Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1870-09-15
coNTRAsTED ADMINISTRATIONS.


CoNTRAsTED ADMINISTRATIONS.
The Chicago Republican says:
1t is a favorite argument with the
Democracy, when alluding to the
heavy taxation which the war forced
the Government to levy to preserve
the public faith and credit, to point
to the cheap administration of Blu
chanan, and compare it with the
assumed extravagant one of Presi-
dent Grant as an evidence of the
greater economy of the party. No
one is deceived by this pretehce. 1t
is well understood that the interest
on the National debt, the immense
pension list, the cost of National
hospitals, and small increase in the
army and navy are matters extra
and outside of the Government; and
except the two latter, are in process
of steady and rapid reduction.
Coming then to the ordinary ex-
lpenses of the National Administra-
ton, and allowing for the increase in
population, and it is not true that
Buchanan's administration cost less,
per capita, than President Grants,
| but on the contrary it cost more
From statement made out in the
Treasury Department, and officially
promulgated, it is found that the
last year of Buchanan's administra-
ton cost the people $2.01 for each
man, woman and child in the coun-
try; while taking the expenses of
the past year, estimating on basis
of forty millions of population, and
reducing the sum to a gold basis,
and the expense per head amounts
to only $1.64.
In Buchanan's time, the receipts
and expenditures of the Treasury
were both in gold or coin exclusive
ly. Very much of the apparent ex-
cess in expenditures since the war,
grew out of the depreciation of the
currency. This showed itself in
every contract made, either for pub
lie works, buildings, or supplies
and added to the bulk of the figures
without really adding to the value
actually received. The war itself
cost in paper one-third, if not half,
more than it would had specie pay
ments been possible. 1t is the pen
atty the nation had to pay to save
itself from destruction; and it is an
especial grievance that the Democ-
racy point to the result of their own
Vaccinations and treason, as an evi-
dence of dishonesty among loyal and
patriotic men. To first incite re-
bellion, then to apologize for, and
Justify it, and finally charge the cost
Iof suppressing it to those who shed
their blood for the salvation of the
country, is eminently characteristic
Of the party. But when to this they
Eadd demand to be reinstated in
authority because they created this
enormous mischief, the affront to
public intelligence exceeds all
bounds of belief. Long years of
toll and labor will be required of the
people to earn the money to pay the
great aggregate which Democratic
weakness and teachings entailed on
them; and yet, when President
Grant has but barely made a fair
commencement, and put the finances
in a wav to render certain the speedy
extinguishment of the burden, they
are already asking the taxpayers to
trust them again, and give them a
chance to undo all that has been
done. If the people are as wise
as we believe, whenever they cast a
ballot, they will remember rho made
the debt, and until it is fully extin-
guished, will never venture the eX-
pertinent of trusting its authors to
a position to infiict more harm and
| mi icnr,- "a, tho 1.nuntr,r