Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1886 — DEMOCRATIC EXTRAVAGANCE [ARTICLE]

DEMOCRATIC EXTRAVAGANCE

It Permeates Every Department of the Present Administration - ncreased Appropriations. Hew Democratic Pledges Hare Been Violated—Administrative Reform v? —i During the debate in Congress on the legislative, executive and judicial appropriation bill, Representative McComas, of Maryland, made a scathing arraignment of the ruling administration for its failure to carry out its reform pledges. He spoke as follows, addressing himself to the Democratic side of the House: In 1876, in 1880, in 1884, to get power you pledged your party by its platforms to civil-service reform. Now that you are in possession of the Government, you would throw off the mask and array your party against it. But the reform will survive. It has come to stay. ONE PLEDGE REDEEMED. Candor compels me to admit that you have kept one pledge of your platform of 1884. I refer to its declaration “that change is necessary is provod by an existing surplus of more than 8100.900,000.” The last Democratic President had left the treasury empty, worse than empty. So the platform pithily pledged the party to do It again, to get rid of the surplus. Apparently you have redeemed that pledge. Without repealing a tax, without taking off a customs duty, without lifting a single burden from the people, in a single year yon have wiped out as with a sponge the ' surplus revenue. Said President Garfield on this floor: “There are two committees of this House that stand, if I may so speak, with their backs to each other and facing in opposite direction. One is the Committee of Ways and Means. That committee faces out upon all the business of this country from which a revenue can be had. They ask tho nation this one question, Where can we get a revenue to supply the machinery of this Government, to fill the treasury as it ought to be filled? And they apply to all of the people of this country, to all its wealth, to ull its trade, to all its commerce, and ask what contributions shall be gathered and how they shall be gathered from the people." But that committee want one thing before they start out upon this inquiry—they want the figures, the sum total. And they turn to the other committee which stands bock to back to them, the Committee on Appropriations, and inquire of that committee how much money mußt we give you to run this Government for the coming year? And they get the figures from the Committee on Appropriations. That committee says to them we will require so many millions of dollars. The .first scene in this spirited drama is presented to-day, and there is a new meaning in it. We behold tne eminent chairman of the Wayß and Means (Mr. Morrison) and the eminent chairman of the Appropriations (Mr. Bandall) standing to-day with their backs to each other. They are indeed literally facing In opposite directions on the tariff.

The other scene, the fruit of Garfield’s long experience on this floor, is omitted. The Ways and Means Committee do not turn to all the Committee of Appropriation and ask how much money must we give you to run this Government for the coming year. “The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee.” Had they turned and examined they might have withheld a tariff-revision bill based on an assumed enormous surplus revenue. Lot this House then turn and look the other way, after six months of session, to see whether the revenue will indeed exceed the appropriations for the coming year. THE SURPLUS EXPENDED. The report of the committee on the new Morrison tariff bill says: “The expenditures for the fiscal year 1885, including pensions and the legal requirements of the public debt,, were 8305,830,970.54. .Neither ‘the actual needs of an economical administration of the Government nor the patriotic expectations of the people justify any increase of this enormous annual expenditure, and we may safely-estimate the annual surplus to exceed 830,000,000.’ ” Upon this estimated surplus, by enlarging the free list and reducing duties it is hoped to reduce the customs revenue more than 825,000,000 annually. This legislation is based upon the results of 1885; but the estimates of expenditure by the administration for the year 1887 largely exceed the actual expenditure for 1885. The first Democratic President since Buchanan, in his first message to Congress, for the first time since the war reported that there waa an estimate I deficiency for 1887. Secretary Manning reported that as compared with the lost year of Republican rule the receipts hod fallen off nearly 825,000,000 (824,829.163.54), while expenditures had increased more than 816,101,003 (816,100,690.78). For the year 1887 he estimated the expenditures at 8339,589,552.31, and estimated ordinary receipts at 8315,000,000, whereas the Ways and Means Committee as umo a surplus of 830,000,000. The highest fiscal authority of the Government reports an estimated deficit for 1887 of 824,589,562.34. Instead of one hundred millions surplus there is fear, just fear, of a large defi it. Now turn to the appropriation bills already passed or reported to this House. They wjll increase this apprehension. The agricultural, the army, the Military Academy, the District of Columb a, the Indian bills, as they passed this House, show slight reductions as compared with the current law for 1886; the consular and diplomatic and the postofflee bills a marked increase, exceeding the reduction made in the legislative, executive und judicial bill now before the House as compared with the current

