Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-10-28

| preparation OF the public
funds. This declaration was cuIcu-
lated, / suppose. to catch votes. II so,
It may be q shrewd play. But again
consistency has been thrown 10 the
winds; for any fair or truthful critic,
Ism OF the large appropriations OF the
last legislature must fall as heavily
at least upon the Democrats as upon
Repub. cans.
'These bills were prepared and sub
mitted by joint finance committee. OF
the legislature. There were Ave Demo
Gratis on this committee. On the
twenty-five most important appropria-
ton bills-and these include all the
appropriations subject to criticism
the total number OF votes cast by them
was eighty, Of witch seventy were in
favor Of these bills and only ten
against them.
Eight Of these twenty-five bills
were recommended for passage by the
finance committee on the motion of
Mr.. Roessler, a Jefferson county Demo
crat. Seven others were recommend
ed for passage on the motion of Mr..
Kneen, of La Crosse-another Demo
crat. One was recommended on the
motion of Senator Randolph, a Demo
crat from Manitowoc county; and one
on the motion OF Senator BichIer. an
ozaukee county Democrat. And the
remaining eight bills were recommend
ed for passage on motions made by
other members Of the committee. Thus
seventeen of the twenty-five principal
appropriation measures were recon-
mended for passage by the Joint fin
ance committee upon moticns made by
Democrats. But the Democratic party
is now Mortified at the reckless extray-
agance' of these appropriations. Are
we to interpret this declaration of
theirs as proof OF forgetfulness or q
plea for mercy? 1t is hard to tell.
Criticism With Poor Grace.
There were SIX Democratic men,
bers OF the State senate during the
session Of 1918. They had collectively
a total vote on these measures of one
hundred and fifty; but only sixteen
votes were cast by them against these
bills. On the final passage of seven
teen of these twenty-five bills the sen.
ate was unanimous. While they were
pending In the senate twenty-one
amendments we're proposed to them
In most cases with a view to reduce
the contemplated appropriations. or
this number fourteen were offered by
committees Of the senate, seven by
Republican members and none by
Democrats. But the Democratic par
ty now does penance In public for the
extravaganza its official representa-
tiyes then approved.
while these bills were In the as
sembly fifty-four amendments were Of
fered from the floor, most OF which
proposed reductions. OF this number
thirty-two we're proposed by Republi-
cans, thirteen by committees, one by
Socialist and only eight by Demo
Gratis. AS there were thirty-four
Democratic assemblymen in ALL count
Ing the Democratic non-partisans from
Milwaukee, the condemnation of these
measures now found in the Democratic
platform comes with poor grace. The
time for criticism was then; not now.
The fact is that the Democrats of the
last legislature supported these bills
quite as generally and much more Wig.
orously than did the Republicans.
National ECONOMY Of Democrats.
But let US turn to a wider field. Two
years ago the Democratic party of the
nation placed this plank in the plat
form II adopted at Baltimore:
1--WE denounce the profiigate waste
of the money wrung from the people
by oppressive taxation through the
lavish appropriations of the recent Re
publican congresses, which have kept
taxes high and reduced the purchasing
power of the peoples toll We de-
mand a return to that simplicity and
economy which BELTS a Democratic
government and a reduction in the
number of useless offices. The salaries
OF which drain the substance of the
people
How well has this promise been
kept? The secretary of the treasury
recently informed the country that for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1914,
the ordinary expenses of the Federal
government were sos, 100000. This
is the highest point national expendi-
ture has ever reached. 1t is $4,000
600 more than It cost to run the gov
eminent during the last year under
President Taft, which was denounced
by the Democrats for extravaganza.
1t is double the figure for Cleveland's
last fiscal year; and although the
country was at peace with all the
world, II is 500. 100000 more than IL
cost to run the government during the
year In President McKinley's first
term when we were at war with
Spain.
But this Is not all. The present
Democratic congress promptly appro-
priat I'd more than 500, 100000 In ex-
cess Of the amount authorized by the
preceding Republican congress. which
the Democrats had denounced for
'profligate waste and lavish appro-
priations.' This was for the first is.
cal year under Democratic rule This
year they have already appropriated
almost $4,000. 900 more than last year
and bills are still pending that pro-