The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-04-11

| How MUcH THIS Country OwEs.-1t is g
favorite boast of Americans, that their govern
ment is almost the only one in the civilized
world, which is not deeply plunged in debt. So
far as the boast relates to the United States, in
its federal capacity, it is vellfounded. But SO
far as it relates to the one and thirty -one COM
monwealths, Of which the nation is composed,
it is an absolute absurdty, since the majority of
these latter are deeply, if not inextricably, in
debt. We hear this bit of braggadoeia SO fire.
quently, that it is worth while to devote few
moments to showing its folly.
In England, France, Austria and all other
consolidated nations, there is but one exehequer
to meet every want of government. There is
consequently, but one national debt When
we say that Great Britain owes nearly eight
hundred millions of pounds, or four thousand
millions of dollars, the whole story is told.
| But if we should assert that the entire debt Of
| the United, States was less than sixty millions,
we should be apt to mislead the reader. For
the, federal government, which is what is tech
nically meant by the United States having only
circumscribed powers is not, and never can
be made liable for the principal share of the
expenses Of maintaining order and dispensing
law among the people at large, most of this
burden falling on the separate members of the
confederaey. To give "a correct idea of the
real Indebtedness Of the nation, therefore, we
must include the debts of the several states.
| Now, the total indebtedness of the various
commonwealth is about two hundred and
twenty-one millions of dollars, divided among
| twenty seven states, four being so fortunate as
to owe nothing, viz: New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Delaware and Florida. Of these TWEEN
ty-seven, the debts of seven are under mill
ion piece. Maryland Texas, Illinois, Ohio.
Virginia. New York and Pennsylvania are the
states most deeply in debt. The largest abso-
lutte debt is that of Pennsylvania, which is
over forty millions, the smallest is that of New
Jersey, which is but seventy one thousand
The heaviest debt, in proportion to thai of
the population, is the debt of Maryland, which
exceeds fifteen millions, in a population of five
hundred and eighty two thousand, bond and
free. The debt of Virginia, though but little
greater numerically than that of New York
the one being twenty-si1 millions and the other
twenty four-is more than twice as heavy IT.
latively, the population being less than half,
while the general resources of the states, tx
ceeds two hundred and seyenty6re millions Of
dollars.
But this still fails to give an accurate idea
of the total Indebtedness of our country. IN
Europe, if we except England, most public
works are constructed by the government, So
that the national debt includes the cost Of the
principal railroads. canals and turnpikes. But
in the United States, with the exception of the
Pennsylvania state works and those of alfcw
other commonwealth, all such improvements
are owned by private corporations. Now the
aggregate cost of the principal of these works
is computed to be one thousand millions Of
dollars, of which six hundred millions alone
are invested in railroads. Consequently If sc
would arrive at the true Indebtedness of these
United States, we must add the amount of ellis
description of securities to the amount of the
state and federal ones. Twelve hundred mil
lions OF dollars are, therefore, about what We owe
a very respectable sum, it must be acknowI-
edged, especially for a nation but eighty years
old
To give an entirely just idea of this subject.
however, we must remind the reader th&t
chief part of this debt is attributable 10 the fact
that we are new country, three fourths Of
those millions have been spent in developing
our resources.
Considering the vast mineral and agricultural
wealth of America, considering also the in
domltabe energy of our people, considering the
favorable position we occupy for conductng
the commerce of the world, this debt, eror-
nous as 1t seems, is comparatively little, or
would be if we were always as prudent and
thrifty as we are enterprsing.
~~~I~~0-~-~r-~~-~~--~~~--
THE TooTH BUs1NEss.-Some men thrive on
the lnfrmltles Of Others as is suggested by the
sleek and rotund appearance of some doctors
and dentists. The fact is otherwise indicalcd
by the statistics of the tooth th-manufacturing
business in the city, where there are numb2r
of individuals or associations extensively en-
gagged in it. At one place in Broadway, there
may occasionally be seen large rocks of quar-,
which after being ground forms principal in
gredient in the composition of which artifcial
teeth are made. The mixture, in plastic state
is put in brass moulds previously prepared with
suitable coloring matter, (hesh color light yel>
low, etc, J to initiate reality when the teeth are
burnt to harden them and fix the coors. One
concern engaged in this business employs thirty
men, and turns out three thousand teeth reg
day, to be sold to dentists, and afterwards NJ
tached to gold plates, etc. According to all
accounts, the United States affords the bes.
market for this commodity, while in posAlc
eating ireland, the tooth business would receir,
but moderate support
n. Y Journal Of Commerce
-~l~-r,-~~~~-~<>~~~-~~~--
WHAT DOES IT CosT TO FENcE.--The amount
Of capital employed in the construction and r.
pair of the wooden fences of the United Stacs
would be deemed fabulous, were not the esgi
mates founded on statistical facts, which admit
If no dispute. Burknap, well known agri-
cultural writer, says: "Strange as it may seem,
he greatest investment in this country the most
'ostly production Of human industry, is the
Common fences, which divide the field from the
highways, and separate them from each other
No man dreams that when compared with the
utlay for these unpretending monuments "a
rt, our cities and our towns, with all their
wealth are left behind You will scarcely be-
leve me when | say that the fences Of this coun-
ry cost more than twenty times the amount Of
pecie that is in it.
Tho r, ara oScartio, tlrnt finite r,o-a