The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-18
CUTTING DOWN EXPENSES.
Economic and Patriotic Reflect Ions OF
Euh small at the Dar.

Eph Small at the Dar.
To the EDITOR OF THE SuN--Str: II
suppose you've observed that during the
past year Mr.. Bryan has cut down the
expenses Of the State Department $3.50
addressed this remark to Eph Small as
he stood with one foot upon brass rail-
Ing slipping a glass Of ale.
1.-THE amount Is 1920" corrected Eph !;
"rm surprised ye forgot It."
cit is rather surprising" I answered !;
''it's important enough for any one to
remember; It's a great achievement In
diplomacy
Achievement or not" rejoined Eph, ITS
important enough fer ninety men out Of a
hundred TO remember It. No." he con-
tinued, glancing at mo critically. they
amt nuthin' funny about II. Didn't ye
ever notice what the people take an In
things. the little things. An Bryan knows
II. He's great stoodent O. human natur' .
Most ev'ry man In the country knows
what II means to save $3.50 year. It's
an understandable sum. A man knows
what II will buy, how much rent he kin
pay with 1t. how fur will 1t go fer gro
ceries an clothin' an shoes an school
saved a million instead Of 1920. the peo-
pie wouldn't "a paid no attention to 1t;
they wouldn't "a understood II. They
don't think In millions; 1t don't mean
nuthin' to them. ] give the Secretary OF
State credit fer bein' q man O. parts. n
career proves II. As a public offeecial
he wanted to show 'em he was frugal an
economical. an no he saved an under
standable sum. That's the hull thing In
nutshell: an understandable sum-"
81 never thought Of It in just that way"
I remarked.
"Ye will II ye consider IT," ne replied
"theys others that's discovered II too.
Take most any man that's elected TO pub
lie ONCE these days an the fust thing
he does Is to economize. He discharges
an assistant bookkeeper who's supportin'
wife an Ave children on 5000 a year
an he fires a messenger boy who's lootin'
the State treasury out OF $50 month.
an In this way he gifts credit fer savln
the taxpayers money. Nobody minds II
he Increases expenses 800, 900 In devisin'
schemes to economize II he'll Jest IRE
few superfiuous underlinEs that's
ben a-drawin' the pay an ordinary man
farm. Why. 100000 amt nuthn' when
we don't understand what It's bein'
spent fer; true economy In when some
Grafter's kicked out who's ben a-pullin'
down some tangible sum we're familiar
with. somethin' we know the purchasin'
power OF. say 5000. $500 or $1,000 per
annum."
Ephraim lighted a villainous looking
cigar and pulled IL thoughtfully. Eyes.
it's the little things that count" he con-
tinued. 'Tnke an election to vote on APP
propr'atin' n HUNDRED millions fer canals
or hfty millions fer roads. or a million
fer this, that an t'other thing. an We
can't git out a corporars guard; but let
the people git n chance to vote on some
poleetical Issue that involves the mo-
mentous economic question whether or
not Tim Foley or Jim Patterson ought
to pull down s2.63 or s3.l2 day as
State employees. an tho patriots will
swarm to the polls In large an loud num-
bers from the Canadian border to Mon
tauk Point.
An don't forgit." added Eph. that
we're all patriots. even the rich I've
heerd tell o. them plutocrnts who lose n
million dollars without winkin' al eyelash
but who howl like coyotes II the char
woman sticks EN- fer an extra quarter
OF course. it's hearsay. so far as I'm con-
cerned but / believe IL. fer II sounds
reasonable. bein' IN strict accord with
human natur. An human natur's the
same everywhere. a plutocrat amt no
dih'rent from policeman. nor n police
men from a plumber. They may wear
uniforms an use din rent meth.
DDS OF extortlon: but under the skin
they're Jest the same
1T strikes me-" I said. that the public
likes TO be humbugged'
'1ve heerd that before" replied Eph,
AN l have my own opinion. But II
felt the way you do about II. seeIn' as how
ye're one Of the public yerself. | wouldn't
mention 1t any oftener'n / had to-"
ALBANY. April II. SIMON CREEL.