law for 1886; ' The amount of regular annual appropriations mode at the last session were for 1886. 8219,595,283.18 The permanent annual appropriations as reported by the Treasury amount for 1886 t 0........... 118,154,728.69 i 1 — ... Making the total appropria- : tions for 1886 8337,750,011.87 The pension appropriation law for 1887 is an increase over 1886 of. .. 15,754,2Q0.00 The river and harbor bill for 1887 is on increase over 1888 (when none was passed) of 15,142,100.00 The aggregate appropriations which have already passed this House for 1887 show 308,646,311.87 The navy bill as reported is 811,- • " 849,858.70, and the naval construction bill ns reported is 86,425,000, aggregating 818,274,858.70, in excess Of the law for 1886, which was 815,070,817.95, in the sum for 1887 of, 3,204,020.75 The coast and harbor fortifications . bill mp.y readily increase that of 1886 over 1897 more than 4,000,000.03 The deficiency bills for 1887 will exceed those for 1886 more than.. . ,4,000,000.00 The public buildings and all miscellaneous appropriations will show an increase over 1836 for 1887 of more than. 5,000,000.00 The total appropriations for : 1887 will therefore exceed... .8384,850,332.62 To meet this enormous appropriation WET find the amount of estimated revenue for 1887 .8315,000,000X0 And tho amount of estimated postal revenue for 1887 47,542,252.00 The total estimated revenue being for 1887 only 8362,542,252.00 TARIFF REVISION THEREBY IMPOSSIBLE NOW, With a deficit of twenty-two millions between estimated revenues of 1887 and the actual appropriations for 1887 what a mockery of the _ prostrate business, the distress of the people, the unemployed labor of this country is it for the tariff tinkers to cry for a cutting’down of surplus revenue. With such a deficiency what excuse is there for the eloquent gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Breckinridge) saying that the problem before us U to reduce these excessive revenues? That problem lias been solved by this Congress. The surplus has been squandered by the extravagance within this hall and has shrunken with the shrinkage in business outside. To-day and for the next -year we need the present tariff for revenue. In this year of depression ouy highest duty is to secure and maintain for the American people the advantages resulting from highly paid labor. In a year when labor is crying out for fewer hours and higher wages yondare not .overwhelm our people with the products from abroad of labor at half wages and twelve or fourteen hours per day. At a time when the crops of the farmcrß briDg the lowest prices known during the century, when the dairy industry cries out for relief against oleomargarine, and the woololip has steadily fallen in value, you say to the fanner you will take away his home market, yon will filibuster on this floor against the bill to save the cows and milk and butter of his farm in order to befriend the oleo manufacturers, and you will ruin the sheep husbandry of the nation. We conld not if wa would reduce the tariff revenue now, and the project of tariff reform is as fntile and hollow as your treatment at civilservice reform.

.. ; y:: y; • . -• ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM ALSO A FAILURE.; ‘What then of your third great campaign E ledge of administrative reform? The people! eard your cry “turn the rascals out, ’ and let you in to look at the books. You control every department. You have put in the heade of every bureau and the chiefs of every division. You have steadily turned out experienced men to put in new men wherever the civil-service law permitted or could be evaded, you have ignored the laws protecting Union soldiers in office. The new Secretaries, the new Commissioners, the new assistants and deputies, -the new Comptrollers, the new Auditors, the new heads and chiefs reported promptly that the books were correct to a penny, and they now report the estimates for appropi iatlon to run the Govern-, inent during the next year, 1 It is true there wda a proclamation of economy at the outset. The Executive Mansion sat the example. Three olejrks were cut off, but one of them is put back on this bill at an Increased salary, and the appropriation for the White House will this year greatly exceed that of last year. The i carriages, horses, and drivers were put away with ostentation, but already some of these have been restored, and nearly every departi meat clamors tm a larger contingent fund, which is the sure temptation to extravagance. There was a loudly advertised reduction of the number ani salaries of all custodians of public buildings throughout the land. Much clamor was made in the press about a thirty per cent, reduction herein. But quietly the old number of men and the Barne salaries were restored, and the difference will be paid in the deficiency bill this year. The administration received the cred t of this reform, the chance to fill the places auew, and spent as much money, and for the next year quietly demand more than thirty percent, more money than the Republican administration ever expended for this purpose. In these and many like instances these early spasms'of economy now quietly swell the deficiency bills. You taught the honost Democrats to believe that the offices were overcrowded with useless employes at high salaries, and that the mission of your party, returning to power, was to decrease the offices and reduce the salaries. But the very agents you put in place to do this work report that your cry of “retrenchment and reform” was oampaign thunder, and the Democratic administration demands more men and higher salaries. Take these estimates I hold in my hand at random. The whole book is a surprising tribute to the efficiency of Republican rule. Turn to the Navy Department Here they want an assistant Secretary at a handsome salary, an increase of the salary of the chief clerk of the Bureau of Construction and Repair, an increase of the salary of the draughtsman, the assistant draughtsman, and the assistant messenger ; they want three additional draughtsmen. All this when they had to spend 825,000 in England for a plan of a single whip by an Englishman They call for more than thirtyfive millions of dollars for the navy.

