To the Hon. Champ Clark and Others,
Committee, Etc: "
Gentlemen In my response to your
committee at the formal notification
proceedings I referred to some matters
not mentioned in this letter. I desire
that these be considered as incorporat
ed herein, and regret that lack of space
prevents 'specific "reference to them
all. I wish here, however, 'again to refer
to my views there expressed as to the
gold standard, to declare again my un
qualified belief in said standard and to
express my appreciation of the action
of the convention in reply to my com
munication upon that subject.
Grave public, questions are pressing
for decision. ' The Democratic party
appeals to the people with confidence
that its position on these questions will
be accepted"' and indorsed at the polls.
While the issues involved are numer
ous, some' stand forth pre-eminent in
the . public . mind. Among these are
tariff reform, imperialism, economical
administration and honesty in the pub
lic service. I shall , briefly consider
these and some others within the 'nec
essarily prescribed limits of this letter.
Imperialism. '
While I presented my views at the
notification proceedings concerning this
vital issue, the overshadowing impor
tance of this question impels me to re
fer to it again. The issue is often
times referred to as constitutionalism,
versus imperialism. , S K S
If we would retain our liberties and
constitutional rights unimpaired we
cannot permit or tolerate at any time
nr tcr nnv nnrnnao the nrrocrntlon of
unconstitutional powers by the execu
tive branch of our government ""'We
should be ever mindful of the words
of Webster, "Liberty is only to be pre
served by maintaining constitutional
restraints and a just division of polit
ical powers." - "
Already the national government has
become centralized beyond - any point
contemplated . or imagined by the
founders of the constitution. How tre
mendously all this has added to the
power of the president! X has devel
oped from year to year until it almost
equals that of many'monarchs. While
the growth of our country and the mag
nitude of interstate interests may seem
to furnish a plausible reason for this
fHntrMTjHnn nt Twtrpr wt these same
facts afford the most potent reason
why the executive should not be per
mitted to encroach upon the other de
partments of the government and as
sume legislative or other powers not
expressly conferred by the constitu
tion. ' '
The magnitude, ef the country and
its diversity of interests and popula
tion would enable a determined, ambi
tious and able executive, unmindful of
constitutional limitations and fired
with the lust of power, to go far In
the usurpation of authority and the
aggrandizement of personal powerbe-'
fore the situation could b fully appre
ciated or the people be aroused.
The issue of imperialism which. has
been thrust upon the country involves.
a decision whether the law of the land
or the rule of individual caprice shall
govern. The principle of Imperialism
may give rise to brilliant, startling.
dashing results, but the principle of
democracy holds in check the brilliant
executive and subjects him to the so
ber, conservative control of the people.
The people of the United States
stand at the parting of the ways
; Shall we follow the footsteps of our
fathers along the paths of peace, pros
perity and contentment, guided by-the
ever living spirit of the constitution
which they framed for us, or shall we
go along other and untried paths hitb
erto shunned by all, following Dimaiy
i new ideals which, though appealing
With brilliancy to the imagination and
ambition, may prove a will-o'-the-wisp,
leading us into difficulties, from... which
Jt'may be impossible to extricate our
. selves without lasting - Injury . to our
national character and institutions?
The Tariff and Trusts.
Tariff Tefortn. is one of the cardinal
priuciplcsof the Democratic faith, and
the necessity for it was never greater
than . at the present time. It should be
. nniAfQ Iran a r nnpa in tmh liiiHrmL ul
ai) our peopie. -
: The Dtagley tariff Is excessive In
many: of its rates and,: as to them at
.least, unjustly,, .and oppressively -bur
dens the people. It secures tto aomes
tic manufacturers,' singly or in.combi-
nation,.:'the privilege of ".exacting -excessive
prices at home aijd prices far
above the level of sales made regular-
It by them abroad withr profit, thus
giving a bounty to foreigners at, the
. expense of our own people. It .levies
. many articles forming in whole or part.
the so called' raw, material oimany
of our manufactured products, not ou-
- .
ly burdening the consumer, ou au
closing to the manufacturer theimar-
kets he" needs, and seeks abroad, Its
unjustf taxation -burdens the peoplo
generally, forcing them to pay excess
ive prices for- food, fuel, clothing and
PtheEjpecessaries of Jife. It levies on
rato oS many articles not normally Im
ported in any considerable amount
which are made extensively at home,
for which the most extreme protec
tionist would hardly Justify protective
taxes, and which in large amounts are
exported. Such duties have been and
will continue to be a direct incentive
to the formation of. huge industrial
combinations, which, secure from for-,
eign competition, are enabled to stifle
domestic competition and practically
to monopolize the home market.
