The Madisonian., 1840-01-01

department heeD much increased ny The temporary power
Of the late pre-emplion law.
The unusual quantity OF land newly advertised dur
ing the year 1889 aud the consequent large receipts
connected with that and tho pro emptous. are
circumstances not likely 10 IN $40 II i be-
csed therefore, that the low estimates submitted AS
to lands wall prove sufficiently high unle,s graduation
blll should pass Tho etfrcl OF such hil, judging
from aud from analogy to The grad iaed prices,
under winch aIis are selllng, on account Of The
Chckssaw Indians at Ponntoe. much more freely Than
elsewhere within the State. woald be add
slderably 10 the revenue for a few years.
Erplaaaton Of The estimates az 10 expenditures and
Of some (urflsr reduction N them
The estimates Of expenditure for ordinary purposes
IN lSiO IN the aggregate about five millions less
than what It IS computed Will be spent 1889 This
great reduction has been proposed, although the ex-
penses OF 1889 will be quite millions less Than those
OF 1885, and those Of 1888 were some What less Than
The expenses Of the previous year .
The various items OF new appropriations asked Tor
are, as usual IN the requested 10y tile different
departments having charge OF the different subjects II
any omissions or mscaculatlons occur ~ them, they
must, therefore, happen from lnadvertence BY those
officers best acquainted with the business within Their
own peculiar province
but, IN the present condition OF the country and
finances, ts expected that much necessity VII arise
either IN the opinion OF those departments or OF Con
gress, to make important sddilons to the sums now
requested On the contrary. It IS confidently hoped
that some reductions from them he effected without
material INJURY 10 any great national Interests, -
Il Is difficult IN young growing, aud encrprIsing
community TO restrict public expenditures wllhih rea
sonable limits. Certain exgencles also occasionally
occur requiring extraordinary sacrifices When patriot
Ism aud honor demand large pccnniary contributions
the latter are richly repaid by their tendency lnpaa
vgor and security to the former Bu!, expenditure
oil twenty millions for ordinary purposes though much
reduced IRON the aggregate during few years past, Is
believed by The undersigned 10 be more, instead Of less
than sound policy Jusuhes, While the present unusual
embarrassment III moneyed affairs shall continue In
deed, strong doubts " II be not than the
real necessities of the General Government usually
require The reasons for this conclusion are briefly
these II Is true that such expenditure eqnolling
only dollar and fourth per head OF population, Is
not very large to sustain Conederacy with such
widely extended duties this, II reduced 10 the
amount oi mPosts, which the whole real burden.
and compared with the axes elsewhere, equalhug
sometimes fifteen dollars per head, under political ns-
tutions OF different forms and less lrugaIy the pres
sure from that hero would seem to be renarka-
bly, light.
But II should be remembered that the people Of The
United States are obliged to deray a large amount
OF other public expenses imposed upon them b. State
authorities and, at the sane nme, that their forms Of
government, among various excellencies. have been
preferred particularly f1r their economy. Hence
the true question with them in respect to expend
lures, IS, not how large burdens can be borne, but
how much can be dispensed with, II is not what is
much can be collected from them without suffering,
but how much can be leIt with them. both OF money
and power and insure all The benefits of the social
system
As The interests and wishes Of the people formed
The government, they should cuntroi il.
Considering these circum ianceS, and the severe
simplicity aud frugaiy betting republic, what
am 'unt OF pubic expenses is necessary
In 1881 ii was calculated that the ordinary ex-
penseS ol the General Government need not exceed
hiteen millions OF dollars. Tile undersigned
pressed an opinion four or five ye rs afterwards that
sixteen or seventeen millions would then be sutli-
c'ent aud ne sun believes that, Notwithstanding he
continued increase Of our population and wealth,
they might, with prudence b. Limited 10 eighteen
millions IN 1910, and perhaps alter the expiration
OF most OF The present pensions, and the removal Of
The rest OF the lndias b. for some lime diminished
still lower.
Indeed, IN point Of fact, recently as 1884 and
1883, tue whole yearly expenses only seventeen
and eighteen millions, independent OF the public
debt. Though The amount has since been Increased
Dy wars pensions, lndian removals, and other pecu-
liar causes deem al III time III cases, sutii-
cient 10 justify The appropriations by large, and often
unanimous votes In Congress- ye reduction has
b.en going on during 1888 and 1889, and all the
dnary expenditures would not il The present year,
but Tor the pension list and Indian disbursements
exc ed the smallest sum last mentioned The whole
increase, however, has not been confined 10 these
Two Items, nor could The whole reduction safely be,
which, IN the opinion Of the undersigned, sound
economy appears TO require.
In The inquiry as to the amount of expenditure
which should be considered necessary, light may
sometimes be obtained BY advering 10 the increase
oi population and wealth. Looking 10 those if the
expenditure, independent OF the public debt,
reasonable in magnitude during the first eight years
OF our present Government, the SUN OF seventeen
eighteen millions annually would be greatly
dsproportlonate, nor probably be found either much
deficient or very unnecessary. II would be nearly
five times the average amount about half century
ago, while our population, since that time, has
doubtediy increased more than four fold, and our
wealth and resources have probably increased in
ratio sill larger. The last remark, however, is
m tier OF inference from various data, more or less
accurate in themselves; such as the average impor-
ions, which have only doubled il the last forty or
hlty years; the foreign tonnage which has increased
but IN like ratio the exports OF domestic produce
which have quadrupled since 1892; aud lte whole
tonnage, including domestic as well as foreign
which has also quadrupled, and become more than
proporiionally efficient by introducing into il over
eight hundred steam vessels.
Other data, less accurate but not less sure indica-
tionS OF SUI larger increase in wealth. are TO be
found IN the vast extension Of agriculture manu-.
factureS, the mechanic arts and various Useful ap-
plicaonS Of steam, we'll as in opening roads and
canals building up hourishng cities, enIarsing our
territory diiuSins practical education and multiply
log, by ways loo numerous for repetition the com
forS, advantages and powers Of great and prosper
people
But such general considerations though beneficial
in comparative examinations are usually better
tests OF the ability To pay than Of the proprcty OF the
expenses themselves. A scrutiny into the principal
items OF the latter and their amounts at this Time
compared with those from forty 10 fifty years ago,
will aid much in connection with the considerations
before mentioned, in toIming more accurate judg-
ment on the propriety and necessity Of most OF the
present expenditures. Ii will show what branches
have since sprung into being and what from their
character should or should not BE- longer continued
Some suggestions were submitted on this subject
in the last annual report, and It's importance must BE-
the excuse tor adding more on this occasion The
expenditures nominally connected with foreign in
feIcnurse have increased leasi. Innse cnnnncied