The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-09


{, NINA nderln Chief of the army, and deny o
Bi sb Of the Union the right 10 protect them
selves by means OF their own militia. These
bOuld be at once aRnulled; for while
the nrst might, In times of great emergency,
. fiously embarress The Executive In efforts to
M pluy and ect the com m On strength OF the
nation for iis pi ection aud preservation, the
other A. contrary TO the express ueolaration OF
the Copsitution that "a well,regu.sted militia
be ing eCessafy to the security OF n free State,
the right of the people 10 keep and bear arms
shall Lot be iDfrtp ged."
wonld be pied by she American people as
az least q partial return 10 the fundamental
lion tpat hereafter the Constitution Is to be
made the nations safe and unerriug guide.
TD.y csn be productive OF no permanent nsne.
nt 10 the country, and shOHId not be permitted
to stanu ms so many monuments of the deficient
wisdOm which has characterized our recent
Inc condition OF our hnapces demands the
early and earnest consideration of Congress.
Z, psIeu with the growth OF our population,
the public expenditures have reached an
amount unprecedented In our history.
The population OF the United States In 100
was ear ly i0ur millions of people. Increasing
each decade about ihirty-thTes per cent, tt
reached IN 1890 thirty y-one millions-an increase
of seven hundred per cent. on the population
of 1880 In 1859 IL Is estimated that IL viii reach
thirty eight millions. or an Increase of eight
hundred and sixty.eight per cent In seventy.
The annual expenditures of the Federal
Government in l19l were four million two
hunuI eO thousand dollars: In 1920 eignte9n
million Two bupdI ed Thousand doiiars; IN 1850
forty. one millions; In 1860 six y. three millous
In 1863 il is estimated by The Secretary Of the
Treasury, in his last annual report, that they
wiIl be three hundred and seventy'two mil-
by comparing the public disbursements of
1868. as estimated, with those OF 1901, IL Will be
step that The IN Dcrease OF ex pendlture since the
beg inning OF the Government has been eignt
thousand six hundred and eighteen per cen.
tum, while the inc, ease Of the population for
ibe same period was only eight hundred and
tixty eight per centum. Again: the expenses
of The GoverDment in 1867 The year OF peace
imme diaIely preceding Inc war, were only
sixty.thr millions; while In 1859. the year of
peace three after the war, IL Is esti mated
they will be three hundred and seven y-two
millions-an increase of four hundred and
eighty y nine per cenLum, while the increase of
pOpuIauon was only twenty-one per cenlum
These statistics fnrther show that in 1891 the
annual national ex xpenses, compared with the
population, were Little more IMAM one dollar
pei capita ind In 1850 ON two dollars per Capita;
while In 1869 they will feacn The extTavagsnG
sum OF nine dollars and seventy-eight Cents
IL viii be observed that ell ofthese statements
refer TO and exhibit the disbursements of peace
periods. II may therefore, be OF interest TO
compare the expenditures of the three war
periods-the war with Great Britain. the Mexi-
can war. and the war OF LDe Rebellion.
In lila the annual expenses 1pciuent to the
B sr Of 1872 leached their mig hest am Uunt-aoUut
thirty one millions; whiie our pOpuiation
slightly exceeded eight millions, showing an
expenditure Of only lnIee dollars and eighty
cents per capita, In 1917 the expenditures
niiy' ive millions. and the population about
twenty. .one millions. giving only Two dollars
OF that wear. In 1865 5tnesxpendIlures called Ior
by the Re bellion reached Lne vast amount of
tweIve hundred and ninety millions, wnich.
compared win o population OF thirty.f)ur mil.
lions, gives thirty eight dollars and twenty
eDts per capita.
From the fourth dsy Of March, 1850, to the
thiItieih Oi June, 1884, the enIlre expenditures
OF the Cove nneLL were seventeen hundred
millions Of dollars. During tnat period We
Mexico, and were involved IN hosCiiiLies W ILh
powerful Indian uioes; Louisiana was pur-
chased from France ~ u cost OF fifteen millions
hvo millions; California was acquired from
Mexico ior fifteen millions; and Tue Territory
OF New Mexico was obtained from Texas for the
sum of ten milions Early In 1861 the war of
The Re bellion cOmmepced; and from The first OF
July OF that year 10 the 8Otn June, 1865. the
sRgrsgale Of ihirIythree hundred millions.
Three years Of peace have intervened and
during that time the disbursements OF the Gov
eI mt mt have succt ssiveiy been five hun dred
aud w eniy millions, three hundred and iOrLy-
six millions, and three hundred and ninety
three millions. Adding To THESE amounts three
hundred and seventy Two millions. estimated
as necessary for the fiscal year ending tue 30tn
Of June, 1863 we obtain q total expenditure of
sixteen hundred millions OF dollars duiing the
four years Immediately succeeding tne war. or
sew. ty. two years that preceded the Rebellion,
and embraced The EXTRAORDINARY expenditures
These startling facts clearly illustrate the
tssity of retIenchmeDL IL ali blanones of
the public service Abuses which were tole-
rate d CuIlng the war for the p eservation Of
The nation will not be enduI ed by The People
Low that profound peace prevails. rne recel pts
from internal revenues and customs nave,
during the past three years. gradually dimtn-
isbeo, md the continuance Of useless and ex.
uavsgsnt expenditures Will involve Us IN ma
tiopsI bankruptcy, or else make inevitable an
iner.ahe OF taxes, already too onerous, and In
many respects obnoxious on account of their
annually are ex xpended for the military force,
a large portion OF which is employed In
the execution OF laws both unnecessary and
millions are required eaoa year To
pay The interest the pu olic debt; an army of
Isx gathereIs lmPoyeris9es the naiion; aud
control OF the Executive, overt from their
lsRIIimate purposes large sums OF money which
GuStrnment. Judicious legislation and pru-
o, mt economy can alone remedy defects aud
avert evils wnicD, n sunt red 10 exisr, cannot
cils snd weaken the attachment and respect
OF the people towards their political tnsLiLu-
ti0na, Without proper care the small balance
bioh IL is estimated will remain In the rreA.
suIy at the close OF the present fiscal year Will
not be realized and additional millions be
added 10 a debt which Is now enumerated by
IL il shown, by the able and com prehensIve
reJ ort the Secretary Of the Treasury tn ,L tue
/, csI Us for IDe Dscal year ending Juas 81, 1898
Meie slO5 65s.OsS aud l9ar tns sspesdilnres Ior
endn june sS iScS wiz be De ssi sS9SUs "a; aud @ sae
ex pei uiinres, Ssi6. .l52. f70, showing ~ sma
balance of s5 $40 39S iu favor OF the Gogernm. a .
For ne nEcsl ear ending June 30 1870, u Ises,t
mated hat the receipts WIN an "a az 20 SS7 OOo.-
an estimated surplus OF S2i OOO OU0. ID.
IL becsmes proper. IN THIS oJnnectlon,s to
make o briei reference To our pubic Indebted.
ness. which has aeeu nlui iated with sucn alarm
ing rapidly aud assumed suoh COLOSSAL proper
- i-sa xyban tha Governnoant conn n,ancad