-l It contains many duties imposed for
the express purpose only, as was open
ly avowed, of furnishing a basis for
reduction by means of reciprocal trade
treaties, which the Republican admin
istration," Impliedly at least, promised
to negotiate. ' 'Having on. this promise
secured the increased duties, the Re
publican party leaders, spurred on by
protected interests, defeated the
treaties negotiated by the executive,
and now these same Interests cling to
the benefit of these duties which the
people never intended they should have
and to which they have no moral right
Even now the argument most fre
quently urged in behalf of the Dingley
tariff and against tariff reform general
ly is the necessity of caring for our In
fant, industries. Many, of these indus
tries after a hundred years of lusty
growth are looming up as industrial
giants. ' In their case' at least the Ding
ley tariff invites combination and mo
nopoly and gives justification to the
expression that the tariff la, the moth
er of trusts. .
For the above mentioned reasons,
among many others, the people . de
mand reform of these abuses, and such
reform demands and should receive im
mediate attention.
The two leading parties have always
differed as to the principle of customs
taxation.' Our party has always ad
vanced the theory that the object is
the raising of revenue for support of
the government whatever other results
may incidentally flow therefrom. The
Republican party, on the other hand,
contends that customs duties should
be levied primarily for protection, so
called, with revenue as the subordinate
purpose, thus using the power of tax
ation to build up the business and prop
erty of the few at the expense of the
many.
This difference of principle still sub-
fists, but our party appreciates that the
long continued policy of the country,
as manifested In Its statutes, makes it
necessary that tariff reform should be
prudently and sagaciously undertaken
on scientific principles, to the end that
there should not be an immediate rev
olutlon in existing conditions.
In the words of our platform we de
mand 'a revision and a gradual re
duction of the tariff by the friends of
the masses, and for the common weal,
and not by the friends of its abuses.
its extortions and discriminations.'
It is true that the Republicans, who
do not admit in their platform that the
Dingley tariff needs the slightest al
teration, are likely to retain a major
ity of the federal senate throughout the
next presidential term and could, there
fore, it they chose, block every at
tempt at legislative relief. But it
should be remembered that the Re
publican party includes many revision
ists, and" I believe -it will shrink from
defying the popular will expressed un
mistakably and peremptorily at the
ballot box. - T i
The people,, demand ; reform of exist
ing conditions. Since the last, Demo
cratic administration, the cost of living
has grievously, increased. Those ha?
ing fixed incomes have suffered keenly;
those living a on j wages, if there has
been any increase, know that such in-
crease, has not kept pace with the ad
vance In the. cost: of 'living, Including
rent and the necessaries of life. " Many
today are out of 'work, unable tof se-v
cure any "wages at alL ,. .To alleviate
these conditions In so far. as is la our
power, should be our earnest endeavor.
Trust Remedies.
I pointed out in my earlier response
the remedy which, in my judgment
can , effectually be applied against
monopolies, and the assurance was
then given that If existing laws, in
eluding both statute and common law,
proved inadequate, contrary to my ex
pectations, I favor such further legis
lation within, constitutional limitations
as will best promote and safeguard tbo
Interests of all the people.
Whether there . Is any common Jaw
which can be applied and enforced by
the federal courts cannot be determin
ed by the president or by a candidate
for the presidency.
, The determination of this question
was left by the 'people In framing the
constitution to the judiciary and not
to the . executive. The supreme court
of theJJnited States has recently con
sidered this question, and,, in the case
of the Western Union Telegraph com
pany versus the Call Publishing com
Tpauy; t0 be round in tne one nunurea
and elghfy-firstl volume of the JJMted
States supreme court reports", at page
02. it decided that common law prln
ciples could I be 1 applied by f United
States courts'in cases 'involving . intert
state commerce in the absence, of Unit
ed States statutes epecincany cover-
ta uvuwbM " '4
. rnRe.,Such iS,the law of the
y: y : ;
Reciprocity.
