Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-12-15
rnr NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

appropriately 10 uelOuHf dAl
powers and other duties in relation
to the Territories, with which the
Department of State is now charg-
ed by law and usage; and from
the Interior Department to the
War Department the pension bu.
reau, so far as it regulates the pay
ment of soldiers pensions. l
would further recommend that the
payment Of naval pensions be trans
ferred to one of the bureaus of the
Navy Department.
THE FINANCES OF THF GOVERNMENT.
The estimates for the expenses
Of the Government for the next
fiscal year are Sl9,244, ,346.0l less
than for the current one, but ex.
ceed the appropriations for the
present year for the same items
SS,972,12756, In the estimate,
however, is included S22, ,338,27S.-
81 for public works heretofore be.
gun under Congressional provision,
and of which only so much is
asked as Congress may choose to
give. The appropriation for the
same works for the present fiscal
year was l1,984,5IS0S.
The average value of gold, as
compared with national currency,
for the whole of the year 1869,
was about 1874, and for eleven
months Of 1870 the same relative
value has been about 1l5. The ap.
proach to a specie basis is very
gratifying, but the fact can not be
denied that the instability of the
values of our currency is prejudi
cal to our prosperity, and tends
to keep up prices, to the detirment
of trade. The evils of a depre.
ciated and auctuating currency are
so great that now, when the pre-
MUM on gold has fallen so much,
it would seem that the time has ar.
rived when, by wise and prudent
legislation, Congress should look
to policy which would place our
currency at par with gold at no
distant day. The tax collected
from the people has been reduced
more than eighty million dollars
per annum. By steadness in our
present course, there is no reason
why in few short years the ma.
tonal tax gatherer may not dis
appear from the door Of the citizen
almost entirely, With the revenue
stamps dispensed by the postmas-
ters in every community; tax
upon liquors Of all sorts, and to.
bacco in all its forms, and by
wise adjustment Of the tariff, which
will puta duty only upon those
articles which one could dispense
with, known as luxuries, and on
those on which we use more of
than we produce, revenue enough
may be produced after a few years
pence and the consequent reduction
OF Indebtedness, to fulfill all our
obligations. A further reduction
of tile interest account may he re
lied on to make this practicable
revenue reform.
REVENUE REFORM.
IF 1t means this, has my hearty
support. lit implies a collection
of all the revenue for the support
OF Government, for the payment
of principal and interest Of the
public debt, pensions, etc, by di
rectly taxing the people, then am
against "reyenue REFORM" and
confidently believe the people are
with me. lit means failure to
provide the necessary means to dc
fray all expenses Of the Government
anl thereby reputation of the pub
lie debt and pensions, then | am
sdll more opposed to such kind OF
"revenue reform" "Revenuo re
form has not b1en defined by any
OF its advocates TO my knowledge,
but seems to be accepted as some
thing which is to supply every
mans wants without any cost or
effort on his part. A true revenue
reform cannot be made in day,
but must be the work of national
legislation and Of time, AS soon
as the revenue can be dispensed
with, all duty should be removed
from coffee, tea, and other articles
Of universal use, not produced by
ourselves. The necessities Of the
country compel us TO collect rev
ennc from our imports. An army
OF Assessors and Collectors Is not
pleasant sight to the citizen, but
that or tariff for revenue is nee
essary. Such tariff, so far as ii I
acts in encouragement to homo pro ,
duets, affords employment TO labor 4
at living wages, in contrast to the /
pauper labor of the Old World, {
aud, also, in the development Of Il
home resources. $
THE ARMY,
Under the act of Congress Of
the 18th day of July, 1870, the
army has been gradually reduced,
so that on the lst Of January, 1871,
the number Of commissioned /,
officers and men will not exceed the
number contemplated by law
The War Department building is
au old structure, not entirely ade
quate to ourpresent wants. Many
thousand Of dollars are paid an
nuany for rent OF private buildings
Ia accommodate the various bu. y