New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-04
TAFT RAPS WILSON
And His ship BILL
Sees President Yielding
to Idea Government
Is EVERYTHING.

Democratic economy, particularly
as IT finds complication in the ad-
ministration ship bill, is denounced by
cx-President Taft in an article entitled
Economy and Efficiency in Federal
Government" published in the issue OF
February of THE Saturday Evening
Post"
Paralleling Republican and Demo
cratic achievements, Nh. TAFT points
out that the Democrats, although they
"assailed the Republican party for its
extravaganza have far exceeded Re
publican expenditures.
The blame for the increased eNtrava-
gance he does not place unqualihedIy
upon the shoulders of Democracy As
serting that q complete reorganization
Of the governments Offices and bust
ness methods might save S100,000,O0O
annually, the former President con-
tinues:
Certainly it is not unreasonable TO
hone that at least S5O000,O00 annually
might be so saved. This, It Will be
rotcd. would require saving OF not
more than five per cent on our total
annual expenditures Of billion. Oi
course the struggle in achieving such
reduction would be great.
S3O,OOO,OO5 in One Gulp.
"Io swallowing S3O,OOO,OO0 in one
puIy for a government subsidized and
operated merchant marine the m
tensitv of effort needed TO save what
- voted so easily may seem hardly
worth while. But President Wilson
and we should remember that the S52,-
600 600 would be thus saved each year,
and would not only help to meet the
original capital outgO i'm the enter
r,risc / have named, which he has 50
much AT heart. and in others that are
being proposed, but would serve to
meet the deficits each year that are
certain to come in government opera
ton. no matter how skilfully they NAV
he concealed by enthusiastic heads OF
departments and bureaus. ~,
~ regret 10 note in President VII
sons remarks on this subject, taken
with his specific recon lendauons on
other matters IN this and other mes
sagrs, q gradual yielding 10 lhe dah-
gerous doctrine that the government,
BY legislation, executive acuoh ana
taxes, can do everything and anything
needed TO make the people happier ana
.
90 fast enough in this direction WIN
out encouragement from him.
"Such a spirit is hurrying states and
Municipalities into heavier burdens OF
Indebtedness. and nothing Will save
them from bankruptcy but what IS now
al hand in the case Of many OF them
= healthy brake Of a lack of credit.
The enormous tax producing resources
of the United States postpone such a
dav of reckoning too far to give US IN
. federal government the early beneht OF
the same useful Warning.
1--WE are, however, gong TO nave
great reaction IN this mat'er' VIZ
. consin. one of two or three sources
Of tho new doctrine, has already felt
i and the people have ungrateiully
and unfeelingly rejected the iurther
service Of their saviors.'
Democratic Plight in 1916,
f Anticipating the plight OF the Demo
Gratis in 1916, Mr.. Taft states:
"ThCv may experience some eI'oai
rassmcnt in confronting a people
smartiug under the nagglng IRRITATION
If taxes. the necessity for which me
T,roroan var will fail satisfactorily
/ "a expl2in. ard who, in their lnablll,y
20 make both ends meet, VIII De
J n.vcboloricallv unable 20 value prop
NV the New Freedom The dominant
pafty must not be surprised if, IN view
Of the party record, many shall be I'm n
kind enough 20 call the demand IN
/ The pIatform of 1912 for a return to
Democratic simplicity and economy
only 'molasses to catch flies"
In chc first two years OF ms o6 ADMIN M,
istration. says Mr.. Taft; Sl'3Os ,ool'-
9Gi &c was expended Expend lures
sutborizcd by Congress during the sue,
ceeding two years, when the Hou nel had
changed from Republican TO Demo
cratic, were 1888 1925, 1875 p, an in
crease Of S74 1893 ,233 Sc. 3,
81 90 not criticise this increase;
states Mr.. Taft. 81 signed the bills
that made il. But, IN view OF the laci
tfat the Democratic House passed
tbem. the claim made in the platform
ttat the Democratic House had less
ened waste and extravaganza and re-
duced the annual expenses OF the gov
eminent by many millions Of dollars
+ -, 10 taken as n bit OF humor.'