The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-22
Our National Debt and Onr National
ON The y. j. Times.

From The Y. ]. Times.
We published yesterday a compre
hensive and impressive statement o
the resources upon which we may rely
for the payment of the national debt
1t was there shown that the productive
power of this country is lar greater
than that of any other country in tbs
world-and it points out several direc,
tions in which this power may be rap,
idly and indefinitely increased. An
increase of capital and of labor, espe,
cially of the means of access TO the
vast mineral and agricultural wealth
of the central regions of the continent
are referred to as of special impor-
tance.
No man who knows anything about
this country can dou bt its ability to pay
the public debt. There is no doubt thai
{ II cGn pay, both interest and principal
as they may fall due. But whether
1t tCiH pay or not is quite another ques-
tion- As things stand now, we have nc
4 doubt. The people are paying for it,
and are willing to be taxed as heavily
as necessity requires. They are not for
/ paying il at once they do not believe
I that debt incurred for the good OF the
nation through all coming time should
] be paid by one generation alone. The
| war against rebellion was waged quite
| as much for the benefit OF their posteri-
ty as for that of the mem who wsged il;
and posterity, therefore, should bear
their fair proportion OF its cost. But
whatever may be needed TO pay the in
/ terest on this debt as il accrues, and to
reduce the principal year by year, will
cheerfully be paid in the form OF taxes
I by the people.
But they will do this tor the purpose
Q and in tho hnpa nF
! ultimate extinction of the debt itself (.
So long as they see it actually dimin-
ishing year by year, SO long will they
! acquiesce IN any taxation that may be
required. They submit TO taxation, not
because they like it, nor because il is
/ good or desirable in itself, but because
II is necessary to maintain the public
| honor. and TO pay the public debt.
Thsy Will not submit to il, if the money
I raised is TO be squandered on party
schemes, or applied to any other pur-
pose than that Tor which it is asked at
their hands.
It depends wholly upon Congress
whether the public debt is ever paid or
not. If that body steadily pursues a
course of retreuchmeDt and rigid econ
/ omy-ifit avoids increasing the public
| debt-ifir adopts modes of taxation
which render the burden as light as
! possible, and adapts them TO the ability
of different classes to bear theni-if il
consults the public welfare instead of
private interests in all its financial
policy, the people will respond prompt
/ iy and heartily to the demands il may
make upon them.
But the policy pursued by Congress
for the last two years will inevitably
end in practical repudiation of the
pubic deoti and II Is ust as we'll to un-
derstand this first and last. And the
danger is that this policy always lrilI
be pursued, for it is the one dictated by
the personal necessities and aspira-
tions of individual members. Every
member desires reelection or promo
ton In public life, and he can only get
It by securing the votes of his constitu-
ents. Every member has among his
constituents more or less sOldiers-in
very many, perhaps u majority of all
the districts, enough TO turn the scale
between eontending political par
ties. Accordingly, every member
Is tempted to vote under one pretense or
another, large sums of money to the
soldiers-a vote which il Is easy to JUS
tiTy on the score of patriotism. aud
which few men have the courage under
any circumstances to resist.
Hence half-a- dozen members are al
ready runnin a race to see which shall
propose the largest donations to the
soldiers. General Schenck proposes
that the National Government shall
pay Tie w eSlSEu tEOOpS rs large DOun-
lies as the Eastern troops nave received.
Mr.. Blaine proposes that il shall refund
what the. Eastern States paid theirs,
and General Banks proclaims that he
Will 'go as far as he who goes farthest''
in voting money to the soldiers, for any
purpose or under any prete1t whatever.
And the mass of members are afraid to
say No TO any of these propositions,
lest they should be accused of sympa-
thy with Rebels and traitors. And this
is only one OF the many ways in which
millions upon millions are likely 10 be
added [ o the national debt.
On the other hand, private interests
of every class and description, are
clamorous for relief from taxation. In
the abstract, everybody favors the Wig
orous assessment of taxes but when il
come to particulars everybody seeks re
lief from his specific share. In 1856 ev-
cry kind of manufacture was taxed and
urged that taxation as a reason why du-
ties on competing imports should be in
creased. In 81 these Internal taxes were
largely reduced, and the clamOr for in
creased piotec ion which still further di-
minishes the revenue from imports is
redoubIed. In 1856. while members of
Congress received SS 600 yearly salary
for their services, they taxed all in
comes over IS. 600 ten per cent. This
year they receive S, 600 each, and thus
come under that large ratio OF taxation
themselves, they repeal it and levy
only i've per cent, upon all incomes
alike. This single item will cost the
revenue so, GOO 600 per annum. And so
the process of reducing the income
goes on year by year, in every direc-
tion, while additions are at tie
same time made to the aggregate of the
public debt Nor is this tendency like
" TO be checked without an effort.
Each party will strive for popular IA
vor through reduced taxation and in
creased appropriations, and all expert /
ence shows Juat in such a race the
public welfare and the public honor
are but little regarded.
Great, therefore, as our national re-
sources may be, they will avail but lit
tie in redeeming the public deb, unless
Congress meets its share of the respon-
stbiiity with resolute and unfalterinZ :
courage. That whole system OF lavish
appropriations must be abandoned. :
Retrenchmeut must be enforced when
ever consistent with the public welfare;
and taxation must be framed with
reference TO the public good, instead of
OF the interests OF classes or private in
dividuals.
THE Irish detectives have made a
very funny bull. They think thew
have arrested John Morrissey. The