Iny my . address to the notification
committee, I said that tariff reform "U
demanded .by .the oest mxeresu - uj.
rth mnnuraciurer ouu w -
Tt xux equal truth it can be; said that
the : benefits of reciprocal trade trea
ties wouid enure to both. That the
consumer would be helped Is unques
tionable. That the manufacturer would
receive great benefit by extending hi3
markets abroad hardly needs" demon
stration. His productive capacity has
outgrown the home market The very
term "home market" has chaicd la
its significance, Once, from the manu
facturers' point of view, , it meant ex
pansion; today the. marvelous growth
of our manufacturing4 industries ""hat
far exceeded the consumptive capacity
of our domestic markets, and the t:na
homei market" . implies contraction
rather than expansions If we won
run pur mills ; to their full capacity,
thus giving steady, employment o 'our
workmen and securing to them and to
the manufacturer the. profits accruing
from increased production, other mar
kets must be Joun!L Furthermore.
when our manufacturers are depend
ent on raw materials' in whole or part
imported. It Is vital to the extension
of their markets abroad that they, se
cure their materials on the most fa
vorable terms. J
Our martyred president William Mc-
Klnley, appreciated this situation. He
pointed out In his last address - to -the
people that we must make sensible
trade arrangements If "we shall ex
tend the outlets for our Increasing sur
plus." He said: "A system which pro
vides a mutual exchange of commodi
ties 'Is manifestly essential to the con
tinued and healthful growth o'f our ex
port trade. The period of exclu-
siveness Is' past The expansion of. oil
trade and commerce is the pressing,
problem. Commercial wars are unprof
itable. A policy of good will and
friendly relations will prevent repris
als. : Reciprocity ? treaties are In hap
mony with the spirit of the times';
measures of retaliation are not"
This argument was made in the' in
terest of. our manufacturers, whose
products,'"-he urged, "have so multi
plied that the problem of more markets
requires our urgent and immediate at
tention." He had come to realize that
the so called stand pat policy ' must
give way; that there must be a reduc
tion of duties to enable our manufac
turers to cultivate foreign markets.
The last words of this president who
had won the affection of his country
men, ought to be studied by every man.
who has ny' doubt of -the necesslty-iS.
a reduction in tariir rates in ute inter
est of the manufacturer. They present
'with clearness a situation and a pro
posed remedy that prompted the provi
sion in our platform which declares
that "we favor liberal trade arrange
ments with Canada and with peopled
of other countries where, they can be
entered into with benefit to American
agriculture, manufactures, mining or
commerce." ! V
The persistent refusal of the Repub
lican majority In the federal senate to
ratify the reciprocity treaties nego
tiated in pursuance of the policy ad
vocated alike by Mr. Blaine and Mr.
McKlnley, and expressly sanctioned in
the Dingley act Itself, Is a discourag
ing exhibition of bad faith. As already
mentioned by me, the exorbitant duty
Imposed on many an Imported article
by the Dingley tariff was avowedly In
tended by Its aumornot to be perma
nent but to serve. temporarily as. a
maximum, from which the federal gov
ernment was empowered to offer a re
duction in return , for fan equivalent
concession on the part of a foreign
country. President McKlnley under
took honestly to carry out the purpose
of the act ' A number of reciprocity
agreements were, negotiated,' which, if
ratified, would' Iiave bad the twofold
result of cheapening many Imported
products 'for ' American consumers and
of opening ana enlarging foreign mar
kets to American producers. Not one
of those agreements has met with the
approval of the Republican masters of
the senate:" Indeed they did not even
permit their consideration. : In view
of the attitude of the present execu
tlye,'' no new agreement need be ex
pected from - blm. A Nor does the Re
publican platform contain a favorable
reference to one of . the suspended
treaties. Tne reciprocity clauses Of
! 'the Dingley Act seem destined to, re
main a monument of legislative coajen
age and political - bad faith unless the
people take the matter in their own
hands at the ballot box and command
a reduction' of duties m return" for
reciprocal concessions. J ; ; '
Independence For the Filipinos, yy
In some quarters it has been assum
ed that in the discussion of thp Philip
Dine auestlon in my response the
phrase "self government" "was intend
ed to mean something -less than Inde
pendence. It was not Intended that It
should be understood to mean nor do
I think as used It does mean less than
independence. , , Hqwever, .to eliminate
all possibility; f or conjecture J I now
state that I am in hearty accprd wlth
that plank In our platf brrft that f avers
doing for the. Filipinos what v?e have
already done jfor the ' Cubans; and I
favor 'making this promise to them now
that we shall take such action as soon
as they are reasonably prepared for It,
T'ntnoTii1enio Bimh a a. the
Cubans.
