The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-07-06

"a now administered. Nowhere, among civ
lied nations, can there be found such bur.
thans of taxation as have been laid upon
tLa sboudersof the American people by the
narty 10 power. And never before have such
rapid strides been made, in a free govern
rnent, toward despotism, ~ IN our own dur.
ing the last few years.
EXTRAyAGASCE,
We have been at peace now for over |
three years, and the ordinary expenses Of
the government at this time, exclusive OF |
| pensions and bOuntes, gs compared with |
the ordinary expenses OF the government |
prior 20 the advent 0. the republican party |
into power, will give fair illustration OF
the extravaganza now prevailing. In ma |
king this comparison, shall deal mostly in |
round numbers. The ordinary expenses OF
the government exclusive Of pensions and |
bountics, for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1867, foot up Sl70,00O,OOO. The aver
age annual ordinary expenses OF the gov
eminent exclusive Of pensions and boun'
ties, from 1851 to 1861, amounted to $780,.
100000. The annual excess Of the ordi'
binary expenses Of the government under
radical rule amounts to Sll4,OUUOOO. 1t
requires over three times Hs much money ~
detray ordinary expenses Of the government
under republican administration, as under
democratic administration. This fact, Of
ITSELF ought utterly TO condemn that party, in
the hearts Of all honest men. What busi'
ness man would keep in his employ an
! agent who spent annually three times rs
, much Of the income Of his employer as was
necessary to carry on the business2 Would
y you not turn out such al agent, and employ
: one who had conducted the same bust.
d ness at one.third the expense am now
speaking Of business men who want honesty,
!, capacity and fidelity, and not to politicians
- who want spois, The spoilsmon would an.
I. swer in favor Of the man who spent tho most
v money. The business man would answer
j. in favor Of the man Of economy. Now, tel.
low citizens, we present the balance sheet
"a 70 you. The officers Of the government
are, in fact, your servants, mon that you
% have employed, at salary, 70 transact your
public business for you. have shown you
H. that they are unworthy Of your confidence.
le Act with them as you would with dishOn-
u cst clerk or agent who had been caught pill
fering from your money drawer. Discharge
J. them, and replace them with honest men.
Ut To present this question Of eXtrRyagGnce
n. in clear light, let us see what the ordinary
expenditure, exclusive Of pensions and
~ bOunties amounted to, per capita, during
the first year Of Mr.. Buchanan admjustra.
ut ton; and what the ordinary expenditures,
yr exclusive Of pensions and bounties, now
4 amount to, per capita | take the last year
Of Mr.. Buchanan's administration as an H.
ustration, not because Of lis economy, but
rs because he was auaigned by our republican
friends for his cXtravaGsuee. For the iisca
=, year ending June 80, 1861, the ordinary ex
penses Of the government, exclusive Of pen
siOns and bOunties, amounted to q little lest
than 81 per capita, or to each man, woman
and child in the United States. For the iis
cal year ending June Goth, lsG7, the ord
nary expenses Of the government amOUnte
n. to about s. 81 pr capita, or to each in
hR1itaut. To show that the enormous ey
r peugo u last year ia not exceptional, / rctc
YOU 10 the fact that, according ~ the est
mates Of the secretary of the treasury Il
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868, tn
ordinary expenses of the government, eyclt
D. five Of pensions and bountioI, will amour
to 1892, 100000 or about s. II per- capitC
This is an increase Of Sl2,00O,0O0. Bt
they say that the appropriations will IL
equal the estimates; that they will only AZ
proprinte S33,0Q0,00O for tho war depsr
M ment Small appropriations will occAsio
y" large deficiency bills, unless there be @ r
ducton Of expenditure. see no eWdenC
that either the military force, or its cost
any branch, has been curtaiIcd On til
other hand, | soc statements to the cileC
that the disbursements on account Of tn
war department, amount to $4,000, 90
O
less sums than the estimates Of the treasur
department for the government service ar
4 very poor subterfugc BY which the radica
leaders attempt to cover up their eXtrava
gauce until after the next presidential elcc
ton, without reducing the amount Of tn,
II service, or the cost of any branch of il
The people will not save any money by tbi
weak invention; but members of congress
will have much easier consciences whe
they vote for enormous deficiency bills ate
the election, than they would have TO vot
10 for the same sums OF money in appropria
ton bills before the election.
Taking the estimates OF the ordinary eS
penses of the government, exclusive OF per
sions and bountes, for the year 1868, Il
correct and supp0sing each family in tn
United States to average five persons, an
III we find that the mere expense of admins
terng the federal government in a time {
profound peace, costs each head ola family
on an average, $2s IS per anuum.
This, however is only a partial view
lhc financial condition Of the country. Tn
amount paid last year for interest on tn
public debt was $l43, 900 and, whe
81 we add on all the items of expense for tina
Of year, we have the enormous sum of $346
al coo, 600, making over $40 per- capita, An
over $50 to each head of family, for th
ly annual burthou Of the people OF the Unite
r. States, without any diminution Of the publ
~ debt The whole amount of the revenues c
d. the Foderal government, last year amountc
,al to SaGl 100000, This sum is so large as
%. be almost incomPrehensible, and unless al
be ulyzcd, is liable to be overlooked from it
cd magnitude. If apportoned equally anon
Isl all the inhabitants of the United States, tn
no share Of each would amount to about ST.
in. the share Of each head OF u family would b
BY about SIS. If the amount had been assess
,m ed upon all the taxable property of the Uni
No ed States, it would have reached near pe
as cent. Bear il mind that these figures d
lat not touch the principal of the public deb
en- which, within n period Of seven years, ha
he accumulated to sum, in proportion to POI
ug ulation, larger than the public debt of mo,
lu- of the great nations Of Europe Owing {
In the fact that We pay twice the rate of inteI
ri. est paid by England or France, our debt
,st certainly much more burtheusome tha
*. theirs.
IN The public debt OF the United States
of estimated at $3,OOO,OOO,OOO; but as III,
he amount, beyond what has been adjusted an
to charged upon the books of the treasury d,