New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-02
MUNICIPAL DEBT.
AN ADDRESS BY SPEAKER BLAINE.

AN ADDRESS BY SPEAKER BLAINE.
THE QUESTIONS OF NATIONAL, STATE, AND NUM-
CIPAL DEBTS DISCUSSED BEFORE THE NORTHERN
WISCONSIN AGRICULTURAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT
RESULTS OF LARGE MUNICIPAL DEBTS.
OSHKOSH, Wis, Oct. 1.-Speaker James u.
Blaine delivered address to-day before the Northern
Wisconsin Agricultural Association at this place before
crowd Of persons In his opening remarks nc su
he would conne himself to subject OF interest 10 DIS
hearers as American citzens-perbaps OF especial ana
significant Importance TO them as farmers. " shaii
sneak" he said "to you OF Public Debt-not manly
OF what understand our National Debt-Du' o III
those forms Of Safe and municipal obligation WHICH IL"
vove taxatian upon the people, Pubic dept - ONO VI
the rapid ougrowths OF modern civilization ana III us
present form is certainly unknown to the ancients
NATIONAL AND STATE INDEBTEDNESS.
Mr. Blaine briefly called attention to the fact that Mr.
Dudley Baxter, who is recognized authority on ques
tons OF this character gives the aggregate popuiaons
OF borrowing nations Of the world at trihe over
Co., the aggregate OF national debts owed oy
them amounts to $4,000 100000 with an annual interest
charge Of than sS000O,OOl Ihs vast SUN wa,
borrowed and expended Tor me waste me crue; a
the untold agones OF war 0 I1 dn @ ond Of tS
vast but S64, 00000, gwen towards tue cosrc
ton OF railroad to the Pacific IL an tHat was in
long and bloody and desoating struggle IN wh,en
won privilege of continuing TO exist as the United
States Of America" Leaving the ,c cGnside nSi
aud most honorable means OF reduction aud 1lni
discharging it, Mr. Blaine invited attention TO those less
observed but even more bnrdensome forms OF @
contracted by States counties, Cities and smaller inu-
agance and prodgality that to invite calamity.
He said with the keen watchfuness of opp sing
political organizations IN this country, win inc sharp
criticism by press and people Of all tnat may be done or
lett undone by Congress no oppressive increase OF our
National debt be anticipated except under the ext
gency of war But which lead TO an increase
of State debt aud to such vast enlargement OF mum
do not elicit the sharp controversy aud discussion when
always far TO insure safety III the MAJ result anu
the consequence is that many communities before Ihty
stop to fairly consider. find themselves laboring und
burden OF debt, which If not absolutely diScoa1"IhH'
is certainly oppressive
THE MUNICIPAL DEBT OF THE UNITED STATES.
