Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-05-18
The Point in Issue.

An argument more insulting to the
| intelligence of their readers can hardly
be imagined than the one frequently
employed by Administration newspapers
in. dealing with financial questions.
They say they have largely reduced the
debt, and cut down taxation more than
sixty millions of dollars. Who denies
| this statement? The monthly reports
of Secretary Boutwell, do show a rapid
reduction of the debt, and Congress has
provided for diminution in taxation,
| although the treasury receipts show that
our increase in population, and the in
crease in taxes thereby created, will
keep the revenue up to a point which
will considerably exceed the estimates
of the Secretary of the Treasury for the
current fiscal year. - .--.r .r.-
|, The reduction of the debt and the
decrease in taxation are not the ques-
tions in issue. Democrats say the Ad-
ministration had for the year ending
June. last $411 100000. The question
arises, what was done with the money
Was it honestly and judiciously ex-
pended? Every time Secretary Bout
well makes monthly statement, an oc-
casion is afforded for parading the
amount of the reduction of the public
debt since Grant became President.
There is a law which requires. the
Secretary of the Treasury to make a
statement, at the end of each month, of
the amount of the national indebted
ness. There is no law requiring him to
state how much the debt has been re-
duced under Grants administration.
There is no law requiring him to state
how much the debt has been reduced
since given date. Georges. Boutwell,
takes advantage of his official position
to send out an electioneering document
every time he promulgates monthly
statement of the public debt. The
statement. is intended to deceive the
people, because it attracts their attention
from the real questions at issue. The
statement is intended to furnish politi-
cal capital for PARTISAN newspapers, and
is demagogical and indecent in that it
exceeds the requirements of. the law for
such purpose. -, ~c' 81
I The practice has gone long enough
without. rebuke, and it may be well to
look at the merits of the aues ton. How
much of the revenue has been corrupt
| ly expended? How much of it has
been properly appliedi These are the
questions in3which taxpayers are inter
ested. With treasury receipts amount
ing to $411, 100000, has there been as
much paid on the public debt as ought
to have been paid, or the amount re-
tanned in the treasury which ought to
have been retained to make reduction
of taxation permissible? How are
these questions to be decided? We
1 must consider erwhether the expenditures
of the Government have been honest
| and whether a proper regard for econ
omy has been shown by the Admins
tration.
1t was entirely fair and entirely JUS
to characterize the speech of Senator
Morton at indianapolis few days age
as the speech of a demagogue, becaust
he did utterly refuse to consider the
question last propounded. Outside o.
pensions and payments on the public
debt, the expenses of the Government
ought to bear the same proportion te
the population, offer making due allow
ance for deprecated currency,-sa
| twelve per cent.,-that they bore in
1860. We believe this statement to be
fair one, and if, any good reason can
Ebe given for cond emning it as unfair
i let us have that reason. '-' $3.50
Hon. David A. Wells says that the or
binary expenses of the Government
ought not to exceed $75, 100000 year
and he bases his calculation on the rule
above stated. He is Republican, and
stands at the head of the front rank sod
statisticians in the country. Excluding
payments on account of the public
debt, Grants expenditures for the yeal
| ending in June last were more than
$190, 100000. d .t' afGL1i- 80
We have had enough and more than
enough of gasconade and twaddle ovel
Boutwell's monthly statements. The
ordinary expenses are proof of profit
gacy. Meet the question, gentlemen
| CHICAGO Times -