i . w
enlor cannot be nrudently granted to
i tt Filipinos at this time. M
the promise
that It , shall come the? moment tney
are capable of receiving it will tend to
stimulate rather .than hinder their development-
And thi should be done
not only in justice to the. Fllainos. but
to preserve eur own rights, ror a rn
people: cannot withhold freedom from
another people and themselves remain
free.- The toleration of ; tyranny over
others will soon breed contempt for free
dom and self government and weaken
our power of resistance .to insidious
usurpation of our constitutional rights.
American Citizenship. ;
; The pledge of the platform to secure
to our citizens, without distinction of
race or- creed, whether native born or
naturalized, at home and abroad, the
equal protection of the laws and the
enjoyment of all the rights and privi
leges ppeivto them under the covenants
our treaties, as their Just due; should
be made good to them. "In the accom
plishment of Jhat result it is essential
that a passport issued by 'the govern
ment of the United States to an Amer
ican citizen shall be accepted the world
oyer as proof of citizenship.
The statute relating to dvll aervlce
ls-the outcome of the efforts of thought
ful, unselfish and public spirited dtl
sens. Operation under ft has frequent
ly been of such . a character as to of
fend against the spirit of the statute,
but the results achieved, even under a
partial enforcement -of the law, nave
been such as to both deserve and com
mand thei utterance of the Democratic
party that it stands committed to the
principle ?of civil service, reform and
demands its Just and Impartial en
forcement -w,v., : ;
Reclamation ef Arid Lands.
A . vast' expanse of country In the
west portions of which are to be found
to- each, of theslxteen states and terri
tories, mentioned in the law, is direct
ly affected by the national statute the
outcome i of intelligent and persistent
efforts - of leading citizens, providing
for the reclamation of the arid lands
for the benefit of home seekers. Dur
ing the years of the development of the
measure which finally received the vote
of every , member of the upper house
of congress It encountered opposition,
based to a large extent upon the view
that the? aim of Its promoters was to
secure the benefits of irrigation to
private owners at government expense.
The aim of the statute Is, however, to
enable this vast territory ,to reclaim
Its arid lands without calling upon the
taxpayers of the country ; at large to
pay for jit Whether the purposes of
the bill will be fully accomplished must
depend in large measure upon the abil
ity, sobriety of Judgment, independ-
ence and honesty of the officers of the
Interior department having this great
work In charge.
In 1802 the main canals and ditches
In the region affected -aggregated more
than 69,000 miles, and the work of rec
tarnation is but in its Infancy. The to
tal cost of construction of the neces
sary head gates, dams, mam canals,
ditches, reservoirs and pumping sta
uons was at tnat ume a little over
$93,000,000, r whleb of itself suggests
the hundreds" of millions that may
eventually be Invested In the territory
covered by the statute. The magni
tude ef the conception and the enoi
mous expense its carrying out Involves!
make us realize the overwhelmmg lm-
portance of a broad, capable and honest
administration of the work authorized
by the statute if effect is to be given
to that1 part of the plan that relieves
the country at large from ultimate 11a-
Mllty i
Panama CanaU
An Isthmian canal has long been the
hope of our statesmen and the avow
ed aim of the two : great parties, as
their platforms in the past show. The
Panama route baving been selected.
tbe "buildings of the canal should be
pressed-to completion with all reason
able expedition, t y 4
The methods by which the executive
acquired the Panama canal route and
rights are a source of regret to many.
