Year: 1868

H. GaZetfpI


I 6 What Should be Done.
We have a great military and naval
establishment, which Congress must
cut down with bold hand, or the
controlling party will have to give
place to one that will do this. We
could not clap a heavier weight on
our candidate and party for this
Presidential race, than to create the
conviction that the nomination of a
military candidate means the per-
petuation of great military estab
lishment. The mere cutting down
of appropriations and striking off
of taxes, without any revision of ex-
penditures, leaving them to be made
up by deficiency bills after election,
will not do.


Our legislators have succumbed
to the notion that all the regular
army and navy officers are perma-
nently fastened upon the country,
and that our military and naval es-
adjustments must be kept in pro
portion totheir increasing numbers.
1t is a notion that will be taxed to
any party. Wedeny that a regular
army officer has any better claim
than a volunteer who has served
through the war. No personal in
terests, or class favoritism, must be
allowed to stand in the way of re-
duction Of our militaryestablishment
to its former dimensions. If we
were fastened to the policy of a con-
tinually growing standing army, to
be vastly expanded by every war,
our Republic would already be far.
down the deelivity, where all others
have Travelled to military govern
ment. The signs of the times show
that our military expenses since the
WAR are to be the battle-cry of the
Democratic: party for this campaign.
Let the Republicans of Congress,
while they~ar looking about for
buncombe, look to this. M


The Freedmen's Bureau should be
brought to an end, with the gather
ing of the present crop, and sooner
where it has no engagements to in.





terfere with sooner termination.
1t was never intended for anything
but a temporary relief from the an:
'archy of the social and labor rela-
tions. 1t is wholly improper for a
permanent institution, and it has
continued as long as there is any ex-
cuse for it. This Congress should
pronounce the absolute period of
the existence of the Bureau.


The civil expenses of the whole.
Government need revising. An ar
my Of political tools and pecuniary
adventurers is now rowing over the
country, with commissions from the
Treasury department, and salaries
and miliagc, under the name of in
specting the revenue, and detecting
frauds. The frauds have increased
with the multiplication of these Off
GERS. Their commissions have been
mere licenses to rob the revenue
Congress has to wipe out this whole
system of unlimited creation of off
GERS, and licenses to plunder.


Extravaganza pervades all de
partments Of the civil service While
Congress is liberal in allowing Off
ces and salaries to be created, we
have an Active President who uses
them to grant licenses to plunder
the Government. A searching re-
vision is needed in every branch of
the service. .aez


Out of the sum of from eighty to
one hundred millions of dollars col
lected from the people by the tax
on distilled spirits, but about thir-
teen millions reach the Treasury.
The rest is plundered. And to aid
in this plumber we have great army
of revenue agents and inspectors,
besides the regular assessors and
collectors, salaried by the Govern
ment 1t is demoralizing every
kind of taxation, and making all
iodious to the people. Congress
must abolish this whole system.
Will it die of itself in consequence
of a reduction of the tax to fifty
cents gallon, with the tax of 81 a
barrel makes 60 cents ? What prac-
tical man believes it? We have
seen none. This rate is only new
lease Of life to the whisky ring, and
new incentive for multiplying
illicitstills in remote regions.


These are some Of the subjects to
which Congress can devote its la
bors, and thereby can make solid
political capital with the people.
All its tampering with the public
faith and the public currency, will
have no other result than to split
the majortty for, inevitably, there
is going to be one party for the
public faith and sound currency.
And inasmuch as a large part of the
material for such a party, is now in
the Republican ranks, if the Repub-
lican is not the party of public faith
an6 sound currency, it will SO un-
der S5l