Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1889 — The United States Government Ad Interim. [ARTICLE]

The United States Government Ad Interim.

A tax-payer who has sat in impartial judgment on the political institutions of America for the last six years is fitted to ask why and for what purpose the Federal Government exists. He has seen an opportunity of economy rejected, and an extra expenditure of a hundred millions a year accepted. He has looked into the workings of the Federal Government, and he has seen no operation more noble or useful than the payment of salaries and pensions. At Washington he beholds a group of buildings to entertain salary-earners, but what those earners do save to collect the taxes they receive, he is not able to learn. From the lowest official to the highest—from the bureau comptroller to the President—may be seen a solemn arbitration of but it is always the size of a pension, the amount of a claim, or the recipiency of an office that is to be determined upon. If the salary-earners, soldiers, and pensioners number 525,000 souls, we shall find that they receive nearly $400,000,000, a higher average of yearly stipend than is allotted to any similar class of people on earth. If a private employer should put 525,000 persons in his pay we should expect to see such works as might stand like the pyramids. But what have the taxpayers received ? What has been the result of the stupendous disbursements at Washington? Corruption, aristocracy, swagger, contempt of toil. What must be the effect on a nation thus affected? Bankruptcy and final disorder. While this scene is filled with the kingly presence of comptrollers, judges, cabineteers and lords of the treasury, all discussing the division of a nation’s spoil, the peoj>le are taught to avert their eyes from the spectacle of home rule, where some great State, by means of its ruling delegates, debates the dearest and closest interests of the people—where their w alk of life is prescribed and the smallest details of their happiness are held to be

worthy of public scrutiny. All this is to be ignored. It is the corrupt aggregation at Washington that is the true oracle. The sacred ceremony of spending money for nothing is to command the silent adoration of the devotees of liberty. Shame upon such a debauchery of freedom as these latter days are seeing. ShameL upon 525,000 citizens, if as a body, they may say they menace the ease and content of a nation as the hosts of Pharaoh threatened the children of Israel. Shame upoh a fabric of government which once was the model of the world in economy, fraternity, equality, and now for profligacy, dishonesty and voracity, equals the Sublime Porte, and astounds all Caucausian Chaucellors! What is the United States Governernment ad interim? A taxing machine. For what purpose does it use the taxes? To reward the taxers. Has it other functions now in use? Yes, it increases the taxes. For what purpose ? To better reward the taxers. —Chicago Herald.