New-York tribune., 1873-08-04
WASHINGTON.


COMPARISON OF FIGUREs-A TOTAL INDEBTEDNESS
OF SEVENTEEN MILLIONS" LEI THE PRESENT
GOVERNMENT BE WIPED OUT"
WASHINGTON, Aug 3.-Forney's Sunday Chronicle
of to-day contains the following:
Since the publication OF the debt Of the District by tho
Associated Press, without authority, as tho tcm cob
tanning the statement appeared without any omcl"
Endorsement has IL been even recognized by tho
press of the District think it nothing more than an
act Of fairness to give readers an approximae
statement OF the real facts, far the official hgures
will furnish which, however confused and complicated,
still exhibit enough TO form pretty good idea OF our
true financial condition. worthy the consideration OK
every in the District for they alone are
Interested Congress TO our relief they
will have to foot the bill But to up the DEBT or
liabilities Of the District:
ss1S%. OSor.a a'os per 50 100000
Ss Sqas Jsr Of ~" 100000
siooooOOo
For certificates Of Indebtedness under act Of lOooOoo
,Ss SS FOR .pscisi 100000
FIr ~ S nsS5 sy s 100000
PT cesc s indeheness upon back water 100000
10 ppoa Iu.us @ s5o on.y .IsTaae Of si0o ooO 100000
SIS 10000
Ads i G5 iasDs of 81 900 oo@ At 100000
S, S'9sa BE- sslss. ssSSpfuHSa of saeStsdes a%SSas
100000, and 100000 10 be borrowed ior seho"i
Add for floating debt Of Public Works least. 100000
ro,,, ..,, 100000
No doubt the TO this exhibit Will be- that many
Of these items a In funded shape, and should not DC
estimated as debts but such argument is as empty as
IT would be for business refuse TO count his
promissory among bis Liabilities because II mas
long time TO run. 1t matters not in what shape
debt is drawn long as IL promise TO pay II loses
none Of it's responsibility. In making this statement OF
rada auVf
member OF the District Government, but simply 10 in
form the people upon matter in which they are deeply
interested and upon which they have night 70 demand
information and for which they have waited patiently
ever the organization OF our present system OF
without being furnished with any accurate
official statement.
We are free to say hathe above figures fall short Of
the actual facts, and could investigation by com
mttee expert accountants OF the accounts Of the Dis
tret be made an additional increase OF at least Noo0oo
would be discovered.
In view Of facts SO stubborn these, and, Also that
at least one-third Of the Improvements are yet to DO
made the question naturally arises, What arc we
going to do about 1t l No will admit that the
taxable property Of this District can bear the burden OK
debt Of s50oO OO-as it will reach this figure before
we get thr0ugh-and at the same time carry on the
present system OF government. Our only hope Is Tor
Congress either TO assume the whole at least one
half of our debt and future to the expenses
OF the District over and above what is realized by
a tax of 81 80 per s1OO taxable property. This
the people could bear without sacrifice, and wonld
be a fair proportion OF what they should be held
liable for As step this reform let the present
government wipedo out II the people are to govern,
let all tile officers be elected and not humbug us with
the miserable farce with which afflicted present.
which, from its very origin. has been the source OF
progacy and expense largely in excess OF the expend
lures of many Of state governments of the country
This is a subject entirely in the hands ofth people, and
il they move with spirit the remedy can be
easily reached rumored, and in fact semiOicaly
announced, that the Governor and Board OF Public
Works intend retire at the meeting OF Congress- giving
as an excuse that they tired of the ob in other
words the old ship has more freight than she can
carry and the best that can be done under the crcum
stances is 10 scuttle and let her We anything
for change even il the old craft should have TO De re-
built