Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1906 — EXTRAVAGANCE. [ARTICLE]

EXTRAVAGANCE.

At the adjournment of congress Senator Culbertson gave out a pre pared statement showing that, exclusive of the expenses in Panama, the expenditures of the Roosevelt administration have increased $93,767,064 in three years. The total appropriations madp at the session just dosed amount to the enormous sum of $880,183,301. Senator Culbertson's statement says I further .—..... _ “As usual with this administra- ! tion, expenditures for the military and naval establishments increased for this period, and of the proceeding amount the increase of the naval establishment alone exceed- ■ ed $34,000,000 for the three years. The total ependitures for the years 1903, 1904, 1905 and 1906 were $2,933,044,409, and deducting Panama expenses it was $2,866,421,089. The total expenditures of the years 1898, 1899, 1900, and 1901, the full four years of McKinley, was $2,439,316,390. It thus appears that, exclusive of all expenses in | Panama, the expenditures for the four years of Roosevelt exceeded ' those of the four years of Mckinley, although he conducted the Spanjsh war, by*the extraordinary sum of $434,194,699.” In a statement made lor the Democratic minority Representative Livingstone makes a comparison of the expenditures provided for by this comgress, $880,183,301, j with the expenditures of 1898, in j President McKinley’s administration, when the figures were $528,735,079, a difference of $351,448,222. Commenting on this showing Mr. Livingstone says; ‘‘This growth in appropriations sustains the connection that the Republican party stands for extravagance in public expenditures in order to use that extravagance as a cloak for their more objectionable purpose of maintaining a high protective tariff to favor the

trust combinations of manufacturers of the country. The Indianapolis News, Republican, but sometimes frankly sane, commenting on Senator Culbertson’s statement . “The business of Government is costing the people altogether too much. And the cost is increasing steadily and rapidly. There must be an end to the increase in expenditures somewhere and at some time. The people themselves should demand reform. Possibly they yvill realize the need for it when they learn that four years of peace have cost them $434,000,000 more than four years of war,” Is any explanation or defense ofiered by the Republicans? Let us see: In his statement with reference to the work of congress President Roosevelt is silent on the question of expenditures. Speaker Cannon in his statement declared that the appropriations had been “most carefully considered and wisely enacted.” Congressman Tawny, chairmen of the House committee on appropriations in his statement defending the extravagance admitted that the appropriations were “in the aggregate very large,” but said that “the marvelous growth of the country” should be taken into consideration. The people? Well, they only have to pay the bill. How long will they stand such shameless squandering of their substance?