The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-02

relief. The cost Of Republican rule, however,
is much too large question to be disposed OF
in this summary way. To Judge OF it correct
ly, we must lock at IL first as whole, ranging
from the accession OF Mr.. Lincoln to the pre-
sent time; and next as compared with the
expenditures OF the Democratic party under
Mr.. Buchanan. In neither aspect has the
Republican party reason to shrink from an
investigation.
The Republicans came into power the inhe-
ritors of embarrassing legayes left by their
Democratic predecessors. They inherited a
Treasury abandoned by Cobb without money
or credit, and Rebellion whose aggregate cost
exceeded four thousand millions. They
started, therefore, at great disadvantage.
Yet they succeeded in restoring credit to the
Government and in discharging debt, during
the progress of the war, amounting to not less
than 1920, 6Sl, ,l62. After the war, moreover,
war expenditures continued. There were
arrears of payment due to the army and navy,
pensions earned in the war, State expenses to
be refunded, and other items of special
character accruing from the Rebellion. Add
these to the debt outstanding when Lee sur
rendered, and compare the aggregate with the
debt now outstanding, and it will be found
that since the spring of 1866 the Republican
party has paid off 1902, ,733, 329. Such is its
record in regard to the debt.
II these enormous payments, together with
the debt remaining, are to be charged as 'the
cost of radical rule" it should never be for
gotten that they are part of the cost of sup
pressing Rebellion for which the Democratic
party is largely responsible. The entire cost
of the war might, indeed, be debited to the
Democracy. Whether this be done or not,
Republicans may point to the extent of the
reduction of the debt and the unparalleled
rapidity with which it has been accomplished,
as evidence of faithful ana energetic steward
ship on the part of their representatives.
For the debt itself they are not responsible,
but for its diminution they may fairly claim
credit.
Nor have war expenditures and payments,
on account of the debt, prevented attention to
taxation. The reduction of taxes within three
years, as compared with the maximum neces-
STATED by the war, amounts to $l67, 100000,
of which $67, 600 600 were abolished last ses-
sion. This process of saving has been rendered
possible by continual and un nsparing retrenoh-
ment. The expenses of the War Department,
which, for the year ending June 30, 1865,
were 81, OBJ, 323, 600, are for the current year
| SAC, ,000, GOO; while the Navy Department ex-
penses have been cut down from $l23, 900, 900
| to S17, 800, coo. II the scale which prevailed
| in the four years of Buehanan's administra-
tion were now adhered to, the army, instead
of costing forty millions in greenbacks, would
cost seventy millions in gold; while the navy
expenditures would be nearly forty millions
| lnSteSu OF tu0 seventeen WHICH congress mas
appropriated.
| These comparisons constitute, after all,
the true test OF Republican rule. Is Repub-
lican government cheaper or dearer than
Democratic government 4? This is really the
question to be met. We have answered it SO
far as it applies to two great channels of ex-
penditure. We have shown that, notwith-
standing inflated prices, the cost of carrying
on the army and navy is at this moment less
taking everything into consideration-than
under the last Democratic Administration.
And the comparison may be pushed further
without shaking the result. Thus, the civil
list expenses, which were S45, 790,05S unde,
Buchanan, in 1862 averaged less than $685.
600, 600 under Lincoln, and have not averaged
more than $42, 100000 under Mr.. Johnson
The total cost Of carrying on the Government
under Buchanan, with population Of thirty
millions, and prices resting on a hard money
basis, exceeded seventy millions in gold, or
with gold at its present rate, about hundred
millions in greenbacks. The total now, witt
war prices still maintained, with largely in
creased population, and with territories added
is but $l06, ,Sl8, 447, or less than seven mil
lions more than the Democratic total and mex
year it will be within the hundred millions
Republican rule, then, as it exists at thi
moment, with all the drawbacks eonse
quent upon the war, is actually cheaper thai
Democratic rule, as exemplifed under Bu
chanan's administration.