The Portland daily press., 1873-11-24
Public Economy.

The announcement that the public debt
statement at the close of the present month
will show an increase during November,
will cause no surprise. 1t is a natural con-
sequence of the money panic which has
checked the trade and business from which
the revenues OF the country are derived.
The expenditure Of the navy department. con-
sequent upon the Cuban troubles, will of
course, cause a larger outlay than usual.
In view of the fact that for some time the
revenues will not come up to the estimates,
the Providence journal, Senator Anthony's
paper, warns Congress against considering
any enterprises that will open avenues to
the Treasury, and to make it single purpose
to reduce the expenditures to the lowest fig
ure consistent with the welfare of the coun-
try. .g
If Congress does not scrutinize the public
expenditures with the utmost care, and allows
the annual expenditures to be increas ed to
any extent there must either be an i'm
mediate increase of taxation or the public
debt at each monthly exhibit will show a
large increase. If peace continue, we sup
pose that Congress knows that the country is
in no temper to bear pleasantly either of these
infections. In consequence of the war, the
people have for years borne terrible burden
of taxation almost sufficient, at times, to
paralyze every industry During the past six
years this burden has been largely removed,
but taxation has not been so far abolished nor
are the recollections of it SO pleasant that the
country will welcome anything that looks
like its renewal. Should the Government get
involved with Spain, the country would sub
NIT to an increase of taxation to bring the
conflict to such a termination as will reflect
credit to the nation. But the common sense
of the nation will not be deceived by the Sc
ductive plans of spectators and lobbyists to
snch degree that it will be willing to have
Congress adopt a policy of building canals
and railroads. Further than this, it may be
stated that unless there is sufficient cause,
the people will regard any considerable in
crease of appropriations for the ordinary ex-
penses of the Government with marked dis
favor. zr-le srh
Even in the smaller municipal governments
the heads of departments in their eagerness
to make their departments models, forget
that there Is any limit to the capacity of the
money supply from which they so lavishly
draw. In the lager departments of the gov
eminent it is said to be rare thing to find a
chief of bureau who has the most remote
idea that there can possibly be any limit to
the resources of the United States Treasury.
ADIsPUTE has arisen between the Union
Pacific Railway Company and the Pull
man Palace-car Company which is quite like
ly to interfere with the comforts of inter-
ocean travellers. The railroad managers
have found that two or more berths in Pull
man car go with single railway ticket and
even one passenger paying only single fare
may retain for his own use whole Pullman
car. As a consequence the Railroad Company
finds that it habitualy draws four or five
coaches weighing fifty tons each which afford
no more revenue to the road than the same
number would in single car of their own
much lighter. Acting by the advice of coun-
sci, the Superintendent of the Union Pacific
at Omaha has notified the Superintendent of
the Pullman Company at the same place
that for each sleeping berth hereafter sold,
iull railway ticket must also be purchased. 1t
is not yet known no this question will be set
tied but it will doubtless find its way into the
courts