Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-08-19

sides, the inspectors, weighers, gaugers,
&C., were not within their control at ALL
a. Tbs Debt The few millions Of the
national debt paid during the last sixteen
months of Mr., Johnsons term will be re-
and the contrast between that
exhibit and the $140, 900, 900 paid by Presi-
dent Grant during his first sixteen months
rejoices all who hold that the national debt, |
as the cost Of our national existence, must |
be paid to the uttermost farthing. Not go |
rapidly, 1t may be hoped in the future (; |
but that each year shall see its volume
and its burdens materially reduced.
5. Retrenchment In every department
there have been retrenchments. The
clerical force at Washington has been re-
ducod by the thousand, every year finding
IL smaller. The large force of civilians in
the employ of Quartermaster's Bureau has
been steadily ourtailed, devolving their
work, as far as possible, on soldiers. The
army has been ordered to be reduced, and
the large surplus of officers are TO be mus
tered out. The grades of General and
Lieutenant General, created by the wer,
arc to cease when vacancies occur in them.
The Major. Generals are to be reduced to
three, and the Brigadiers to six, as vacan-
cies occur. And, after this year, four mil
lions per annum will be saved by the va
rious retrenchments of the army bill,
without impairing its efficiency. Thus,
with honest collections, the destruction
of the whisky rings believing the honest
tax payers from bearing his own burden
and the burden of the dishonest besides),
with economy in expenses, with retrench-
ments In every branch, with the appro-
priatlon bills for the future below the es
Inmates, with the national credit main
IaiDed, and with the national debt steadily
diminishing, Republicans have no cause
to fear an appeal against them TO the
country.
8. Reduction in Tariff and 7ares. With
all this healthy financial result, the Re
publicans in Congress were able to pass
bill, for which the Democracy refused
to vote, reducing the burdens of interne'
and external taxation in the aggregate
about $30,0O0,OO0 per year. In changing
the duty on Bessemer steel rails from 0d
Udl0Tspl TO specific Chat is from per cent.
on value to fixed amount slight ap-
parent increase has caused them to be de-
| nounced. Without arguing the point, for
l hAve desired to state the facts rather
than to argue them, word of explana-
tion may not be amiss. al DdL0Ten duties
give high duties when not needed. Spe.
cific duties enable all, consumers as well
as producers, to know precisely how much
duties are to be paid, irrespective o;
fluctuations in cost When Bessemer
steel rails, then new invention, were
taxed forty five per cent. dd oni0ren, un-
der the tariff, their cost was about $3.50
per ton. The duties then amounted 10
over $50 per ton. Increased production
and competition on both sides of the
ocean brought the price down to 500
$50, $50, and finally to about $50 pei
ton. The last Congress made The
duty on them hereafter specific (as
it is on tea, coffee, sugar, &c), and
fixed it at one and quarter cents pei
pound, or $28 per ton. This would be
less than twenty per cent. on their price
when first introduced into use and would
ii they rose to over $50 per ton, be less
rate than the fuctuating dd cdlortnr duty
which it supersedes. But, without claim
ing that every feature Of this bill il
exactly and absolutely correct Qor nc
tax bill in all its details ever fully sat
I isfed all who voted for it or support
| iD, IFS great leading objects com
mend it to al who feel the burdens oftax
alton. all the vexatious special interns
taxes are swept away after this year Tht
tax on gross receipts of railroads, steam
boats, express companies, which increased
the rate of travel and freight, is also abol
ished. The income tax is reduced one
half-from FIVE per cent. TO two and a hal
limited to two years, and the exemption
raised from $1,000 to $4,000. AS the
amounts paid for rent, taxes, etc, are alsc
deducted, this burden is lifted from al
whose annual incomes are below abou
$4,000; and these persons whose incomes
are below the exemption are relieved from
the necessity of furnishing detailed state
ments of their means hereafter. So tina
our internal tsXation hereafter is TO b.
mainly on luxuries, realized wealth, ant
the operations Of finance and commerce
Many articles used as raw materials b.
home manufacturers are PLACED on tn
free list of the tariff, with hundreds O
others which did not pay the expenses o
HcollectiOn. Pig iron, the basis OF all man
ufactures of iron, is reduced from 50 t
81 per ton. And coffee, tea, and suga
have had nearly half their tariff dutic
abolished after this year, reducing tht
daily expenses of all in limited cirCum
stances. Although this last reduction
curtaila the revenue $l4,0l0,O00 per yea
on sugar, $9,000,000 on coffee, and 81, $50,
600 on tea, for the benefit of those t,
whom these articles have become neces
saries, and who use proportionately near
ly as much of them as the rich, regre
that the bill which enacted it failed to re
ceive the Democratic vote.
Z. Funding. Congress also passed, owe
the opposition of the Democratic mem
bers, bill for fu aiding the nationsl debt
on which six per cent. interest is nov
paid, into bonds to run thirty, fifteen anC
ten years respectively, at four, four and {
balt, and five per cent. Understanding
all are funded, twenty-six millions of in
terest per year. The rise in gold occa
stoned by the war may retard this desret
consummation; but, if our opponents re
gard the new rates of interest as too higl
and too liberal, their capitalists have a.
excellent opportunity now to avail them
selves Of them.
8. Increased Banking Circulation. With
out inf1atiLg the currency, but at tn
same lime saving nearly million and
half of interest per year to the Treasur!
on S45,0O0000 OF three per cent. certih
Gates, Congress authorized $76,000,000 Q
additional circulation to the South AM
West which had now less than thei
share of national bank circulation.
O.. Pensioners. A much desired chang
was effected by Congress in providing 70
the payment to all pensioners Quarterl,
hereafter, instead of SEM annually, an,
in checks sent to their homes, the Gov
erpment paying all the expense of tn
necessary vouchers, instead Of deductini
II from their pensions, as has been tn
practice hitherto in all our history. And
9 as the artificial limbs supplied to ou
crippled soldiers wear out, on an average
in five years, new sets are to be furnishe
them every five years, or the money Valu
thereof, if they are unable to use them.
10. Peace. Despite our strong and uu
disguised sympathy with all who struggl
for liberty and selfgoVernment, we hay
been fortunately preserved from any EN-
broilments abroad, from war or entanglin
alliances, as well as from the threatene
Indian war on the Plains. Leaving ou
work of development to progress ur
checked, our national wealth to increase
our national sineW and muscle to handl
the plow rather than the rife, our nations
debt to diminish, and, till European wa
disturbed the money markets Of til
world, gold to steadily settle downwar
till within nearly ten per cent. Of par.
I un1st NOT trasnsea H7rtbar nv, ,yo,,