Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-03
ALARMING INCREASE OF THE Ma
TvnNap EYPEEnTTIJRES


TT0NAL EXPENDITURES.
The New York Tribune calls attention
to the alarming increase OF the expenses Of
the government under the Grant admins
tration. which is pledged TO economy and i
resrenchment. The Tribune also takes up
the estimates of the expenses of the gov
eminent, as furnished by the Secretary of
the Treasury to Congress, upon which ap-
propriations to meet these expenses are
based, and shows that the actual expendi-
lures have greatly exceeded these estimates.
That paper says: "The .nconsiderabe
monthly reductions of the Public Debt, and
the heavy sales of gold winch the Treasury
is forced TO make 10 order to supply itself
with currency, are sure signs that the ex-
penditures of the National Government
have been carried to an enormous figure.
No wonder the people look with disfAvor en-
the recipients of back pay. A year ago we
showed that the expenditures of the Gov
eminent, after deducting the interest onthe
debt and premium on bonds purchased,
the army and navy expenditures, draw
backs of duties and taxes, and pensions,
had Increased from $29, 1925 S5 in 1859
to 34Ol5,859 in 1865, to S5l $685. SOP in
in 1868, ard to $63,l39,379 III 1S7l-a
startling progression. The corresponding
expenditures for the year ended June 30,
1878, are about s75, 100000, or more than
double the same ouigoes in 1855, when
the premium on gold was at its highest
elevation. The army expenditures, which
were $4,000, 167 in 1860, were $44,0S0,0S5
in 1911 and SAC, S29,l3S in 1873. The
navy expenditures, which wers Sl1 ,513, $50
in 1860, were $40, 431,0 27 in 1871 and
So, 426,257 in 1873, which seems good
deal to pay for the rotting OF few score of
old hulks, adapted for modern warfare only
as the minnow is adanted for the jaws Of
the pike. We have before Us an official
statement of the receipts and expenditures
of the Government for the fiscal year end
ed June 80, 1878, which we proceed to
compare with Secretary Boutwelps es-
Inmates laid before Congress in De-
cember last. The revenue from customs
was estimated at 1892 ,729, $50; the actual
revenue has been SIS, Os9, 523. The reve-
nue. from internal taxes was estimated at
S10S, 1863, 047; the actual receipts have been
S113, 729,314. From sales of public lands
an income of s., 297, 1926 was anticipated,
but S., 1872, 312 have been received. From
miscellaneous sources, the estimate was
SIG, 119, 222, and TIE actual receipts were
S29,037 ,055. The total Of the estimate is
SS19, 1915, 194; the totsl of the actual receipts
is $685., 73S, POS, or mora than fourteen mil
lions more than the estimates. The dis
bursements for interest on the public debt
were estimated at s10T696, s95; they have
been sl04, 750,6SS. The cost of the War
Department wss estimated st $35, ste, 1852;
it has been sac, 1925, 13S. The cost of the
Navy Department was estimated at $780,
sos, JAG; it has been $29, 526,1 57. The dis
bursements for Indian Affairs and Pensions
were estimated at S36,172,734; they have
bssn s37,3ll,132. The estimate for
Civil and Miscellaneous Expenses
was $59,999,S9l; the actual pay.
ments were s7S, S2s, ITO. Total estimated
expenditures, sex, 551, 649; total actual ex-
pendtures, S2S5 ,239,325, Total estimated
expenditures, exclusive of Interest on Pub
lie Deb;, Sl52, S54,754; total actual expen-
ditures exclusive Of interest on Public
Debt, $50, Ass, 6S7; corresponding expendi-
ture in 1872, S153, 20l, $50; increase, ST.
2S6, 7Sl. The estimated surplus revenue
applicable TO the reduction of the Public
Debt was S5S, 1853 ASS; the actual surplus is
S4S, 49S, $50, Of which Sl4 ,423 ,07I is due to
an excess OF revenue over the Secretary's
estimates. Had the revenue not exceeded
the Secretary's anticipations, the surplus ap-
plicable to the redemption of the Debt
would have been Only S34, 075, 800, or nearly
twenty-five millions less than the estimated
surplus. Do not these figures call for
serious consideration"
Here are some figures TO stsrtle the easy 60
log people of this country, who are content
to accept the version which Grants friends
give of the economy of his administration.
To show that these figures are correct, we
copy from the New York Journal of Com.
merce the following official ststement ofthe
net receipts and expenditures of the govern
meDt for three years:
We are now enabled to make up in ad-
vance of the annual report of the Secretary
of the Treasury detailed statement of the
receipts and expenditures of the govern
ment during the entire fiscal year ended
June 80, 1873. The figures are obtained
directly from the books of the Treasury
Department, for the Journal of Commerce.
Below will be found a comparative state
ment of the receipts and expenditures of
the government during the last three fiscal
years:
Fear ended June So 1S7l.-Net Receipts.
From Customs. ................. son, &c, 4Os C5
From internal revenue. ......... 143, DOS, l53 63
From sales of public lands...... 2,3SS,64G 60
From miscellaneous sources.... 81 ,5G6,735 SO
Total receipts ............ 1886, 1884 SO
Net Expenditures.
For civil and miscellaneous pur-
poses. S69, 49S, 10 81
For War Department. *35, 799, 99l 50
For Navy Department. ......... II ,43l;O27 81
For Indians and pensions. Al SO ,S92 81
For interest on the public debt. IL, 57G,565 SO
Total expenditures S292, III ,lSS Is
#This is the net amount after deducting SIS 2sO,-
0O3l3, paid into the Treasury proceeds of sales
Of oalnance, etc. The true expenditures were
Si4 ,0S0, 0S495.
- Tso- en5;,o T,,,a % 1870 NET lso...,.