The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-10-01
WASTE IN
J FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT
Tempt Of President
Harding to Fix Re-
sponsibility on Dem
ocrats Unsuccessful
By WALLACE BAsSFORD


Orgy of governmental extravaganza
is the child of the Democrat and
seeks to i:.y it on the doorstep Of
the Democratic party. It might be
we'll to briefly review a few of the
facts thar are familiar to all-tney
tell their own story.
In 1852 the expenditures Of the
government amounted to So per
person: from that time until 1916
there elapsed So years: during 5
of which the Democrats controlled
all branches Of the government at
ths same tine During the re-
mainder Of the tine the Republi-
cans were in a position to make leg
islation or prevent it. Expenditures
grew so rapidly in that period that
by 1916 the cost was SO per capita.
The 51st Congress 18S9-90) Re-
publican in both branches, was so
extravagapt that it was called the
billion dollar congress and was sue
ceeded by a Democratic house.
though the senate remained Re-
publis an.
In 1917 the war began and the
bills had to be paid; that congress
was so close that tho Depocrats
controlled the senate oy narrow
margin ard in the house neither
parry had a majority; the Demo-
Gratis elected Champ Clark speaker
1>,. roo oc;n,, of I,;r coo,,,irtr fo,,r ON
of five Independent votes, and by
reason Of the fact that the Repub-
leans cid net make genuine fight
for control: the war was about to
begin and they shrunk from re-
sponsibi!ity. There was not day
during that congress that the Re-
publicaas could not have defeated
a wasteful or extravagant appro-
priation. but they We'd with the
Den1ocra S in supporting the Wal
appropriations and made speeches
pointing out the necessity Of the
expenditures proposed. then in the
campaign OF 1918 asked reelection
on the ground that they had CO.
operated with the Democrats, in
every measure to win the war.
They cited to the votes on various
measures, some Of which l give
here:
On Liberty Bond bill; Democrats
191. Republicans 195. Nays 0; page
$50 Congressional Record, April IA,
1917.
On Draft law. with its great ex-
pense, Democrats 131, Republi-
cans 2G:; Nays. Democrats IA, Re-
publicans S. Congressional Record.
page 1537, April 2S. 1917.
On tne War Revenue act, Demo
Gratis 2G6. Republicans 191. Con-
greS>ional Record, page 231S. MAJ
2. 1917.
Law taking over railroad COW.
troll, Democrats 80. Republicans
1873; Nays, Democrats 2, Repub-
hcans :, Record, page 1885. Feb
ruary 2s, 1918.
To create War Finance Corpora
ton. Democrats 1872. Republicans
l73; Nays. Republicans 2. Record
page 3S42. March q, 1918.
Purchase OF Nitrate plants, Dem
ocrats 165, Republicans 149.
The Second draft-another big
expense: Democrats 165, Republi-
cans 40: Nays. Democrats l. So
cialist |, Record. page 9506, Aug
ust q. 1918.
Revenue Act including Excess
Profits Tx and Surtax on Incomes.
Democrats III. Republicans 1b1.
Socialist !. Nays 0, Record page
l0.54S. september 90. 1918:
Lastly, the Victory Loan. Demo-
Gratis. lie. Republicans I67. Social
ist /. Nays 0.
II these were not necessary and
patriotic expenditures, why did the
Republicans support them? If they
were wasteful and eXtravagant.
Why did they not oppose them?
That vas the last congress that
could be called Democratic. Just
before the arn!istice. in November
1918. the Republicans elected
house AID senate. The now con-
gress net May -. 1919. The Re
publicaus have had absolute con-
troll Of expenditures from that day
until this: they made the appro-
y,iat;ons for the last fiscal year
and for tae present one. Instead OF
reducir2 expenses. they haze IN
creased chem. We have but two
necessar,- and legitimate expenses
now ti:at we did not have in 1916:
they are these: interest on war
bonds ard tn" expense OF caring
for our disabled soldiers. Taxes
have not been reduced.
Is stated in the beginning of this
article. the per capita expense OF
government in 1916 was $40. Now
il is $50. The increase of SIS IN 30
wears. from 1872 20 1916. IS not
readily explained on good grounds.
b,lt il v:2s as slow as snail com
pared with the heh.ning-Gke ieap
OF $50 :ee;ween 1916 and 1921.
Ard is the president giving much
peronal aid toward charges the
thoiicht he wrongly charges the
Democrats with extravaganza? He
rnccn:ly wrote to the senate en-
dorsins the paying OF salaries OF
S25. 600 each to four assistants to
the general counsel OF the shipping
board. one Of these attorneys. on
in the hearings on the
deficiency bill admitted that he
I,,d ,,cver made more than one