Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-10-18

hundred millions, making the debt thirteen or
fourteen hundred millions, which will then be
several hundred millions less than the estimate
of the Statesmax. It cannot be possible that
that paper over-estimates the debt for the same
object that prompts the secession organs to do
90, yet it is far more mischievous in its conse.
quences, coming from an acknowledged Union
journal.
But road what the Secretary says:
"The Secretary, believing that the frankest is
the wisest policy for nations as well as individu"
ais, has thought it his duty to submit to Congress
this plain statement of the financial condition OF
the country. That it imposes considerable bur-
dens is not to be denied disguised. 1t is con.
selling to know that the energies and resources OF
the people are sufficient for them. The public debt
on the list of July, 1862 if the war be protracted
until that time on the scale Of expenses contem-
plated by the estimates, will be, nround numbers,
5000, oO0, 900.
"The amount of the public debt in the year
1916, was Sl27 1884 1888, and in twenty years it
was paid of by the people. The country, If the
loyal States arc only regarded, can sustain and
pay off in thirty years the debt to which rebellion
now exposes us, with hardly greater proportional
contributions from increased and increasing re-
sources than that debt made necessary"
The Statesman expresses the opinion that
"any cost incurred in direct effort to crush
out rebellion will b. cheerfaly horne by the
people," but it objects to the Presidents eman-
cipation policy on the ground that it will add
to our present crushing debt" another equally
large. 1t does not object to depriving the
South Of negro property. for it will be seen by
perusal of the article quoted elsewhere that
it protests against paying "masters for pro-
perty, for which. by every rule Of right they
ovght not to receive cent" and upon this
provision the chief objections hinge. BY the
Presidents plan, says the Statesman, the
loyal States must expsnd millions in conquer
ing the rebels, and then pay them thousands
of millions of dollars to make their losses
good" This does the President injustice.
He has never proposed to pay rebels for their
property, but on the contrary, he proposes to
cou6scate and appropriate to the public use
all such property.
1t appears passing strange to us that the
Statesman. after urging upon the President
the policy Of depriving the rebels oftheir pro.
perty as the only available means Of suppress
ing the rebellion. as it plainly did in the edi-
toral from which we make the foregoing ex-
tract, now that the President has inaugurated
the policy. repudiates it by implication if not
in direct terms. We hope it will result that
such was not the intention. though tie Ian
guage will not admit of varied interpreta.
ton.
We should regret exceedingly to lose the
cooperation Of the Statesman in our eAo,ts to
sustain the President in the exercise Of every
rightful power in putting down the rebellion.
We concurrsd with it heartily in regard to
the con6scation policy. and We trust We will
continue to have it's valuable aid in giving to
that policy practical effect. Rather than to
"agree to disagree" We would consent to his
policy. denying to the rebels all compensation
for loss Of property. and agree with him that
"6y erery rule Of right they vxght not tn re-
ceire cent" We would. however. for the
present, prefer to adopt the Presidents rec
ommendation. and pay the losses sustained by
loyal citizens of the rebel States. believing as
We do that they will be found to compose
very small percentage Of the aggregate popu-
lation who own slaves.