Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-02-26
RETRENCHMENT IN EARNEST.
Government Expenditures for the
Fiscal Year.

Mr.. Blaine, of Maine, made the fol-
lowing important statements in sub
mitting the Army Appropriation Bill
last week in the House of Representa-
tives. We extract his remarks from
the Glo5s of February 7th:
Mr.. Blaine. In submitting the Army
Appropriation Bill at this time, Mr..
Speaker, for reference to the Commit
tee of the Whole, desire 90 call the
attention Of the House to the total
amount comprised in it, which is S33,-
OS2,093. This is deemed by the Secre-
tsry of War and by General Grant,
sufficient for all the expenses of the
military establishment so far as they
can be foretold at this time. Nothing
but the outbreak Of hostilities in 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 ap-
prehension of deficiencies TO be met
by future appropriation.
General Grants estimates for mill.
tary expenditures have been made with
the greatest exactness and with a de-
gree of economy wholly unknown to
the army on its peace establishment
preceding the war. 6nd, by the Off
cial statement of the Secretary of the
Treasury, which l hold in my hand,
that the total expenses of the army for
the four years of Mr.. Buehanan's Ad-
ministration were $50, ,307, SIS 55, ma
king an average of well nigh twenty
two millions yer in III. The army
at that time was ed of nineteen
regiments in all so that each regi-
ment cost considerably over a million
dollars per annum in gold. The army
is at present composed of sixty regi-
ments, and the total appropriations re-
qnired by General Grant are but S33,-
100000 year in paper money, max
ing little more than half million dol
lars to each regiment. In other words,
the army, under the peace establish
ment Immediately preceding the war,
cost per regiment more than double in
gold what the army now costs per regi-
ment as administered by General Grant.
With the gradual reduction of the
army, as proposed in this bill, it is easy
to see that in the course of a year or
two our military expenses will be les
sened to such degree as no longer to
be felt as g burden to the taxpayer.
Thus much in regard to the army
The work of the Committee on Ap-
propriations is so far advanced and
made public that l am at liberty TO
present in this connection a brief re-
captiulation showing whato our total ex-
penses will be for the ensuing fiscal
year. For the Navy we have reported
SIS, ,096, ,045-an ample sum if the House
shall sustain my friend from Illinois
Mr.. Washburnel in making the valu-
able retrenchments and reforms which
are incorporated in the bill. The ma
val expenses for the four years of Mr..
Buchanan's Administration were $50, :
545, ,99S SO, showing an average of more
than thirteen millions per annum in
gold. With very much larger navy,
and with the disadvantage of paper
money and high prices, our appropris-
tions this year are but a triAe over
SIS, 900, 900 for the entire service.
The remainder of the ordinary ex-
penses of the government are embra-
oed under the following heads, and will
not materially differ from the figures l
give, namely:
Executive. legislative and judicial,
embracing all the saleries and ak
penses in the various Departments SlT. l9.i7S 50
POstOfice Department.....--.......--- 4.050C00 90
Consular and Diplonatie......-.-.-. l.25l .434 90
Indian 1900 600 90
West Point Military Acadsmy-.--.. 903e00 90
Miscellaneous expenses Of all kinds
embracing both annual and per-
an
These several items, in addition to
the army and navy appropriations,
whose amounts l have already given,
show a grand aggregate of 800, ,9l2. .047, :
80, conctituting what are known as the
ordinary expenses" of Government.
This aggregate does not present any
very large increase over the expendi-
lures of a similar kind preceding the
war. | find by reference to Official
documents that during the first year
of Mr.. Buchanan's administration the
ordinary expenses" under precisely
the same headings which l have inclu-
ded above, exceed so, ,000, 900 in gold.
And submit that $4,000, 900 in gold
in 1888 was a much larger amount
relatively considered, than $50, 900, 600
in paper in 186S-69. And it must be
borne in mind that with these SOC, ,000,-
600 in paper we are maintaining a
much larger army and navy than were
supported ten years ago.
Our extraordinary expenditures are
those which result directly from the
war. We shall appropriate 500, $50, 900
for pensions, aud l presume no one
will propose to withhold or reduce this
amount q gle dollar. We shall lik-
wise be called upon to appropriate
S25, 600, 900 in carrying into effect the
bounty laws of 1S66-67 and this viii
not be objected to by any one who re-
members that it goes to the men who
risked their lives and maimed their
bodies in the service of our common
country. We shall also expend $780,
100000 in paying off the interest on
our public debt; and this item can
only be reduced By repudiating the
obligations which were solemnly in
CURED in the name Of the nation and
for the preservation of the nations
life.
Adding these three large items of
pensions, bounties and interest to the
''ordinary expenditures" which I have
already cited, and we find the grand
total of expenditure for the year 1869
will amount to 1915, ,9I2,047 50. The
item of S25, 900, 900 for bounties is Of
course temporary and not to be count
ed among our regular expenditures
Deducting it from the sum total just
named for the fiscal year 1869 and
the amount would be trifie over $780,
100000. With the bounty paid and
our Army and Navy reduced. as we
propose to reduce them, our total an
nual expenditure in future years will
not exceed two hundred and twenty
FIVE or two hundred and thirty million
dollars; and l have no doubt the
Committee of Ways and Means will be
able to show US that this amount can
be raised without any oppressive bur
den upon the industry and enterprise
of the country, and with a vast reduc-
tion in our present system of Internal
taxes.
THREE GOLDEN RULES. Industry,
honesty and economy, are three prin-
ciples which. if strictly adhered to by
any young man, will, sooner or later,
place him in independent circumstan
ces. They are entire strangers to the
World-fail. Industry and honesty are
two great stsnd-points, which give a
man a high reputation among his fel-