The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-02-26
BAD DEMOCRATIC
RECORD IN MATTER
OF ECONOMY

OF ECONOMY
Former President Taft, in the Sat-
urday Evening Post, makes a spirited
attack on the actions of the late De-
mocratlc Congress in connection with
the matter of economy. The pity of it
Is that he is quite justified. The pres
ent Administration has been as unsat-
lsfactory in this respect as it has been
satisfactory in almost all other re-
spects. No fair minded Democrat can
excuse it. AS Mr.. Taft points out, the
Democratic platform of 1912 contain
ed this statement with reference to the
Democratic Congress then existing:
1t has passed the great supply
bills which lessen waste and ex-
Lravagance and which reduce the
annual expenses of the Govern
ment by many millions of dollars.
And yet this very Congress of 1912
authorized expenditures exceeding
those authorized by the preceding Re-
publican House by $74,000,0O0.
Another plank of the Democratic
platform of 1912 read as follows.
We denounce the profigate
waste of money wrung from the
people by excessive taxation
through lavish appropriations of
the recent Republican Congress
which have kept taxes high and
reduced the purchasing power of
the peoples toll. We demand a
return to that simplicity and eco
nomy which beft a Democratic
government, and reduction in
the number of useless offices, the
salaries of which drain the sub
stance of the people.
This was the promise of the party.
Its fultillment was that the appropria-
lions Tor the ordinary expenses of the
Government for the year ending June
80, 1915, were S17000,000 greater
than the appropriations for the year
ended June 80, 1914, and this in spite
of the fact that Senator Burton's fiji
buster against the rivers and harbors
bill, for which the Democratic Admin
istratlon was in nowise responsible,
effected saving of $33 100000 The
Democratic pledge regarding a reduc-
ton in the number of useless offices
was fulfilled by the adding of $4,000
or more and the abolishing of 5000.
with net increase of offices causing
annual expenditures of more than
100000.
The only thing to be said about such
performance as this, after making
all allowances for necessary increases
due to the increased population and
activities of the country. is that it is
disappointing and disheartening. Sec.
rotary Bryan's letter to Mr.. Wick indi
Gates what he thinks about the Demo
cratic demand for return to simp!i
city and economy, but he is not the
only offender. 1t is impossible to deny
the justice of Mr.. Taft's reference 70
President Wilson's attitude on this
subject, as contained in his opening
MESSAGE to the last Congress. As the
lointed out at the time, the Pres.
ldents comments on economy were
largely defense of the necessity of
large expenditures. instead of a clar-
ION call for reform and retrenchment.
His philosophical observations to the
effect that the people of the United
States want the Governments activi-
ties enlarged rather than curtailed
could only result in encouraging the
Democratic members of Congress in
their extravaganza.
Now, this sort of thing does not
square either with President Wilson's
general record or with the general
understanding of his character. What
is the explanation of it then? One
explanation given is the excuse offer
ed for spoils-hunting generally; that
politicians in office must be bribed
WI h pfbao.
wise they will defeat the hest efforts
of the best administration in the
world. The President. 1t is minated.
is always in the sad position of the
late Mayor Latrobe of this city, who
had to swap three lamplighters for
finance commissioner. Is it necessary
for party leader to do this thing in
order to keep his lieutenants in line
Would Wilson have failed absolutely
with his great program of tariff re-
form and currency reform and bust
ness reform if he had not given in in
this matter? Must all of our leaders
continually have to reckon with this
sort of opposition and this sort of
dirty work of politics? The idea,
brought home as it is by such an arti-
Gle as that of President Taft. and the
natural deductions from it. is most
disheartening. 1t makes a man cues
ton the bedrock principles of his
philosophy, makes him question the
character of the American people or
the sufficiency of the Democratic
theory of government. We are not
readv to roncedn that this thing is in
evitable. but if it is. the weakness in
our people that makes it so is more to