The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-02-16

VVV lOi the uSCdl year. we u6HouuCO
the needless waste of the peoples
money which has resulted in this ap-
palling increase as a shameful viola
ton of all prudent conditions of gov
lernment as no less than a crime
against the millions of working men
and women from whose earnings the
great proportion of these colossal sums
must be extorted through excessive
tariff exactions and other indirect
methods. 1t is not surprising in view
OF this shocking record that the repub-
lican platform contains no reference
to economical administration or prom
ises thereof in the future. We demand
that stop be put to this frightful
extravaganza and insist upon the
strictest economy in every department
compatible with frugal and efficient
administration.
"Coincident with the enormous in
crease in expenditures is like addi-
ton to the number of office-holders.
During the last year 23,7S4 were added
costing $16,156,000, and in the last six
years of the republican administration
the total number of new Offices created
has been 99,319 entailing an additional
expenditure of nearly $70,000,00 as
against only 10,297 new Offices created
under the Cleveland and Mckinley
administrations, which involved an ex-
penditure of only S6,OO0,000. We de-
nounoe this great and growing increase
of the number of officeholders as not
only unnecessary and wasteful but
also as clearly indicating deliberate
purpose on the part of the administra-
tion to keep the republican party in
power at public expense by thus in
creasing the number of its retainers
and dependents.
"The conscience of the nation is
now aroused to free the government
from the grip of those who have made
lit a business asset of the favor-seek-
ling corporations. 1t must become
again a peoples government and be
administered according to the Jeifer-
sonian maxim: Equal rights to all
and special privileges to none
In view of the innovations now pro-
posed of government ownership and
operation of the express, telegraph
Telephone business, etc, democratic
leadtrs are pointing ont that the plat
form then declare din favor of efficient
regulations OF such utilities, but mot
in favor OF government ownership anp
Operation of the same. The historic
position of the democratic party, it is
recalled, is that public expenditures
shall be limited TO the needs OF gov
ernment economically administered
Republican mtmbers of prominence de
clare that in this attitude there is lit
tie or no difference between those who
follow the ideals of Jefferson and those
who follow the principles of Lincoln
Old-line republicans as well as old-line
democrats, not imbued with socialistic
principles are now sometimes predict
ling that, within a surprising few years
they will be found shoulder to shoul.
der fighting socialism.
These are saying that the govern
lment's entrance into the express-carry-
ling business is sure to be followed by
terrific effort upon the part of all
those who have privately, if not pub
| Ilicly, accepted the teachings of social
ism, for the governments entrance in
to ownership and operation of the tele-
graph systems; and, if into these, why
not into all others?
The first would entail, they say an
additional army of employees, federal
control of all highways wherever oper-
lated, innumerable drays, wagons, au-
ltomobiles and warehouses and the en-
Ilargement and rebuilding of postofiices
necessary to carry the billions OF
parcels predicted by the postmaster
general The condemnation and TAX
ing of the property Of the express com
panles, they say would almost in
levitably result in the government
Ownership and operation of railroads,
something which the Postal Progress
League which has engineered the
campaign for parcels post openly ad.
vocates with lowest possible rates
re gardless of distance" as they ex-
press it. Reilly bill II. r. introduced
Hast session provides for this.
AS American postal employees are
paid about twice the salaries of EN-
Iployes of the express companies, twice
the salaries Of postal employees in
England and three times as much as in
some countries, and as the average
haul would be at least ten times as
long as in England, it is estimated
THAT the deficit from parcels post