Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-07-02
What IT Costs

W NANS'ai ItPoFts tnere are
now under arms and in the pay Of the
Government of the United States $50 ,OG0
men. To maintain this vast army. afteri;s
equipment, will require at least $3.50 Co.,
600 year. The Navy. together with the
ordinary expenses Of Government, will re-
quire, at least, enough more to make our
national expenses at this time amount to
the enormous sum Of S365, 000, coo a year,
or 81 oO0, GOO day.
This vast sum must be borrowed, raised
by contributions, or collected by the levy
of direct tax upon the people for no de-
pendence can be placed upon duties on i'm
ports a. they will amount 70 no consideta-
bie amnurt in the present condition c!
affairs. When we consider that the aggre-
gate wealth of the C untry amounts to but
sixteen thousand millions Of dollars, OF
which one third is in the seeded States,
the iinpossibiIity of paying our expenses as
we go is apparent. And az to c0niritu
tions from the loyal States, associations or
individuals. II is absurd 10 think that they
will amount to sum sufhceLt To pay our
national expenses one week. Therefore,
the only recourse lett, is for Government
to raise the necessary means by the issue
Of treasury notes and by Ioans.
If tile war lasts one year, our national
debt will amount to three hundred millions
OF dollars. To pay the interest on war
debt Of one year only, would require a tax
of six mills ON the dvla- Of all the taxable
bic property Of the country.
When we reflect that we have our Gem
p!icated systems tn sustain aud that we
must asO raise, by direct taxation, the
expenses Of our State. county and mum.
eiPal ORGANIZATIONS, we may vell doubt our
capacity To pay. Already most Of the
States are burdeued 10y heavy debts ard
the war Is rapidly increasing them The
State debt OF Illinois has already been n-
creased three aud a half millions Of doIla, q
in consequence. While our county and
city expenses by the same cause have been
greatly increased. The condition Of the
other States is very similar. All have
debts of their own 70 look after aud loca |
expenses to provide for.
With the blockade Of the Mississippi
cutting of all trade in that direction and
the general stagndtiun Of business If all
Kinds. ii will be impossible for the people
20 pay tie increase q taxes. The people
OF Illinois, particularly considering that
they have been swIndIed cur of fuur ~ fiys
millions of dollars 10y the Wild Cat bank
erS, viii be poorly prepared 10 meet their
proportion of the amount needed, We ad
init that this gloomy picture Of our fnan-
c'al prospects is enough to discourage the
most patriotic Yer, frum present indIca-
tIons, the Overwhelming difficulties are
inevitable.
But the increase of Government, State,
county and municipal debts by the war, is
far frum being the heaviest evil. The loss
OF property, the waste of money, and the
RUN OF business, is of little mo ment in
comparison to the destruction of human
life that must ensue is the war goes on
There will be hundreds of thousands
slaughtered in battle. and mourning and
grief will rest upon most of the families Of
she country. Millions Of gcking hearts
will tell the tale of woe.
We may be censured for thus referring to
the probable costs Of the war which has
Just been commenced, but is it not proper
that We should look at matters in their true
light. The wtoie subject will soon be be-
FIRE Congress, when it will doubtless be
weighed IN al! its bearings. But we con
fess We have little hope that Congress will
Try to lessen the fearful expenses tina;
menace ne