Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-01-13
1I,o8I,OOo 60

have ST., ,397 1861 OF, the efliaing debt OF the
Commouwea ttb the pIinepa! and interest 10 be pro-
siled for, from the sriinsry sources Of revenue.
1t VIII DC observed, that f0m the lSt day Of De-
center, 1898, 10 tho 3lst day of December, 1853,
period Of thirteen months, besides meeting all the
ordinary demands upon tine Treasury, there has beea
actually paid. on tie principal OF The public Debt
81 ,U09, ,282 90.
When it is remembered that during this perioI.
the law reducing the State tax upon real and per
sonal estate, from three TO two and halt mills, has
been il full force, and that nothing for the last year
has been received from the Pennsylvania railrcad
company, acC cunt Of tax on tonnage, making the
lrecepts, from those two sources ot reyenueesS by
four hundred thousand collars, than they for
the preceding year, it is of eOngratulafion
that, under such circumstances, a result flvora-
bic has been produced by the ordinary operations Of
the Treasury.
For ueally two years past, the State has been
ttirely free from the oanership management Of ca
inals and railroads. and the gratifying result thus far,
is that her public debt is less than il has been
since the year 1872 and is decreasing at the Of
nearly one million OF dollars per annum. It is now
morally certain, that nothing but the gresses mis-
management of the financial interests of the State,
can prevent its sure and eedy eXt;nguishment.-
" by saould not Pennsylvania press onward until
she is entirely free debit She is no longer en-
gagged in the construction OF great works OF internal
Improvement nor is she the proprietor of railroads
and canals. Relieved OF these, governmental action
is greatly simpIied, and Is now happily limited 10
subjects of purely governmental character. Hay
ing ceased to ue interested in ordinary business pur
SUITS il is her plain duty devote her best energies
to relieving her people from the burden OF an one
rous debt. When this great result shall have been
accomplished the necessary expenditures OF an eco
nomical administration of the government, can DO
readily met without thu imposition OF State Lax
on real personal eState-the remaining sources OF
revenue being than sufficient t0r al legitimate
purposes. Until that end, SO anxiouS!y looh1d To-,
secured, true wisdom, well IS sound poiicys dic-
ltates that our resources should be carefully nus
banded-that none Of our present sources OF reFe-
rue should be cut of, or dminlshed--th2t all de-
partments of goyeinII ent should consult proper
economy--that all extravagant ana unnecessary ap-
knr1rations should be ayoided- and that every new
scheIns for embarrassing the Treasury slonid meet
with Inarket,, condemnation.
Encouraging, ss are the results OF the past
tso wears. il must no: be forgotten, that we have
d. inst commenced the payment OF the prinei-
III Of our debt; aud that to prevent mlsap-
lication Of the public 6uaneea, and thereby IN
are (. contiDasneo os its reduction, from year
I'd year, ia msnfestly tho first duty OF those
p,ced by the Constitution IN charge OF the PUB
il Treasury, aud TO whom belongs the exclusive
riLt Of raising, e5onom zing aud sppEoprlotlag
II nubljc revenue earnestly commend tbs
woIa subject 20 the careful attention of the
slature-oniirely satit Eed, that, IS i Is the
nst vital Of all the interests eomnistei to Lb9