Here we find the Commissioner of Pensions deman ling that all the salaries of all the-chiets of all his divisions be increased, and insisting that an increased force is necessary in the War Office for searches of records. The Commissioner of Patents calls for 102 additional employes. He appeals for increases of salaries all along the line—Bsoo more for the assistant commissioner, 8250 more for the chief clerk, 8500 more lor the law clerk, 8500 more for the financial clerk, and an increase of 8100 more for all the model attendants. He wants an additional tribunal of appeals in tjie Patent Office, with three judges at adequate salaries. Turn to the United States Treasurer, who asks amiperease of the salaries of some of his subordinates and insists that their compensation is not commensurate with the work done. He protests that the salaries paid nuder Republican rule are less than salaries paid for like services by private establishments with much less responsibility. Tne Sec. etary of War asks an increase of salary of 8250 for his chief clerk, of 8400 for his -disbursing clerk, of 8400 for each of his three chiefs of divisions, and of 8200 for each of three assistants to them. This ory for increase of salary runs along every line of administration. To administer the executive, legislative, and judicial offices of the Government the new administration demand fifty-three more offices than under the Republican administration were provided for the last year, and they require more money than last year, although, if we regard the decrease of interest on the public debt, the last year was the most expensive since the war. But I will not weary the House with a recapitulation of all the calls for new offices and higher salaries made by the new administration. - - - It is fair to state that the bill before us, by the economy of the committee, and the reduction in the Treasury mainly by the decrease of employes in the internal revenue service to accord with decreased business in that branch, the decrease in the Quartermaster General's office by decrease of war claims, and closing unnecessary mints and assay offices, makes substantial reductions. But this same bill grants many of the increases of employes ana some of the salaries. Taking all of them together, the estimates of the new administration to run all the departments of the Government for 1887 exceed the appropriations of 1886 more than 856,000,000. Omit the river and harbor bill, for whose extravagance this House is responsible, and still we find the new heads of the Government, with professions of “retrenchment and reform," demanding for the next year more officers than the Republicans, and forty millions of money more than was appropriated last year. What a splendid tribute to Republican management, or what a fraud was the cry of Democratic economy I Never was a general call for higher salaries in every department more unexpected, more indefensible. When we are at peace, when the business of the internal revenue and the customs service have shrunken with the depression of the country, when a dollar is harder to earn, and ill buy more than at any time since the Government’ was founded, I protest against any general increase of salaries, fixed Incomes to be paid out of the declining wages of labor and cheapening products of the farm and mill and inine -- > But after the extravagance of this House at this session you gentlemen of the majority are hardly the persons to turn and rebuke the new heads of the administration for the extraordi- • nary discrepancy between their and your loud professions and protestations of economy and reform in the public service, and the enormous increase of Expenditures proposed for 1887 in running the Government. Alas, administrative reform too is a failure! —'-‘rj— 4“ The efforts of the Chairman of Appropriations (Mr. Randall), aided by the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Holman), cannot stem the tide of extravagance here. The passionate protests of the gentleman from New York (Mr. Hewitt) againßt the reckless waste here go unheeded. The oft-repeated warnings of the Chairman of the Ways and Means (Mr. Morrison) that the majority were not sent here to spend more money and make more offices than the Republicans had, grow more and more patbetic as he sees his followers sweep away the surplus and begin upon a deficit. If you who are the majority are convinced that you are as dangerous to the country as your leaders say you are, and if you believe the country is fast finding it out, you should pass the appropriation bills and go home. You are forced to abandon all pret nse of being as economical as the Republicans were. You postpone great questions to consider small ones. You waßte the people’s time and money. There is a fleck of war-cloud on our Northwestern horizon. Take back, therefore, Borne of the money you have just voted to waste on obscur> bayous and creeks, that with it we may begin to fortify our defenseless coasts on the lakes, oceans, and gulfs. ~ Watch the flock of public building bill* now fluttering over our heads. Already this session 84,167,737.50 have been appropriated in ono bouse or the other for these i>urposes, and as much more will be fought for if this session be prolonged. I beg you to save that 6um to build up the navy. Remember that the pensions justly due the defenders of the nation, their widows and orphans are a sacred obligation. Keep the money we will need for these debts of honor safe from the tramp of the army of schemes crowding the calendar, coming with “the Constitution and an appropriation." , U you remain all summeip=Tnere is no hope that you may pass the educational bill, for the majority here are deaf to the warning th it the tide of illiteracy rising in this country, higher and higher in the South, is the greatest danger of the Republic. They do not accept the saying of Murtin Luther: “Ignorance is more dangerous for a people than the armies of ah enemy." But there is danger that you may embrace that eminently American, that truly constitutional scheme, the Tehuantepec Canal, with its enormous demand for 837,0011,000. Yon have returned io cur fathers’ house hungry and thirsty and reckless as ah erring prodigal son. You nave grievously disappointed 1 the great body of the people, both the Republicans and the-sincere Democrats, all the citizens who desire under all administrations an economical, honest, and capable Government. (Great applause.] ■ - .... - Smith— “ That dqg of yours keeps me awake nights, howling.” Jones—“ Why, I have no dog. It must be my daughter singing.” Smith—“ls that so? Excuse me. lam sorry. I don’t suppose she can be shot, eh?” ... The highest building in the world is the spire to St. Peter’s Church, Rome, five hundred and eighteen fset.