Plymouth banner. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1852-1855, 1853-05-05


supplied. In addition, there must be
the means of transportation by land and
water. Beasts of burden and wagons OF
all sorts. and without number. must be
provided. Water craft of all kinds and
dimensions. from TIE common ferry beat
to the magnificent three decked man-of-
war ship. must be CONSTRUCTED or pur-
chased Whea a suitable armament is
Obtained, and military and naval opera
tons begins, every movement is attended
with de erioatiou and waste of material
meking perpetual renewal absolutely
necessary. The forage horses. mules and
oxen, and the destruction and loss of an-
imals and carriages attached to armies.
constitute 10 inc6nsidera item to be
kept up by the labor of the country which
furnishes the supplies.
The third consequence is. that if the
laboring classes. upon whom the burden
falls OF supporting the non producing ar
my in food and raiment, aud of providing
the munitions of war to render the army
efficient, cannot do it for want Of means,
and the government under which they
live cannot therefore venture to increase
the taxes, the people and their govern
ment are driven by the urgency OF cir
cumstances TO anticipate their revenues
by borrowing money. Hence the crea-
ton OF national debts. and with them a
new set of non producers who live sumpt.
uously upon the interest of their money,
and by dealing in stocks. Thus the liv-
ing generation are often required to toll
and labor to discharge the principal and
interest of national debts created in for
mer ages. Besides the current and ne
cessAry annual expenditures of govern
ment, they are called OIL To pay the debts
of centuries, and taxation becomes an in
tolerable burden.
THAT these are the natural consequent
ces of war, no one can doubt who is at
all acquainted with the history of ma
lions, and their public debts. Exempt
as are the people of tie United States
from oppressive tax,tion to meet the in
terest OF their public debt. and small as
that debt is compared with the debts of
other nations whose resources are not
nearly the whole Of our debt. exceeding
on the lst Of January last. S65 Zoo. 900.
has been the result of war. +. 1t may
be safely affirmed that the total public
debt u the States IF Fr-n,,a vas not less
than eight thousand millions of dollars
In 1910. The Annual interest on this
enormous amount of debt, supposing it
TO average only four per cent per annum
is equal to three hundred and twenty
millions of dollars each year. In other
words, each man. woman and child, if
the interest were raised by capitation
tax. would have to contribute 81 30 per
annum, in addition to the sums necessa-
ry to meet the annual expenditures Of
government for other purposes, estima-
ting the countries which owe the debts
to contain a population of 24S, 900, 600.
Turkey in Europe has been omitted in
these ca!culatio because the commit
tee had no data before them upon which
that country could be included.
IF we consider. by way of contrast,
the more beneficial uses 10 which war
taxes and war-debts might be applied
could wars be avoided, we shall see more
clearly the immense losses and depriva-
tons which mankind have sustained in
consequence of devoting their energies
ard resources to the purpose of war;
Thus the interest on the Europeon debt
would pay an annual salary of 500
To eight hundred thousand teachers OF
children. These teachers, allowing thir-
ty children 10 each, could instruct TWEEN
ty-four millions Of children, of suitable
ages. the usual branches Of common ed
ucation-as reading, writing. arithmetic,
geography and grammar. Thus the debts
of the States of Europe. created by wars.
would. as an education fund, teach every
child of suitable age within their terrific
ries those rudiments of learning which
open the door to the highest attainments
in science. What blessings would this
confer upon the children of the lower
classes of Paris and of London; and not
only these. but upon the children of all
the poor. whose circumstances prohibit
the expenditure of money, even if they
had it.. in educating their children.
an war-debts would construct eight thou
sand miles of railroad, and provide de-
pots. locomotives, cars, and everything
needful for the transportation of freight
and travellers. at cost per mile not ex-
ceeding $40. 900. Thus railroad might
be constructed from Paris to Canton, in
China. for less than years interest on
the war-debts of Europe.
1.-The interest payable annually upon
war debts. is but small portion of the
annual burden imposed upon the people
for war purposes. The expense of keeping
and sustaining large standing armies and
navies is tenfold greater than paving the
interest on national debts. And, al
though the natious of Europe have been
at peace for many years, from recent IN
formation it appears that there has been