LEADERS
that anything worse than extravasance
viii be found and perhaps some per
nicious political activity IN the pos'-
office department.
How much extravaganza Will pe
covered will depend entirely on Inc
skill of the investigating committees.
Obviously, there will be founo eoino
ground for criticism, for mems ioeas
Rave always differed in this country
nancarninp government needs In the
way of appropriations, and for many
vears this difference has formed one
of the issues between the two great po-
llllCd1 pol SASS'
The democrats for generations nave
shouted for "retrenchment and REFORM
and when they have controlled the gov
eminent they have tried, with more ol
less success, to put that theory INTO
practice. The republicans, on the otner
hand. have always insisted that tne
government should be literally supplied
with funds. in the interest OF wise anu
efficient conduct OF public affairs
Two Government Theories. j.
That the democrats, as the result OF
the Forthcoming investigation. will find
numerous expenditures which, In their
Judgment. smack of extravaganza. neeo
not be doubted; but that this expendl-
ture will be valiantly defended by the
republicans, in their reply to the CRUZ
cisn, Is equally certain. THIS diner
ence between the two political parties
is precisely the difference between Two
one of whom weighs eV
cry dollar Of outgo with e1ceeolng care
and decides to mako tho expenditures
ONLY .ter the need has been Demon"
strated in the most convincing manner.
and the other Of whom, with greater
initial nberality and a broader nor'1on'
pays out his money with tho utHose
freedom. within certain broad Hnes' IN
tent CNleuy O4A CSses0A@@AeAs~O -
Of efficiency.
The democrats received their slant
toward economy in federal expenditures
from Thomas Jefferson, who was the
first to announce that that government
was the best which was the least fe't.
He believed in limiting the federal pow
ar. and in financing it with the utmost
caution. The republicans. on the other
hand. taking their view from Alexander
Hamilton. have always stood Tor
strong and effective central govern
ment and for such q supply OF funds
as would bring this strength and eni-
cheney up to the highest possible point
Of perfection
Investigators Experienced.
It has been under republican control
that the present railway rate laws were
enacted. the pure food law. the safety
appliance acts, and the various other
laws which tend to enlarge the scope
OF the federal authority. Colonel Roose-
welt while president, was the high priest
and profit Of this policy. and the su-
preme court, at various times during
the last few years, has upheld the right
of congress under the commerce clause
Of the constitution to take the legisla-
tive steps referred to.
democrats Of the house, in the present
instance, have not been fortunate in
selecting the mediums thru which the
investigations are to be made. Instead
of putting this work into the hands Of
their most experienced men, they are to
turn it over to the men who make up
the relatively unimportant committees
on expenditures in the executive de-
partments. AS a matter Of logic, Of
course, this was the thing to do. but rs
a matter Of fact these committees do
not contain the strong and the we'll
informed democrats Of the house
wherefore there Is some reason to doubt
whether the Investigations will develop
much that is worth while. There was
such an investigation following the In
auguration Of Mr.. Cleveland as presi
dent the first time. The democrats had
not been in control of the government
since before the civil war, and they
begah to shout Immediately after the
November elections in 1884. ''Gtve US a
look at the books!"a They got that
look, and what they discovered did not
amount to enough to furnish material for
a single stump speech In the present
provided their committees are capable,
for the government since the democrats
were last in power has fought the Span
ish war. become a world power, taken
over vast colonial possessions. and IN
consequence added trem endously to its
annual outgo Of money. Instead Of form
ing brand new bureaus for the handlin g
Of the questions which were thus
brought up, 1t has been the policy Of
the republican party to enlarge exist
ing bureaus, In a patchwork sort Of
way, and there Is no doubt but the war
department, to cite only one case will
have some difficulty to explain, when
called upon why 1t has been necessary,
since the Spanish wa-, to increase the
number Of war department clerks from
about 1000 to about 1900.
Lack Of Co. ordination.
y Inc rapid development OF tho agri-
cultural resources Of the country has
had the effect Of tremendously expand
ing the activities OF the department Of
agricuitilre, and the forthcoming In
quiry probably will have little difficulty
In aScertaining that there u . lack Of
,ills re liver fillf An -veQe-