The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-22
hsnTR iEASuRY FRAUDS. Z


The yVo,H has had standing editorial
on the finances of the country and the
wastetul expenditures Of the Administra-
ton for the last eight or ten years, and IN
yariably gives it a new cast on the eve OF
every important election, whether State or
National. This time ititurns over the task
of producing the wonderful exhibit" of
Treasury corruption and fraud to the Wash
ington Patriot, and, what is not a little re-
markable, that paper produces almost the
exact figures arrayed in the lFortFs stand
ing editorial months and months ago, for
the purpose of showing that nobody knows
the extent Of our national debt and that the
amount cannot be established by any official
statement emanating from the Treasury de-
partment or any other quarter of the imam
cial globe. in the meantime we have the
exact quarterly statements from Mr.. Sec
rotary Boutwell,, showing the precise figures
of the national debt, the rapidity with which
II has been reduced, the reduction in the
amount Of taxes, the annual saving IN in
terest account, and other circunstantlal
facts demonstrating TIE falsity of all Their
partisan statements. 5rad ~, (.
The national debt, under Andy johnson,
was reduced sl3, 655, GGS. The annual in
terest account was SIPS, 1902 1902 "a. The
annual expense account averaged s179, 27l,-
$50, so that the annual draft upon the trea-
sury was a3O7 ,773 1872 "a. Under Andy
johnson annual taxes averaged
Internal takes. 63,l9i4Sl y
Customs duties. 1851 o69 y
Total 3OJ,oSj0oU Va
The national debt, under General Grant
has been reduced, up to July ], 1872
1888 ,976 ,olG 80. This is an average re.
duction every month of IS ,3l9, 422, and
should this reduction be continued not {
dollar of the debt would remain at the enc
of twenty-one years. '-" pl,l2i
We have saved on annual interest ac'
count, in coin, over 50, 900 900.
premium on gold has been reduced
from forty to fourteen per cent. Gle. gsa.
Taxes have been reduced $S4 ,73S 400 "A
Tn face Of this reduction the increase of rev
enue accounted for under General Gran
over the same period under johnson
1894, O49 "A.
At the last session of Congress take
were further reduced (annually) S53 600,
900. The tax on tea and coffee, whicI
amounted TO about SIS, 000,0e0 annual
has been removed. Thus by a wise polio
and an honest collection of the revenue th
burdens Of internal taxation have bee
gradually removed, and the necessities Q
life are free from the tax that is no longe
necessary And yet, with all this reduc
ton, the national debt has been les
sened. 1888, 976, 916.39. Does this loo
like the work of corrupt Admins
tration? We ask the fair-minded cit
zen, be he Democrat or Republican,
such grand results could come out q
dishonest Administration ? The answe
goes with the question, Theprcof of hon
esty and economy is so plain that all me
who are not blind with passion OF preju
dice must acknowledge it at once. 1t
this proof, so plain and selfeyident, tina
forces us TO advocate the election of Genera
Grant. His defeat would be national dis
aster. His reelection is demanded by high
er considerations than those ofparty. Gu
business men, our farmers, our manufactr
rers, our mechanics, are, or should b.
interested in his triumph. His election wi
be the pledge of continued prosperity. N