The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-30

been claimed for it; or why is it that Mr..
Hooper, the delegate from the Territory to
Congress, the defender of polygamy, is him
self the husband of but one wife During
last summer another gentleman from that
Territory, assisting the delegate in Washing
ton against the Cullom bill, was also single
married man. 1t is asserted by representa-
tives from Salt Lake that only small pro-
portion of the men are polygamists, and
many of these are repentant. 1t seems a
fitting time to grapple with the subject by
the adoption of just, humane, and effective
legislation.
THE TREASURY-TAKING TOO MUCH
MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE.
From the NJ Y. Herald.
The Secretary of the Treasury seems to
have but one idea, and that is to accumulate
the largest amount of money possible
in the Golfers of the Government. He loves
to gloat over the mass of wealth there as a
miser does over his money bags. He ina
gines, we suppose, that he can point to this
as the result of his wisdom in administering
the affairs of the Treasury Department, and
say to the people, see how carefully have
collected the revenue and piled up your
wealth. But he undertakes the sagacty of
the people. They can see that this enormous
and surplus revenue-this vast unemployed
capital OF hundred millions and upwards
is wrung from their hard earnings It is, in
fact, an unnecessary and monstrous exaction
from an overtaxed people. The hundred
to a hundred and fifty millions which
Mr.. Boutwell, keeps boarded up all the time,
and has kept boarded from the time he took
charge of the Treasury, is so much money
taken away from productive industry. In
the hands of the people it would earn much
larger sum and add greatly to the wealth of
the nation. But that is not the only loss
Lying in the Treasury vaults it is dead capt.
tai. Put out at interest, or, what would have
amounted to nearly the same thing, applied
to the liquidation of the debt, from six to
nine millions year would have been saved.
The Secretary has lost for the country from
twelve to eighteen millions during the time
he has been in Office by this ridiculous policy
of boarding. This loss, as we said, is in addi-
tion to what the people have lost in having
the money taken away from their industrial
pursuits unnecessarily. The remark of the
Saviour about the Improbable servant who
had kept his masters talent wrapped up un-
employed is applicable to Mr.. Boutwell,.
We said the Secretary seemed to have but
this one idea. He has, however, another,
which also operates I'M njuriously and keeps up
burdensome taxation. That is to make the
people Of the present time pay off the debt
which can be paid better and easier in the
future-to make us who have borne the
blood for the Union pay all the cost. This
is both unreasonable and unjust Those
who are to come after us will enjoy the bless
ings we have purchased by our blood and
treasure, and ought to contribute something
to liquidate the remaining part of the cost,
especially when we consider that they will
feel the burden much less than we do. In
ten years the population of this country will
be probably nearly half more than it is now,
yfu rnt1ltn tbn akso oroI
wealth will be increased in a greater ratio
Why, then, should not the people of the next
| decade, or OF the next twenty wears, nav a
portion of the debt? Mr.. Boutwell, delights
| to boast of reducing the debt at the rate of a
hundred millions or more year. He thinks
that gives him great credit for financial
ability with the people, and will make him a
| popular man for the Presidency or some
other high honor. But the speople are not
SO blind. They know the money comes from
them and they are oppressed to raise it. Sup
pose bankers clerk who has handed to
him large sum of money by his employer to
| go and pay debt of the bank, should boast
of what he accomplshes, as if the money be-
longed to him, should we not think his con-
duct ridiculous? just as reasonable is it for
Mr.. Boutwell, to claim the credit of paying
the national debt, when the money pours in
upon him from the burdensome taxes i'm
posed by Congress.
1t is not a question of the ability of the
country to raise an enormous revenue and to
pay off the debt rapidly. That it can do un-
doubtedly. Though not as rich as England
in accumulated capital, it has greater and
more varied natural resources. There is, in
fact, wonderful elasticity in the capabilities
of the country. We have seen what an extra.
ordinary strain it could bear during the most
gigantic and costly war of modern times. II
may well be doubted if any country could
have brought out in so short time such stu
pendous resources. Then, since the close of
the war what vast sums have been raised and
what an enormous amount of debt, floating
and organized, has been discharged! But
as was said, it is not a question of ability to
bear taxation-it is one of economy, of Jus.
tice, of financial wisdom.
A merchant who should spend all his cash
as it comes in-should anticipate his unma.
tured obligations and leave himself without
sufficient ready means to carry on his busi-
ness or to extend it, would be regarded q
stupid man. More business is done and more
wealth made by a judicious use of credit than
by actual cash. 1t is the same with nations
as with individuals. To draw away the capi-
tai of the people unnecessarily by taxation
cripples the industry of country, retards the
creation of wealth, and tends to keep a nation
poor. The money taken from the people
| would be worth much more to them in theil
industrial pursuits than it is to The Govern.
meDt, and would add far more to the national
wealth. In one case it is creative and in the
other exhaustive. What, then, is the true
policy for us to pursue? Simply to raise nc
more revenue than the current economical