To them the statement that thereby a
great public work was assured to the
profit of our people Is not a sufficient
answer to the . charge of 4 violation of
national good faith. ; They appreciate
that the principles and healthy convic
tions which in their working out have
made us free and great stand firmly
against the Argument : or suggestion
that: we shall be blind to the nature
of .the paeans employed to promote pur
welfare. They hold that adherence to
principle, A whether 5 It worics for our
good or 111, , will have a more benefl
cent: influence on pur future 'destiny
than til-Our material ; upbuilding and
that' we.' should ever.; remember that
the 'Idea, of doing a wrong! to a small
er weaker nation that we or even all
mankind, may have a - resultant good
lS ;iepugant v to the principles upon
which: our government was founded.
Under the laws of the United States
to -proceed ywh due ;dUlgence In the
Jl nnV th. H,r Bi
work of rconstructlng the canal. That
'duty -sta be promptly performed.
American 8hlppu?gi- -y"'y.::.-;
y Our -f commerce ftfiyAmericaa bottoms
amounts to but 8 per cent of our total
years prior to 186Qwbenr the Bepub-
Ilea party came into power, our meiHl
chant 'marine, carried - an ; average 'of
r75 per cent f our foreign commerce.
By 1877 It had dwlndled to 27 per cent
Now;; we "carry . but : a. j contmptlbly
small fracuon tMr our exports anaiim-
0X18.'
American 'shipping in the foreign
trade was greater hy ver lOO.OOO Jpns
in 1810, nearly. 100 years aaro, than, it
was last year, in rue race or tnecoa
tlnuous decline in the record of Amer
ican shipping during the" last'forty-
three years the promise, of the Repub
lican party to restore It is .without en
couragement The record of the Dem
ocratic party gives assurance that the
task can be more wisely intrusted to
it ' Sfltzft'
It is an arduous task to undo the e
feet of forty years of decadence; and.
requires the study ' and i Investigation
of those best fitted by 1 expedenca to
find the remedy, which surely does notl
lie In the granting of subsidies wrung
from the pockets of all the taxayersvi
Investigation ( devernmeht Depart
Recent disclosures, coupled , with ;Vx
rapid augmentation of government ex
penditures, show a need of an investi
gation of every department of die gov
ernment The Democrats in congress
demanded It The RepubUcan.'xaajori
ty refused the demand The' people
can determine by their veteln No-
vember whether they wish an nonesjt
and ' thorough Investigation. A Demo
cratic, congress and executive will as
sure It .. 'i f'i
Army and Navy. s&$&:-
We are "justly proud of the officers,
and men of our army and navy;? .Both;
however, have suffered from the ; per-,
sistent Injection of personal and polit
ical influence. Promotions and appoint
ments have been frequently based on
favoritism Instead of merlt 'Trlala
and court martials have been set'aslde
under circumstances Indicating polit
ical interference. "These ' ; and - Other
abuses should be corrected. yay
Pensions For Our 8oidloro. and Sailors.
' The national Democracy favora lib
eral pensions to the surviving soldiers
and sailors and their 1 dependents on
the ground that they deserve liberal
treatment It pledges by its platform
adequate legislation to that end.".: But
It denies the right of the executive to
usurp tiie power of congress . to : legis
late on that subject Such usurpation
was attempted by pension order : Uo.
78, and effect has been given to it J)y
congress that dared not , resent .the
usurpation. It Is said that "this order.
was made in, the performance pi a
I duty lmpoagd upon the president .. by
act of congress," but the provision
I making the imposition is not pointed
out The act to which the prder ire:
ters, which is the one relating to'penr
slons to civil war veterans, does- not
authorize pensions , on . the . ground; of
age. It does grant pensions to. those
I "suffering 'from any mental or physical
I disability or disabilities of a perma-
nent character, not the result of their
own vicious habits, which so lncapact
tates them from the performance of
manual labor as to - render! them una
ble to earn a support" Thia specified
requirement of incapacity Is ini effect
set aside by order No. 78 as to .all per
sons over sixty-two. ;
The war closed f nearly .forty : years
ago. In the meantime many, of our
soldiers and gallons long survived the
age of sixty-two, and passed, raway
without receiving any pension Skill
ful pension attorneys, hunting through
the statute, failed to find thera a; pro-
r Tlsion giving a pension to all who had
I reached sixty-two. Many prominent
I veterans urged the Justice of congres-
slonal action giving a service pension
to all veterans. - Bills to that: effect
were introduced in congress. And not
until March of this year did any one
ever claim to have made the discovery
.that the president had powertOftreat
the statute as if it read that :when. a
claimant had passed the age of sixtj-
two years he is ' necessarily . disabled.
