The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-12-05


For War department. So, 70999l
70: Navy Department. ............... 1a.431027
To t ,t10oo.
For interest on public debt........... 125,57e565
Total Fractions omitted $780,, III 1888
The true expenditure for the War Depart
ment was, however, $44, $50, OS4, as the sum
Of So, $50, 093 was the proceeds of sales of war
materials and deducted from that amount
The expenditure for the fiscal year, therefore,
was $780, 457,2Sl. This is stupendous and
unnecessary. After deducting the interest on
the debt the current expenses of the govern
ment amounted to $l74,SsO, 7ls. This is
nearly three times the amount expended
twelve years ago and previous to the war.
The civil and miscellaneous expenditures
whatever the latter may mean-are about as
much as the whole cost of the government be-
fore the war, including that for the army,
navy, Indians, pensions and everything
else. This is shameful extravaganza.
Admitting that forty -four millions are necessary
for the War Department, nineteen millions
and half for the navy, seven millions for
the Indian service, and over thirty-foar mil
lions for PENSIONS surely sixty-nine or seventy
millions are not needed for the civil service
and miscellaneous objects. We think, indeed,
considerable retrenchment is necessary in the
War Department and other departments in
istration of the government but certainly
the sum for the civil service and mscellane-
Gus purposes is fearfully extravagaut.
The receipts for the first quarter of the
present fiscal year were $l07, 10S,374 The
estimated receipts for the remaining three
quarters are $685. 900. The total is
1856, 1888 Now, looking at the enormous
receipts for the last quarter and at Mr.. Bout
wells habit Of greatly Understanding, we
are inclined to think the revenue for the cur
rent fiscal year will amount to about as much
as that of last year, or about four hundred
millions.
The estimated expenditures for the current
fiscal year amount 10 1898, 4O3, 1892. This ac-
tually exceeds the expenditures last year. II
seems impossible for the Secretary to bring
down his ideas to economy. The expenses
are at least fifty millions too large. Then,
with even the low estimate-an estimate much
too low-ofthe revenue for the remaining three
quarters of the year, Mr.. Boutwell, would have
about seventy-two millions excess for the pay
ment OF the debt. We have no doubt he will
have hundred Millions unless Congress
should make sweeping reduction Of taxation
in spite of the financial policy Of the Secretary
The whole system, both Of expenditures and
revenue, is extravagant and demoralizing. A
hundred millions OF taxes could be taken of,
as we have often said before, and then the
government would have enough for all de-
mands upon it, il economically administered,
and have good sum to spare to be applied
to the liquidation Of the debt. Mr.. Bout
well says, indeed, the time has come
when taxation may be reduced, and he
recommends Congress to take certain taxes
off; but his plan is on such small scale and
the relief proposed SO little that hardly any
body would feel the benefit. He is small,
pcddling man in this as in everything else. He
has none Of the grasp Of statesman or OF a
respectable financier.
Wcpublish in another part of the paper The
Secre. ary's report, and our readers will see
the old financial policy continued, with very
slight and unimportant notifications. We
shall take another occasion to discuss it more
fully, and In connection with that Mr.. Bout
wells pet syndicate business, his currency
notions and other matters pertaining to the
administration Of the Treasury Department