The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-07-05
THE CALL FOR ECONOMY.

The call for economy which is carried
in the Democratic National platform
can hardly strike the American people
with much force, for it is fair to as
sumo that the economy called for
would he of the same sort that the
Democratic House has been endeavor-
ing TO nut into practice, which form is
tho most obnoxious possible in number
OF particulars 1t goes to the point of
reducing the comparative naval
strength of the Republic; it raids the
civil service, and it undertakes to af-
fllct old and well-tried officials OF the
Government in the departments at
Washington; it doesn t appropriate till
ruin impends, and it cuts off the
tariff board. AT the same time it
diminishes not in the aggregate, but
on the contrary increases the Hpork
barrel species of legislation, which is
meant to help every Congressman in
his - deestrick" by getting as large e1-
penditure OF the public money as posi-
bic among the friends and neighbors
of the Representative. That sort of
economy may do meanly to boast about.
but 1T Is hard way to save money for
the public. The savings are at the
expense of the public prestige, and the
economies practiced arc unpatriotic and
contemplate. What does it amount ta,
to save a few dollars here and there
at the expense of some deserving pub
lie work, and Of cutting down the
power and prestige of the Nation7
1t is to be observed also in this con
nection that whenever the United
States Senate, which often is a great
booster In appropriations, is making
its so-called amendments to the ap-
preparation bills, the Democratic Sen
ators are as eager in the boost as any
others; in fact, often the most eager
of all, to add 10 the sum total carried
in the bills. 1t will he remembered,
Carolina, in the expiring hours Of a
Congress some years ago, held out for
an appropriation for his State. that
was plain steal, but he forced the
payment of the money, because he
would otherwise have surely defeated
the appropriation bill altogether, and a
special session Of Congress must have
been called in order to make the APP
propriatiom;- it WIS held better to let
him have the money than to refuse.
The record of the Democratic Con-
gressmen is not such that the Demo
cratic party. or any Democrat, OF any
patriotic American citizen for that
matter, can point with pride to it; and
when the Democratic National plat
form declares for economy In the man"
ner which it has done, after seeing the
actions of the Democratic House, the
fair mind is forced to conclude that
the declaration is made not with any
earnestness or intention to observe it,
but simply for political effect, and to
blind the peoples eyes to the vanity
Of the declaration. when contrasted
with the acts Of Democrats in Con-
gress, on this special question, Mere
words amount to little. but if the Dem
ocratic convention had been able to
pOlnb 10 tUc dNllOuS VI tHC Dtiio'idJiI
House and to the Democratic Senators
as sample of what the Democrats
would do if they had control Of the
Government and this example had been
commendable, it would have been worth
tons Of written protestations. But
since the Democrats were not able to
point to anything Of this kind as an
example of what the Democrats would
do if they gained power, the inference
is irresistible not only that the Demo
Gratis have no intention to practice
proper economy, but it is clear that the
Democrats in Congress have not af-
forded an example that can be cited by
their party as commendable in this re-
spect.