The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-13

No Additionsi Taxation or Increase
OF the Debt ecesssry--Rstrenchmen
sumcient.
The Committee on Appropriations OF the
House of Representatives at Washington is
doing good work in probing the extravaganza
expenditures of the different departments Our
special correspondence shows what has been
done already in exposing the numerous hid
den drains upon the Treasury and the earnest
effort made to bring the government to
system of comparative economy at least we
are gratifed to see also that a portion OF the
press is coming to our aid in demanding such
retrenchment as will obviate the necessity of
increased taxation or an augmentation OF the
national debt.
In order to encourage the committee in its
patriotic work and to enlighten the public on
the subject of government extravaganza, it Will
be well to compare the expenditures of former
years with those Of late years and with the
estimates just submitted to Congress.
In looking back at the report Of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, submitted to Congress
December 4, 1860, we find that the current
expenditures for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1860, amounted to $59,848.478 There
was in addition appropriated, however, to the
public debt 1888, 628, that is, for interest
on the debt, which then amounted to
$45, 679, 1853 and for redemption of Treasury
notes apart from the sum required for this
purpose, which was 1898, 62S, the current
expenses were, as was said, $50, 848, 478 We
will give the items. For civil, foreign and
miscellaneous services, $27, 969,S7O for In
terror Department, including Indians and
pensions, 1886, 1856; for War Department,
SIG, 400, 767; for the Navy, $11, 513, 150
The total estimated expenditures for the
fiscal year, from July 1, 1861, to June 30,
1862, were $68, 1863, 1885, There was included,
of course, the interest on the debt. The
Secretary remarked ''there is no reason why
the expenditure for the present or next fiscal
year should exceed that of the last year.
Allowing however, margin for an increase,
it may be safely stated that the expenses for
the two years will not exceed $6O, OO0,O 900 for
each" Such was the cost of government
thirteen years ago. This even was considered
by many as an extravagant expenditure,
especially when compared with that Of few
years previously.
The country is at peace now as then. and
has been peace for nearly nine years, yet the
expenses, exclusive of the interest on the pub
lie debt, is, in round numbers, about
$216,OOO, 900. The interest on the debt is q
little less than 500, 900, 900. The estimates
call for 1915, 0O0 900, and for the fiscal year Of
1874-5, 1913, 1913, 736. Deducting $50, 900
for pensions and 100000 for sinking
fund to liquidate the debt-in all $50, 900, 600
which is an expenditure growing out of the
late wal, we still have current expenses
amounting to 100000.
Let US give the items as estimated by the
several departments. The civil, foreign and
miscellaneous services call for $66, ST., 293, o
sum in itself over $4,000, 900 more than the
whole government cost in 1860. For the War
Department the amount is 81. 795,053. In
1860 it was little over $16,0OO,0O0. The
Navy expenditure has gone up for the same Pc
Rod from $11, 513, $50 to $27, 1872, 451. For the
Indians we have ss,5OS, IT'S, while in 1860 the
sum was So, 955, eS8. The civil, foreign and
miscellaneous item has jumped from
s27, 1853, $40 to s66, 577,2
The population has grown from 81, 443, 744
in 1860 to about 40, 100000 in 1873. The
census of 1870 gave SO, 1874 While the
population has increased less than thirty per
cent, the current expenditures of the govern
meht, Independent of interest on the debt,
pensions and a sinking fund, have augmented
nearly three hundred per cent There is
nothing in the condition of the country to
justify such outrageous extravaganza. Making
ton and business of the government, the cur
rent expenses, apart from interest en The debt,
pensions and the sinking fund, ought not to
exceed 800, 100000 year. A less sum ought
/ 70 be ample. In short, the estimates could
and should be reduced s7O,oOO,OO0.
Mr.. Richardson asks $40, ZOO, 900 additional
taxation. The reduction Of expenditures We
propose would, therefore, leave him q sur.
plus. There would be no necessity to draw
upon the legal tender reserve or to
increase the debt in any way. In.
deed, margin for reducing taxation
would be left. The President knows
no more of financial affairs than he does Of
international questions, and, consequently, he
leaves them to the Secretary Of the Treasury,
Just as he does foreign matters to Mr.. Fish.
He is in position to take the responsibility
when any credit is to be obtained from doing
so, and to shift it on to the shoulders of his
subordinates when there is any difficulty to bt
met or discredit to be endured.
The difficulty with regard to the nationa
finances-between supplying the administra
ton with the money it demands and avoiding
taxation, or increasing the public debt-lies
Setween Congress and the departments. Al
anne,,,l was made to the departments to revise
their est, mates; but they could not do so