Year: 1874

There is q vasi deal of pretense al


Washington on the subject Of re-


trenchment. The departments are


going through the motions of cutting


off some of the monstrous excrescen-


ces and diminishing estimates that


we're purposely exaggerated. Mem


bers Of the Committee of Ways and


Means are using the telegraph to fool


the country with a pretended zeal in


the same direction. This whole busi-


ness is q sham from beginning to end.


No earnest disposition has been


shown either by the Administration


or by Congress to bring down the


expenditures to real peace basis.


The cost of carrying on the Govern


ment has multiplied in the ratio Of
seven for one when compared with
the increase of population during the
last decade.


Extravaganza, corruption and prod
igality are the causes Of this extraor-
dinary disparity. Abuses have grown
into accepted usage that were never
tolerated until the advent Of Grant
ism. Offices have been created mere
ly to reward partisans. The contingent
funds of every cabinet officer and all
the heads of bureaus have been COW
erted into q source of personal profit
by which their compensation is large
ly increased.


Deception is habitually practioed
in the estimates sent to Congress.
The Secretary of the Navy obtains
millions under the disguise of neces-
sary "repairs," and applies this fund
to building new ships. The naval
committees are "seen," and they con-
nive at barefaced fraud.


The Indians are decreasing in num-
ber every year, yet the appropria-
tions augment in the inverse ratio of
their decline. Under the hollow pre-
text of Christian policy, the out
growth of Christian craftsmanship,
eight millions were expended for this
service during the last fiscal year,
and million more is demanded for
deficiencies. In other words, nine
millions against two millions eight
hundred thousand in 1861, when the
Indians were almost doubly as strong
as they are now. While the Indian
Bureau is connected with the Interi-
or Department, and that continues
to be presided over by Columbus De-
lano, these expenses will grow as they
have grown under system of plum
der and swindling, by which an infa-
nous ring is enriched, the Indians
are cheated and the Treasuryis plum
dered.


Where reform of these and other
fragrant outrages is proposed, Gar
field, at the head of the appropria-
tions, answers that they are authoriz-
ed by law. That is to say, an amend
ment is cunningly attached to some
bill this year at the close of the ses
sion, by which a permanent outlay is
incurred, an Office established, or a
service enlarged, without the discus
sion or the knowledge Of Congress.
Next year it is added to the regular
estimates, and if q careful member
objects to the new item, Garfield rises
and reads him lecture, saying that
the money is only asked to carry out
q law.


And SO it goes on year by year un-
til millions are voted to every supply
bill, which are nothing but gross
frauds. This cannot be done without
collusion, and it is no secret in Wash
ington that the important chairman
ships ia the Senate and House of
Representatives are sought for the
opportunities which they afford of
making money. In this way the ap-
are constantly kept
swelling, until the present proper
tions have been reached.


Special and class interests, which
are protected by vicious and corrupt
tariffs, join hands with the profession
al plunderers, to put up the expenses
to the highest poiut, without regard
to the public interest. While this
system is permitted to continue, their
revenues are augmented and their
monopolies more firmly fixed. SO
that the country is not only taxed di-
rectly for the tens of millions which
are thus stolen and squandered, but
is also made to pay tribute to these
monopolies, who buy any legislation
they. need at Washington.


10 tamper with this condition of
things by reducing some of the most
extravaganza would be like
u deadly cancer with court
plaster. There is but one remedy,
and that is to strike at the root of the
evil. The plain duty Of Congress, at
least of those members who are earn
est about reform, is to fix limit Of
in the public service, and
say plainly to the Executive and the
that they must live
within this prescribed sum, and that
no Deficiencies will be tolerated.


That is the only method of certain
If the President had
been at all inclined to stay the abu-
ses, he could have done much by an
order to that effect and by his own
He had more power to
reform the civil services by example
and exaction than all the laws that
could be passed in any Congress
But he has no disposition to do one
or the other. In fact the whole of
his official and personal influence has
been thrown on the side of extrava-
gance and in favor of venal rings
He is responsible for his own double
pay, for the most insulting appoint
ments, and for the protection Of rogues
who have plundered the treasury. II
remains to be seen if Congress will
end rs it has begun, in shams.-Cour-
ier-JOnpdk


American steels are claimed TO be
fully equal to English steels, but