Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-09-17
OUR STATE FINANCES FOR FORTY
YEARS.

EAAASs
We have seen in several Of our exchanges
claims set up on behalf Of the Democratic
party, that its management Of Pennsylvania
finances had been wiser and more statesman
Ike than that Of the Republican administra-
tons. Let US briefly state our observations
in that respect Forty years since, to wit,
in 1922 the State improvement system, as
1t has been called, was under way. During
the ensuing thirty years the Democratic
party had nearly uncontrolled sway in this
State. Three executives, to wit, Ritner,
johnson and Pollock, had been elected By
the opposition. but in all the thirty years
not three can be selected when both branch
es Of the legislature were controlled against
the Democratic party. The result of that
policy was the fastening upon the Common
wealth of State debt of fully forty millions
Of dollars and a State tax upon real estate
Of three mills, which yielded about 81 ,S00
600 annually. We viii charge the Repub-
lieaus with ten years management Of our
finances. Governor Packer, elected by the
Democrats, was Governor in 1859 and ISG0
yet the Legislature, since 1859, may be said
to have been in Republican hands The
Republican administration, therefore. had
to encounter a State debt Of over $40,O00,-
600, and fully S., ,00o, 600 extraordinary ex-
penses incurred by the State in putting down
the Democratic rebellion Of jeff Davis & Co.
They have also had to encounter an expense
that will reach $4,000 600, in educating the
soldiers and sailors orphan children, the
legitimate result Of the rebellion by the
States rights Democracy.
By the close of Governor Geary's ad-
ministratiou the regular State debt viii
have been reduced fully Sl0,0oO000, and
the war debt and soldiers, orphans edu-
cation expenses. about $s,000,000, aud
there viii remain in the State Treasury,
railroad bonds Of the Pennsylvania Com
rang, or guaranteed by it Of some $4,000,
O00 more. Let Us recapitulate:
State debt created by Democrats. $40 1000 600
War debt created by Democrats........,. 100000
Soldiers orphans, created By
Democrats ............. 100000 O0s
Total........,.......................s S., 100000
Paid of by ten years Of Republican
rule ......... ...........,...., SlS,O00,O00
Railroad Boads .......... 10000, ,0OO-$3O, ,OOO,OOo
Debt unprovilod for ................ s25,ooo, 600
The Democratic party, by the act of April
%, 1914, had fastened upon the real estate
Of the tax payers State tax from which
about $l,OO0000 annually was realized
This was repealed by the Republican ad-
ministration of February %, 1866. The
thirty years policy of the Democratic party
may be summed up in fighting corporations
and taxing the masses OF the people. The
Republicans have repealed the taxes upon
the masses ofthe people, and put it upon
the great corporations that have grown up
Railroads, banks and manufacturing cor
porations now pay the taxes which sustain
the State government If Asa Packershould
be elected, he, Of course, viii not like bis
coal aud railroad corporations to be taxed
as they now are under Republican legisla-
ture. He will insist on the repeal Of all
this, and that the Democratic legislation of
1874 taxing real estate should be restored.
-C Commercial.