After referring to the fact that the form and frame
work OF our Government gives extraordinary opportu-
mites for the OF public credit-permittlng inc
nation the State, the county and the city OF town Oh
the faith of eachMr Blaine said there were sixteen
cities in the United States having each population ex-
whose municipal debts amoat to $50 ocO5oS $50
per capita for their entire populations and presenting III
the aggregate amount which, prior 10 our war tA-
perience would have been considered large Drde IoI
the nation ~ w0nld nave nefn sro1 h, t $500
debt OF these cities is over S200W00 for indeed single
city. the commercial metropolis OF Tue nation, peSo ,
debt embracing nearly one-hrd oil the enllre amVunu,
while several of the cities on the list nave
debts of comparatively INSIGNIFICANT prSport4im aus;
The class of cities next in size to thOse lust
referred to, those having each population exceeung
O. twelve
aggregate population OF about 10000 Iheir ,o s
debt does not exceed so0OO01, which gives ABOUT gay
per capita for the whole list Taxing the next class
cities, having each population exceeding 2oUo anu h
less than $4,000, find there are III all some % IN the
United States with total population OF something over
100000 Their total debt cannot be less think tnan
$4,000 600, or $50 per CAPITA Interested us nave Deen
making these investigations, incldded one more
class within the scope of my inquiries ana TOOK tne
cities aud towns throughout the Uh de STATE, aaes
having populations between 10000 ana Zo'Voo eacn
"a list which l found TO embrace in all los
cities and towns whose aggregate population amounts 10
over S35 about S22 capita for the whole
Adding these four classes together it presents table
States having 10000 inhabitants each-Ot which
there are in all 1s6with an aggregate population ex-
ceedIng 100000, aud total municipal dent OF ABOUT
The towns having less than 10000 inhabit-
each have not been able to classify win tne ap
wen that the aggregate of these debts would
country about s57OOOo0O0. Added TO these municipal
debts proper we md the county debts OF tne entfe
debts 10 about s39O.OOO OOO-makng an aggregate OF
sOOOOOOO of public debt OF States counties cities ana
towns. The sum total is nearly s3OoOooooo
greater than that given in the census OF
1870 The addition, however has not been made within
four succeeding years Tut part due think; TO
incomplete returns made TO the census officials Whie
do not assume to give details vouch for absolute ac-
curacy, think the totals | have gwen may well De
taken as approximate reliable statements have found,
indeed, very few States where the state officers were
authorized by law to keep anything OF record III regard
to debt except the direct Obligations OF the state 10
Massachusetts, where great attention Is PAID TO accuracy
of statistics have been enabled 10 get precise lniorm
ton and the entire footing OF that commonwealth Oi
State county, and municipal debts, shows grand tOa
s97 100000 subject to sinking fund deduction OF
Sl 100000 leaving S8G.500OO0 as the net debt OF that
is the wealth Of that the entire debt does not
constitute than four per cent OF It's
probable not two-and-ahali per cent OF its ACTUAL
wealth"
DEBTS CONTRACTED WITHOUT DUE CAUTION.
"Ido not" Mr.. Blaine continued desire to make
nv remarks sweeping to include those States where
loans have always been negotiated with care and the re-
ceipts expended with economy. But venture the as
sertion based on scrutiny into the facts. that
taking the State debts they stand to-day
and there has been realized the so cents
of able, permanent value for each dollar raised and
expended. In some cases tho lmproyidence mas LED TO
even worse results than this, and think taking the
country as whole, there Is no form OF public debt In
which much has been given and so little received as
great states of the Northwest and with an aggregate
Population of than IL 100000 and property worth
over their combined state de BITS less than
Sos 100000 Had the great Commonweaths exercised
prudent care against county ana mnnlcpa dept tney
venture to say OF any CIVILIZED communities on the
Tin regard to the aggregate municipal debt OF the
country 1t of to be inferred that II could
all have been wisely avoided But IN nine ,ne nain lnaH
too ready pledge the lives and fortunes OF poster
inv 10 the payment Of debt which the generation
tracting it is unable to discharge These debs have
many cases been contracted carelessy and without due
hHs,ness Is nobody busaess is nowhere more appic
bic than in the general administration OF municipal
affairs in our larger cities. It's easy TO obtain Legis
iye authority debts it'is easy to sell
good city bond TO the capitalist who highly prizes such
forms of security; 1t is easy TO roll up debt to be
taken care OF by those who after instead OF
cyypg severe tax to paid by ourselves in short 1t
is 50 easy and alas natural To have smooth enjoy
allie time to-day thinking little of the ills that may
overtake us the morrow Aud, following tins reads.
convenient lazy method OF shifting the burdens OF To-
day has been of precipitang many of our
most favored and promising cities vast load OF taxa
non which hampers business. Expresses property, pre-
vents ssiOns OF population other wise naturally tend
ing that way and ends by retardiDg the growth
which the debt was contracted TO stimulate"
TS
sreaking OF the evil results of municipality debt, Mr.
4hara Ia moth