Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1882 — Astounding Figures. [ARTICLE]

Astounding Figures.

Extravagance has ran mad at Washington. Mr. Beck declared in the Senate that the books of the Appropriation Committee showed, “ even if the' Senate should adjourn to-day, and not increase any of the bills we have yet to act upon,” an aggregate of $419,202,939.22, as having been voted since Congress met in December, or at the rate of $60,000,000 a month. Nor will these huge appropriations foot the bills by any means. In three or four remaining weeks of the session, $5,000,000 or $10,000,000 will be added to this enormous total. It is safe to assume, in any event, that the excess of ordinary appropriations for the current

year over that which has just expired ■will be between $35,000,000 and $40,000,000. ' ' Mr. Aldrich, of Rhode Island, puts the difference at a still higher figure than - Mr. Beok, and he explains it in part by saying, “ increase in general deficiency made necessary by the inadequate appropriations of the preceding Demo- • cratic Congress, $7,265,054.96. ” But how do such deficiencies arise ? The Senator from Rhode Island knows that existing laws forbid contracts being made beyond the appropriations, and; forbid the appropriations from being diverted from one objeqt to another. The heads of departments defy the statutes. They pay no more heed to these restrictions than if they were • obsolete. They expend the money voted, and go on to expend more without the least color of authority. They are liable to impeachment, but a Republican Congress would never think of impeaching Republican officials who help to run the party machine, and who extort from subordinates the payment of Hubbell’s political blackmail. Twenty-nine millions of deficiencies have been voted at this session, and some of them for stale and suspicions claims that have been before Congress or a generation. The Republicans came into this Congress with the avowed intention of making up for a long absence from the public crib, during six years of Democratic ascendency in the Homo of Representatives. They have lived, up to this promise. Nothing since the, day% of Grantism compares with their prodigality at the present session. —New York Sun. '