Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-04-21
VOLUME XI.---NO. 8.
WEoLE NUMBER, 523.
Spades vs.. Bayonets.

Spades vs. Bayonets.
1.-THE New York Economist runs parallel
between the United States army, and What
it costs the country, and rail road army
Of like numbers. 1t would be we'll for al
political economist. to study the picture.
Here i. ISL
The United States army numbers about
10000 men, and they cost the country last
year 3 ,225, ,246 for pay, subsistence, cloth
ing, Sc. That is to say, $500 per man, OF,
If xe deduct the militia expense, $500 per
man. 1t would puzzle any one to tell Of
what service were these men, living in bsr-
racks and forts, eating three meals per day,
and turning cut occasionally to touch their
caps to their officers.
The Illinois Central Railroad army
numbers 10, ,0C0 men also, and they receive
from the company s3,7OO, 900 per anuuna,
in return for which they labor twelve hours
per day upon = work which gradually
stretches itself through the most fertile
plains, connecting the great Lakes with the
Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, and thus with
the Gulf OF Mexico"
The relative advantages Of these two ar
mics 10 society, are graphically sketehed
by the New York Post. The prospective
building Of the great Central Railroad of
Illinois alone has added to the wealth Of
tue State, in appropriations Of wild lands,
the SUN Of Forty Millions within strip
Of twelve miles in width, and the actual
construction of the road will bring to .
ready market millions of acres Of land now
owned BY the General Government, which,
were the road not constructed, would lie
waste for years to come. The federai Gov
ernmeut employs 10000 men, at an ex-
pense Of Eight Millions Of dollars, to carry
muskets. The Central Railroad Company,
employing ten thousand men at less than
Four Millions, confers vast property upon
the federal Government, and upon tbsu-
sands Of farmers. Year after year the
Government spends ;ts millions of dollars,
resulting in nothing but the turning loose
Of superannuated soldiers, made paupers
by . life of idleness. The Illinois Com
pany, by three years expenditure, estab-
fishes seven hundred miles Of iron rails
through prolific farms, many Of them owned
build the road-men Of industry, vigor,
wealth, and intelligence. The United
States, in thirty ars,spent $500 900, 900,
enough to build double track to the Pc
clfc, aud they have nothing to show for the
money but some old forts. guns, tattsred
uniforms, and demoralized veterans.
1t cost less to convert the Sandwich
Islands to Christianity than it did to ex-
plore the seas that wash them Ii also
cost more to build our ships of the line, and
keep them il active service one year, than
was expended BY the Board of Foreign
Missions for thirty-fye years, in dot,ins
over these islands With school-houses aud
churches, blessing them with civilization,
and rendering them vocal With tie hymns
Of devou' praise, and buoyant with hope
of happy immortality.
1t cost thirty i've millions Of dollars to
psy the salaries of American lawyers,
twelve millions of dollars are paid out an
nu=iiy to keep our criminals, and ten mil
ions to keep our DCas; while only SIC
millions Of dollars are spent annually to
keep the sixteen thousand PREACHERS Of
the United States,