one-half in ability to perform' manual
labor and therefore, entitled toa pen
sion w-w-vfc '
The present pension commissioner in
dicated his view of the order when la
a recent address lie thanked the presi
dent for what he had done and advised
his hearers to use their influence that
a la w might be passed to the same ef
fect Dim commence, alter au, seems
not to have been placed on, the. defense
of Justification,' for it IS pleaded, in
mitigation that a former Democratic
president did something looking in that
direction. Even if that were so, which
la not, admitted, ;, our present... duty
would be none the less plain 'and Im
perative. Our people must never, tol
erate the citation of one act pf .nsurpa
tlon'of power as anexcuse for anoth
er. ' The first may possibly be due to
mistake; 4 the second, "being ; based en
the first, cannot be. In explanation,
however, It should be sal? that the. xr
der relied on simply provided that the
age of sevepty-fiye years should vbp reH
garded as evidence or inaDuity to per
form manual labor. Few men are able
to perform manual labor at that age.
but nearly all men are at stxtyftwo.
The first order is based on a fact that
?ence "i
on the assertion-of that which .Is not
true as a general rule.
TVio rOA (nnnfrv trWht are TOH TV
ing to do about . ltf is now statea a
new form. It Is said by the adminia-
tration, in reply to the public criticism
ofthls-orderrthatrririseasytot
our' opponents" sincerity in this, fmat-
teff"Theorder WcinestiolS revocable
r-t the nfea'sure of tne executive, y If
our opponent come.
can rjokethls: .order and uuionnce
that they wlll .areattsapwran:a oi
idity-two and seyenty as presuma227
la. fW.bodlly vigor and not entid;
'ptxabm ymvthty authoriUSTCr
tht tsfz? tatJma: to too taxr - 5.
r
so, we accept tne issuer
This -suggests the suspicion at leasf
that the-order-was made to create an -issue;
that it was supposed to present
a strong strategic position in the bat
tle of the ballots:-But as the maklnsr
f that order wa8j in tay judgment a&
attempted though perhaps un witting en
croachment, upon j the legislative power
and therefore unwarranted by the con
stitution, the challenge is accepted, If
elected I wlU:revoke; that order. But
I go further and say that that being
done,-1 will contribute my effort toward
the enactment of a. law, to be passed by
both" houses of congress and approved
bythe executive that will give an age
pension' without "reference to disability
to the aTrrtvbigy'luxoes of the, dvil
war . and under the provisions of whiclr
a pension may be accepted with digni
ty because of the consciousness that it
comes ,9.s a Just due from the people
through. thelr chosen representatives
and not as largess distributed by the
chief executive. , y , f . ; . V2
Forolan J Relations, -y,
The foreign relations of the govern
ment have hi t late, years assumed
spedar importance." Prior to the ac
quisition "of the 'Philippines we were
practically Invulnerable ? against at
tacks by foreign states: ''.Those tropica!
possessions,: however a7,000 miles from
our shores, .have changed all this and
have.in effect put. us under bonds, to
keep .. the , peace, y The new conditlona
call for a management of foreign af
fairs the' more circumspect in that the
recent 'American5 invasion of foreign
markets in all ' parts of the world has
excited the serious apprehension of
all . the great industrial peoples. . It is .
essential, therefore more than ever
to.adhere' stric3tIy to ,tbe traditional
policy of the country, as formulated by .
Its t first president and, never, in ;my
Judgment, wisely departed from to in
vite friendly relations with all nations
While avoiding 'entangling alliances
with.' any. . Such policy means the cul
tivation o peace Instead of, the glorifica
tion or war, and the minding of our own
business In lieu of spectacular intermed
dling with the- affairs' of other nations.
