Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-09-14
POLITICAL.
From The National IE:eHigeneer, II Sep,eH,lt. .
THE TREASURY REPORT.

iHE TREASURY REPORT.
We have thought il our business 10
lay before our readers, as early a. nrac
tlcable, the Report of the Secretary OF
the Treasury 10 Congress.
This Report, it will be seen, travels
over nearly the same ground as the
Message. corresponds with almost eve.
~ statement and sentiment of tha,
Message, and arrivcs a; the same gene.
raj conclusions.
A perusal of this Report has, howe
yer, led US directly 10 some conclusions
which appear 10 have escaped the ho-
norable Secretary. though they Law SO
directly in his way that one would
have supposed he could hardly miss
them.
The first is founded on the startling
fact. for the frs, time officially disclos,
ed to the People. that, with twelve or
fifteen millions Of dollars in the Urea
Eury, exclusive Of that which is depo-
sl,ed with the States, the Secretary Of
the Treasury, after having in vain en-.
deavored to obtain a supply Of ready
money by further sales al lands, is un.
der the necessity OF calling upon Con-
gresS for some collateral aid" IT'LL a
sufhciency can be collected 10 meet
the ordinary expenses Of the Govern.
ment. From this fact we come Al,
once TO the conclusion that the predic.
ton by the Wing statesmen and pres.
ses OF the consequences which must in
evitably follow from striking down the
admirable system Of administration of
the finances, under which the country
had thnyen and hourished from 1891
TO 1910 and from 1917 10 1893. are
now realized to their full extent in re-.
gard to the finances Of the Government,
as they have long ago been realized in
regard TO the finances Of the People.
This is our first conclusion.
Our second conclusion is. tina; there
Is no way but one oy which those who
administer the Government can IN any
considerable degree repair the wrong
they have done; and that is. by retrac.
ing their steps. and doing i, at once.
They have driven the car Of State into
q morsu IN which by every conclusive
effo:l to drag II out thew plunge il only
deeper and deeper. There i neither
road nor solid ground in the direction
"a which they are pressing on. Before
them. and on all sides Of them. Is a
wilderness Of qulcksanJs. vast as the
Serbouian beg 81 old, where armies
whole have sunk" There is no safe
" nor any hope Tor them bItin retreat.
The only path by which they can &C.
treat u that by which they advanced
% where they arc aal returning upon
that they will arrive at the point from
which they started and may set out
again 90 the safe road which. m the
intoHirsilon and vanity Of power they
Wilfuliy departed from This y our
fecond couclusion
The course which We recommend j.
90 obviously ihc dictate Of common
sense, tia, even a dumb beast. rlaeel
~ the pTedicamcnt Of the Administta.
ton, would, through the mere force OF
instinct, undoubtedly follow o. And
1t really moves one Is compassion 10 see
the lnhnity of labor and ingenuity
which those who hold the reins are ex.
srtlng 10 keep the machine Of State
from being fOundered altogether, rather
Than resort 10 the obvious means Of
nghi'ng and saving Al. This perseyc-
rance 10 Prepos,erous experiments. 10
try how much quaekery IN addition 70
aetual suffering, the People can bear
Is madness itself. OF !, is worse.
THIS is our third conclusion. We
have some others. which perhaps We
may have time 70 COMMIT TO paper
1919. ~