, 1865-08-18
A County Debt a County BLESSING;


In last weeks STATESMAN short article ap-
peared, in which the pernicious doctrine (as I
conceive it to be) was advanced that the Coun-
ty of Walla Walla should begin to economic
and put itself in condition to pay off its debts
have no reason to disbeieve that the remarks
were nell intended, and the doctrine might have
been considered good a few years ago, prior
to the great and late discovery that GA Nation
al Debt is National Blessing" but now, at this
progressive period of our national existence, it
is the very climax of absurdity to regard great
debts otherwise than as great blessings.
Yes, Messrs. Editors, this is an age of debts
so far as enlightned America is concerned. Our
overwhelming and magnificent debt is our Ma
tional capital-our National wealth. For the
truth of this have only to refer to the wel-di-
gested opinions of the wealthy capitalists, aris-
tocrats, centralizationists, bond-holders, and
the leading men connected with our National
banking SYSTEM and would particularly refer
to the opinions of Mr. Jay Cooke, general sub
scripton agent of the government loans,) who
ID late pamphlet takes the ground that our
National Debt is a National Blessing, and also
that this debts just so much additional capital
added to the -wsalh Of the Nation! Jay Cooke
shows further, in his pamphlet, that this great
national debt, hanging continually over the
heads of the people, will have a tendency to
strengthen the government and cement The
States more firmly in the bonds of union The
debt is to prevent disintegration, and is to be
the antidote and final panacea for all the ills
that can by any possibility threaten the destruc-
ton of our great and glorious Republic.
Mr.. Jay Cooke is, beyond question, loyal
man, and what he says of our national debt
must be true, and his opinions upon questions
pertaining to our national finances are entitled
to great weight
Now as to the affairs, and particularly the
debt, of Walla Walla County. | take the
view of our ''natonsl- -debt-natonal blessing
men when say that oar County debt is a Coua-
ty blessing. Ineed only to use the arguments of
Jay Cooke & Co, with reference 10 our County
affairs to show that this debt of our County is
a blessing 1t is true the blessing is not very
great yet, but neither is our County debt. To
increase the blessing, we have only to make our
debt more muniGcent. This debt is but tri-
ae now-only some $4,000. Let the debt be
increased to $500 ,o0O and will guarantee the
people of the County shall enjoy the acme of
earthly bliss But it must be borne in mind
that the greater the debt the greater lciU be the
blessing, and for the reason that the debt will be
SO much additional wealth to the County. So
it will be seen that our debt represents just so
much money, and to increase our wealth and
make money plenty, we have only to enlarge the
County debt
the position that our County debt cannot only
be made a great blessing to the people, but if
the debt is increased to enormous figures it will
also be a mine of inexhaustible wealth, outriYal-
ing in richness the combined gold mines of the
Pacific coast. Thisnewly discovered source of
wealth will outYie the mineral wealth of the
country, mainly for the reason that it will re-
quire no labor or capital to send it broadcast
through the country. 1t will require no toiling
and digging into the bowels of the earth, nor
grinding to dust the everlasting bedrock of
Gods footstool, nor any such mean and degra-
ding process as labor, to make this grand mine
of wealth A simple scratch of the pen-that
is all-and the wealth is before you to enjoy,
to be handed down as a priceless legacy to your
children and childrens' children to the remoteSt
generation of time.
To enjoy these billings ED this wealth, let
the people of Walla Walla County, through the
officers of the county, get the undersigned to
build Court House for the use of the County,
to cost when completed say $500, ,OOO will
put up the building at actual cost of about
$40, 900; but viii guarantee to make it appear
that it cost the full sum of $500, 900. For this
building, the County must issue me bonds (gold
bearing) to the amount of the $500, ,000 and
payable in interest at 10 per cent. per annum.
The principal shall not be particular about
even though it is never paid. The interest on
the principal is all want, as it will be amply
sufficient to support me in gorgeous style. The
great object of all this is mainly to get the
County in debt so that thereby the people may
be blessed. The mode Of naugurating and
pilng up this debt to the best advantage,
have no doubt understand much better than
any other in the county, for the reason that
have been in de6t deeper and oftener than any
body. get in very easily, doing it upon sci
entiic principles. hope the County will let
the contract Of running it in debt, to me- as the
blessings to flow from the procedure can
not fail to be appreciated if manipulated through
my agency. Indeed, if any other person should
undertake to run the machine it is extremely
doubtful whether any of the great blessings
spoken of will follow, or if they should follow,
whether the people would be able to see them.
1t is mostly all in the man to be benefited in
directly, and the County directly, whether any
good would come out of the project or not. Up
on mature reflection lam induced to say that lam
the man-'the right man in the right place. that
everyb body, without distinction of party, has
heard about Can run the county in debt deep
er and better, and can make it stick longer, and
make more out of it than could the most prof.
cient among the government cantract blood
suckers and swindlers.
The blessings to the people would consist in
paying taxes to support me in luxury and indo-
other to make me rich and comfortable and
to render themselves poor and miserable The
ground principle of this new system of political
economy is ITO make the rich richer and the poor
poorer" The system is new thing in this codn-
try, but it has long been in vogue among the
monarchies of Europe and the empires of the
old world. In those countries the people long
ago discovered that public debts were public
blessings, keeping the poor and laboring class
es continually poverty-stricken, and the privi-
legged and aristocratic classes rolling in ease and
wealth. but the people of America from the
time of the Revolution up to a recent period
thought in their simplicity that they had a mod
ell system Of government, with light taxes, no
national debt and no privileged classes nor any
aristocratic tendencies The people scarcely
knew they had government, so gentle was its
operations and so benign its character They
thought, strange to say, that they were prosper
Gus and happy, and believed (what supreme ig-
n norancel) that 'national debt was a national
curse;" but nowall this is changed, the people
of to-day see it all in a different light. They.
like strong governments; they like havy taxation,
and best ofall they can see that "a public debt
is public blessing" The debt is what they have
left it is their stock in trade it is their wealth.
and by the distinguished powers that be- it is their
capital
Since this is the age of "debt" with our peo-
pie, let u all make the most of it. Let every
body'run in debt to the extent of his credit. A