It means strict obaerranoo of ths prin
ciples of International law and condemns
the doctrine that a great state, by rea
son" of its strength,' may rightfully ap
propriato the sovereignty or territory of4
small state on account of , its weakness.
It means tor other American stater that
we claim n6 rights and will assume no
functions save thoss of a friend and of
an ally and defender as against European
aggressions. It means that 'we repudiate
the. role of the. American continental po
llceman, that we refuse to act as debt
collector for foreign states or their dtU
sens . that we respect the Independent
sovereignty of each American state and'
Its right to preserve order and othsrwlM
regulate its own internal affairs la its
. own way, and that any Intervention In Its
affairs by us is limited to the single of
fice 'of enabling its' people to work out
their own ' political ' and national destiny '
for themselves free, from the coercion of
any European state. y
Reform In Qovernmental Expenditures.
Twenty-eight years have "passed slnoe
the Democratic party of the state of New
York In convention , assembled recom
mended to the national Democraoy the
nomination 'of Samuel ' J. TUdea as its
oandidate for the presidency and declared
it to e "their settled convctlon that a
return 1 to the constitutional principles,
frugal expenses and administrative purity
of the foundersof the republic is the first
and most Imperious duty of the - times
the commanding; issue now before, tho
people , of , the Union." This strong; ex
pressldn was called forth by the national
expenditures for the year 175, -whlcU
amounted-to, t274.O00.00O a situation whlch
in the opinion of a majority of our peo
ple,' "Justified ' an imperative ' demand for
reform In - the administration of publio
affairs. As the expenditures of the last
'fiscal ' year amounted 'to the enormous
total of 1582,000.000, It Is evident that a
thorough Investigation of the public serv
ice and the immediate abandonment of
useless and extravagant expenditures are
more necessary now. than they were then.
ThhT astounding increase Is out of all
proportion to' the Increase' of our popula
tion and finds, no excuse from whatever
aspect we , view the situation. The na
tional Democratic platform declares that
'large reductions can easily be made In
the annual expenditures of the govern
ment without impairing' the efficiency of
any branch of the publio service." Can
tttMk K : rv liiKt 1 nt . ttxst ianmmmr tit
this statement? Between the expendi
tures of the year 1886, amounting to $24V
000.000, and those of the last fiscal year-
the seventh; afters Grover Cleveland ceas
ed, to be president aggregating 1532,000,0001,
there la a. difference so great as to excite
alarm in the breasts of all thoughtful
men. Even excluding; tbo sum of $50,000,
000 paid "for. the Panama canal rights and
to the state of Panama, the expenditures
of the last fiscal year exceeded the sum
of 1532,000,000,. being; more than double the
expenditures.; of the government for all
purposes during- the first year of lir.
Cleveland's administration
The expenses of the first tour years suc
ceeding the ' last' Democratic administra
tion amounted to the normOus averag
of S5U.O0Q.OOO per year. This Urge ex
penditure was due to a considerable ex
tent to the cost of the Hpanlsh-American
War, which "occurred during; that period.;
But the termination of that war brought
no relief to the treasury, for the average
annual expenses of the government dur
ing the three - subsequent : years ending;
June 80, 1904, were about 8519,000,000, which
is .the largest simv hitherto reached dur
ing .a like "period since the dose of the
Civil war. 4 .
This draft upon .the revenues of the
country, has had the effect which sfiight
ha vs. been anticipated,, and now wo havej
presented the reverse, of the situation,
which'1 led -toitht famous observation, "It
Is a condition andi hbtt 1 theory whlea
confronts us",, fori,jalthouch the present
Incumbent found Vt'the close of the first
-fiscal year during which he assumed con
trol ofth,e, admiLstratloh a surplus of re
ceipts over Axpea'dlturcs 1 of t more than
851.000,000,. there was an excess of ex
.pepditures: over , receipts 4ti the close of
the last fiscal' year Xkf 842.000.000, and the
official monthly y reports made by the
easury. department show t that " the ex
penditures are "continuously and rapidly;
tocrealnr.whll.'theTcelpt axe dlmin-
una. .
1 Continued on '4th page.
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