The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-18
The Expenses of the GOvernment---
A Great RetTenchment PTactiCa-

MlAHEuNCh VI Wv
A Great Retrenchment PTactica
BILE.
From the N. Y. Times.
During the year ending December 81
1870, the Federal Government COllectet
from the people of the United States tn
very considerable sum OF $400, POS, 1888. |
there were 3S,500,000 Of US that year, WI
paid $l0G2 per head-man, woman ant
child. That we may hope presently to de
better, Mr.. Edward Atkinson shows, il
IN article in the October number of thu
AAaRic Monthly. The part of Mr. At
kInsOn's article which will attract univGr
sal attention is that in which he analyZes
the expenses oil the Government, and
which, giving the President full credit fol-
the economy and efficiency of his admin
istration, suggests first tho possibility Of
IN important reduction in taxation, and
next modification, in tho direction oil
far greater simplicity, in tho methods by
which the revenue may be raised.
Putting aside all theories OF taxation, on
which tho differences between different
schools arc apparently inlcrminable and
.irrcCOnCilablG, what the mass Of citizens
are vitality interested in is that the taxes
shall not continue greater than they need
to be- and that they shall be collected in
such II manner us will be tho least Oppres.
siyc to the general industry and business
Of the country. We COndUnse Mr.. Akin.
sons financial proposition, which, II he
were Secretary of the Treasury, might be
called his report Briefly, then, lie be.
lievcs that for the year 1873, for which
Congress Mt its next session must legisate,
the Federal Government may be carried
On, including the interest on the debt, and
every other expense, aud payment of
$2S 100000 on the debt, for $2G3, 752 $40
instead Of $lOO,20s, 1888, which we paid
in 1870 lie reaches this greatly reduced
estimate thus lie allows for tho cost OF
the War Department tlIly per cent. more,
for the Navy sixty per cent, more, and for
the civil and miscellaneous appropriations
twice Ms much us the average expenditures
per annum Tor the years 1850, 1860 and
1861; he adds the present appropriations
TOR pensions and Indians, and the interest
on the public debt us II will DO required
in 1873, and the total sum, which covers
all the expenses Of the Federal Admins.
tration, and pays $2S,OO00OO of debt be-
side, on this basis, is, as We before stated,
$2G3,7j2SlO.
tits possible, everybody will ask, to
make so great n reduction in taXAtionY
Certainly, II seems reasonable that the
ordinary expenses OF the Government, on
pcaCc,iooting, should not be more than
sixty per cent higher In 1873, under
economical management, than they were
under the eXtravagant administration OF
Mr.. Buchanan. Ii they need to lie much
more than that, 1t will be necessary TO
prove il to the people, or they will be dis.
satisfied. Mr.. Atkinson, be 1t understood
does not accuse the present administration
Of extravaganza; he argues that our peace
expenses ought to be increased only in
proportion to the increase in our popula.
ton. at Is true" ho writes, "that our
expenses have been greatly reduced since
the war, but great reduction remains to
be accomplished"
OF course, If il can be shown that Mr.
AtkinsOn's estimate OF the necessary ex-
penscs Of the Federal Government Is too
small, his proposal must fall. But lie has
evidently carefully considered his figures
he allows all that Is needed for interest,
pensions and Indian affairs; and he adds
more than sixty per cent 10 tho cost OF
Buchanan's administration, which was
believed TO have been 50 wasteiul that the
charge Of extravaganza was one Of the
most serious against 1t in the campalgnSot
1860. Those who oppose him will find
1t neCessaryto show good reasons.
AS to the means for raising the revenue
he remarks, that
FiSt-"ThC whole interest on the pub.
lie debt Is more than paid by the excise
taxes upon whisky, tobacco, beer, banks
and stamps"
,Sc0nd-"The Customs revenue Is there.
fore needed for tho same purposes to
which 1t was applied before the war, I'm.
less we choose To include n moderate IN.
mal payment upon our debt"
WiHl-llC would therefore abandon
the income tax; and he shows by official
figures, that one hundred and twenty mil. |
lion dollars, all that Is needed from tariff
revenue, "can be very easily raised from
duties upon lea, coffee, sugar, wines,
liquors, and fancy goods, at substantially
the rates now imposed, with duties upon
silk fabrics ut about thirtyiivc per cent,
Ilhe highest rate possible to be levied
without including smuggling and fraud
ana with the addition, Tor the present, OF |
rates Of duty upon manufactures of wool, |
worsted, cotton, linen, china and glass.
levied as far as possible at specific rates,
nut equal to twenty per cent ad valorem;
all chemicals, drugs, dyestuils, together
with wool, pig.irOn, raw steel, hides, lum.
Der, leather, coal, and other so-Called raw
materials, being added to the free list"
Now, this statement, made under his
own name, by gentleman well known
rs one Of the aOlest statsiicians In the |
country, and fortified, so far as we can
see, a. every point by official figures, Is so
startling That twill reCcivo.general atten.
!oh' whatever may I've our theories upon
Tue questions OF protection and Tree trade,
none OF us careto pay unnecessary taxes
or to bear needless burdens. When n
man, in these days, has paid his CITY. |
County, State, and Federal taxes lie |
finds considerable part OF his incnme
swept away, and II he means to balance
his accounts, he too often has 10 denv
himself or his family some accustomed
comforts or luXurics, Iritis true. No H. |
Atkinson asserts, that we may consilera.
bly, reduce our expenses, and that in dN.
ing so we may relieve ourselves of n LARGO
number ofvexations and iniurious ,Nvss
which Cypress many industries, interfere
iniuriously with business, rs well as do.
prive us Of many comforts-whv, bv nil
means, everybody will say, let it'bo done
II the income tax is needless, let it he rc.
pcalcd, and the sooner the better Ifthc
statutes arc loaded with taxes which
may rs well be taken off, let them come
OF, That iswhat the general public will
say, regardless OF the theories Of theorists.
Therefore, unless it can be shown that