The semi-weekly Republican. (St. Francisville, La.) 1872-1872, 1872-07-09

ONToTAEWA,rEt.ousr.|
NOT so ECONOMICAL AFTER
ALL.
The claim is boldly made by the
partisans of the Administration that
one of its chief merits is its econo.
my. This is a pretension which we
cannot allow to pass unchallenged.
and we propose here to show how
unfounded it is by some COMPARE
sons of the chief items of public ex-
penditure in the last full year Of
Johnson's Administration with the
second year Of Grant's-viz the
years ended respectively June 80,
1868, and 1861. First, it is to be
noted that since 1868 there has been
great decrease Of the army. The
War Department in 1868 cost $685.
246, 648, and in 1871 but $44,OS0,-
OS5. The changes in the military
establishment have been so great
that no comparison Of army expenses
can be of any value as a test of econ
omv. The same observation equally
applies to the navy. We are now
building no new ships Of war, and
we have sold or got rid of great
many old vessels which were sources
of expense so long as we kept them.
The naval expenses were $25,775,-
SOB for the year 1S67-S, and &c.,
432,O27 for 1901, but the COM
parison signifies nothing. Neither,
on the other hand, with our present
information, do we lay much stress
on the increase of the amount paid
in pensions from $23,7S2,3S7, in
1868, to $3l,443,S95 in 1871. We
can only hope that the Government
has not suffered beyond what is to
be expected from the frauds of pen
sion agents and the perjuries of tbei,
clients. Owing to the great chances
in the Internal Revenue laws q com.
par;son Of the expenses of that es'
j, tablishment in 1871 and 1868 is de-
ceptlve. The cost Of assessing and
collecting that branch of the revenue
was $8,730,35S in 1868 and $7,075,
1877 in certainly reduction
no greater than ought to be expect
ed after the removal of SO man,
taxes and the simpli6cat;on Of thu
methods of collection. We also ex
clude number Of nominal charges
such as refunding excess of de
posts for unascerta;ned duties" de
bentures and drawbacks "unde
Customs laws" Internal Revenue
drawbacks &c, as we'll as the in
terest on the public debt and the ex
penses of national loans. The chic
remaining items Of public expendi
) ture, including all admitting Of com
parison and of sufficient magnitude
/ to be taken into the account, com
pare as follows
, Civu 1868. 1871.
Congress, inclu.
> ding books. .$3, 500, 1876 S., 0O4, s2
: Executive. ... .;,757,5O2 9,412,41
!, Judiciary. ... Z, 401, 1877 3,320,91
Sub-Treasuries. >. 1901 la 324, 06
. Mint and Assay
e OmceS. ........ .14z,9OO llo,OU'
. Miscellaneous.
Mint establishments 94. 693 954.O4
l Coast Survey. .455, 791 735, OO
Lighthouse estab-
> iisbment.. 1913, 73o 1921, C6
COllecCinB customs
t and revenue cut
ter service. z GLE, 675, 1872 5
Public buildings
$ and repuirs Of
: same. ........ 1896, o62 3,574,94
Indians. .........3,9S8,354 7,426,99
! Forts and fortifca-
tions and i'm
provement of riv-
ers and harEors 5, 1884, 1917 6,121 "A
. Foreign intercourse
l salaries of Min
listers, Consuls,
&c. ,344 1,604,37
Steamship SUBJ
sides. .191, 667 731, 25
Post Office de6cien-
| cies. Il, 104, AIT 4,400, 90
Marine Hospital es-
adjustment. .506,842 4S1, 90