Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-09-16
FINANCES OF THE STATE.

A late number of the Fayetteville Argus contains
the following:
1--WE hear it whispered about-how truly we know
not-that the next Treasurer's report will show a
very material deficiency in the revenue of this State,
notwithstanding the vauntings of the Standard upon
the prosperous condition of finances under dem
ocratic rule. Such result would by no means sur
prise us-nor would the organ in the slightest de-
gree blush at being detected in bearing false witness
Bragg is elected, and an exposure of the means by
which that end has been secured could do no harm
Before another election comes on, the organ
will find some other straw with which to tickle the
ribs of the unterrfed-And after all, it would, per-
haps, be rather pleasant than otherwise to find that
there is deficiency in the revenue. Our people
love to be taxed. They eschew all participation in
the benefits derivable from distribution Of the pub
lie lands, and choose to be taaed-for the benefit of
democracy"
The Argus, it seems, takes advantage of ''whis-
per- to make declarations calculated so far as they
may have any influence, to affect the States credit
and diminish the premiums her bonds
The fact is known that the present State admins
tration in with large Indebtedness upon it.
the consequence of Wing extravaganza. Wing
leaders had had control of public affairs for fourteen
years; and during this time, though they had estab
lished no general or State system of internal i'm
provements, they had managed to involve the State
heavily in debt In 1876 this debt began to be felt,
yet they made provision by tax-bl to pay it, or
even 10 meet the interest. Iney borrowed IRON Tie
School Fund and from the Banks, thereby heaping
Indebtedness on Indebtedness; and this they did to
escape the odium of imposing taxes on the peo-
pie.
That the finances of State have been we'll admin
istered during the last four years, &ir-minded
man acquainted with the facts will venture to deny.
Large sums it is true, have been borrowed but this
has been done in pursuance of law to carry forward
IF into imn bac
been the confidence of the public, and of the shrewd
money-lenders in the administration and in the char
acter of the State, that very handsome premiums
have in every been obtained. The State in this
respect, has succeeded better and made advan-
tageous loans than either Georgia or Virginia The
Argus, which processes to be the advocate of inter-
nal improvements knows that Railroads cannot be
constructed without money and good deal of it at
that The difference between the Argus and the
Democrats is, that the former proposes to beg for
this money, with the fact staring it in the face that
it be thus obtained while the latter are for
meeting all financial difficulties in the only way in
which they can be met-by drawing the means
and resources of the people of the State. The Wing
policy is deceptive and impractieable-the Demo-
cratic is reasonable sensible, and the only policy
which can be resorted to with any prospect of
cess.
We have no reply to offer to the slang contained
in the above extract from the Argus. Intelligent
and fair-minded men will know what to make of
that We will not say the Argus would prefer Wing
rule and want of enterprise and prosperity to
prosperity and progress under Democratic auspices;
but one thing is certain, that paper finds it difficult
to look at any question through other than party
spectacles. The which it is pursuing is of
piece with Gen. Dockery's in the late campaign; and
IS not calculated to advance the of internal i'm
proVements. That paper talks about high taxes and
an embarrassed Treasury, with view to injure the
Democratic party its next step may be to assail all
prospective improvements and to insist that present
improvements shall be arrested unless the great
Wing party is restored to power. We cannot tell
what such journal may or may not do. Its express
sion about tickling the ribs of the unterrifed" is
a reflection the popular intelligence and another
evidence of its heightened Federal notions
PENNSYLVANIA. George Darsie, Esq, the Wing
can6 date for canal commissioner in Pennsylvania,
has informed his friends that he sent in his declina-
ton six weeks ago, but that the committee had as
yet taken no action upon it. THIS he forced to
of IoJ