The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-11
Cost of n Republican esoverumeu,.


The Democratic papers are making such an
outcry about the wastefulness and extrava-
gance OF the government, that perhaps the
following statements may be reassuring to
some Republicans who have been stunned and
confused by the din and confusion. We copy
from the Congressional Globe of the 7th in
slant Mr.. Blaines remarks on submitting the
Army Appropriation bill:
In submitting the Army appropriation bill
ut this time, Mr.. Speaker, for reference to the
Committee of the Whole desire to call the
attention of the House to the total amount
comprised IN it, which is S33, 082, 093. This is
deemed by the Secretary of War and by Gen
eral Grant sufficient for all the expenses OF
the military establishment so far as they can
be foreseen or foretold at this time. Nothing
but the outbreak of hostilities ia some quarter
can increase the amount now appropriated.
The adjustment Of our Indian troubles, which
produced the necessity of extra expenditure
the past year, leaves no room for any appTehen-
sion OF deficiencies to be met by future appro-
priation.
General Grants estimates for military ex-
penditures have been made with the greatest
exactness and with degrae.of economy wnS n
~ unknown to the Army on its peace estab-
lishment preceding the war. ind, by the Of
fetal statement of the Secretary of the Treas
ury, which / bold in my hand, that the total
expenses of The Army Tor the four years of Mr..
Buchanan's Administration were S95, 307 ,575.-
| IS, making an average OF well nigh twenty
two millions a year in gold. The Army at
| that time was composed of nineteen regiments
| in all; 50 that each regiment cost considerably
over million dollars per annum in gold. The
| Army is at present composed of sixty regl-
ments, and the total appropriations required
| by General Grant are but S33 100000 year IN
| paper money, making little more than hall
| million dollars to each regiment. In other
words, the Ar1ny, preceding the acdr, cost pei
regiment more than double in gold whGs IN
ATDay Ro,o cost per regiment IN paper t1der tnt
| peace establishment as administered oy Gen
| Grant. With the gradual reduction OF the Ar
| my, as proposed in this bill, it is easy to see
| that in the course of year or two our militia
| ~ expenses will be lessened to such degret
| as no longer to be felt burden to the tax
! payer. .e
Thus much in regard to the army. Thu
| work of the Committee on Appropriations i
| so far advanced and made public that am a
| liberty to present in this connection q brie
recapitulation showing what our total expense
! will be tor the ensuing fiscal year. For th
navy we have reported $1S 096 045-an ampl
sum If the House shall sustain my friend iron
Illinois Mr.. Washburne] in making the valu
| able retrenchments End reforms which are in
corporated in the bill. The naval expenses fo
| the four years of Mr.. Buchanan's administra
ton were $50, 645 1893 SO, showing an average {
more than thirteen millions in gold. With
| very much larger navy and with the disaG
vantage of paper money and high prices, ou
appropriations this year are but trjhe owe
eighteen millions for the entire service.
The remainder of the ordinary expenses {
the Government are embraced under the TO
lowing heads, and will not materially diffe
from the figures l give, namely:
Executive, legislative, and judicial, embracing a
the salaries and expenses in the various Depar
menus. Sl1.ll9,lfo
| ll,..
Consular aud diplomatic. ............ 1,26l,434
Indian Department. Observation-Disclosures. 5000, 600
| West Point Military Academy. 3e3, COl
Miscellaneous expenses OF all kinds,
embracing both annual and perma-
| nent appropriations, .............,. 100000
These several items, in addition to the arm
and navy appropriations, whose amounts
have already given, show grand aggregat
OF S9O,9l2,O 47 80, constituting what are know
as the ordinary expenses" of Governments
This aggregate does not present any gerry lars
increase ocer the expenditures of a similar Kin
preceding the Dar. L find by reference to off
cial documents that during the first year {
MIR. Buchanan's Administration the "ordinar
expenses, under precisely the same heading
which have Included above, exceeded $40
100000 in gold. And submit that $70,0O0,OO
in gold in 1857 IS was much larger amount
relatively considered, than $780, 600 in pape
III 1866. And it must be borne in min
that with these $90,000O00 in paper we ar
maintaining a much larger army and nav
than were supported ten years ago.
Our extraordinary expenditures are thos
which result directly from the war We sha
appropriate $50, 330, 600 for pensions, and / pre
sumo no one will propose to withhold or re
duce this amount a single dollar. We sha
likewise be called upon to appropriate S25, 900
600 in carrying into effect the bounty laws {
1861; and this will not be objected to by an
one who remembers that it goes to the me
VINO risked their lives and manned their bod
| les in the service of our common country
We shall also expend $130000,0O0in paying OF
the interest on our public debt; and this tier
can only be reduced by repudiating the obi
cations which were solemnIy incurred in tn
name OF the nation aud for the preservation {
the nations life.
Adding these three large items of pension
bounties and interest to the Ordinary exper
ditures" which L have already cited, and "
lind the grand total of expenditure for tn
year 1850 will amount to 1915, 912,047 81 Th
item of $4,000 900 for bounties is, of cours
temporary and not to be counted among OF
regular expenditures. Deducting it from til
sum total just named for the fiscal year 1868
the amount would be a trifle over $3.50, 900
600. With the bounty paid and our army an
navy reduced, as we propose to reduce then
our total annual expenditure in future veal
to two hundred and thirty million dollars; an
l have no doubt the Committee of Ways an
Means will be able to show US that tn
amount can be raised without any oppressiy
burden upon the industry and enterprise
the country, and with a vast reduction in OF
present system OF internal taxes.