, 1875-02-03

lowers around him?
WILD SCHEMES OF EXPENDITURE.
Tile condition Of affairs III Congress il cx-
traortlinary. Tie Secretary Of the Treasury
reports TINT on the 1st Of January tue public
debt lad bocn Increased four millions for tho
expenditures Of the preceding month, aud
ngain OH the 1st Of February there Is another
large increase Of the debt. The Committee
Of Ways and Means are holding daily ses-
sions III which measures to accommodate tho
revenue to the expenditures are nnxiously
discussed. In addition to The monthly ill.,
crease Of the debt, the Treasury is largely in
arrears to the sinking fund. Willie this
Committee IL thus tlelibcrating how to in
crease the taxes to meet current expenses, aud
cut down expenditures, md stop the increase
OF the national dobt another Committee of
the same House is maturing bill directing
tho Secretary Of tho Treasuty to iudorse the
bonds Of ToM scorr's bankrupt wild d-cat rnil-
why companies to tho amount Of ono lnn-
,lred md twenty-five millions Of dollars, and
to pay the interest thereon, six mud 4 quarter
millions Of dollars, annually, in gold, for
forty years!
Another Committee Of THE same HouHc with
a knowledge of the sore straits and embnr-
rass,nent of tho Treasury mud of the necessity
for increased taxation to keep tho wheels Of
Government revolving, proposes to begin tho
improvement Of tho Ohio River, from Pitts
burg to Cairo, by artificial works, aud dams,
aud other contrivances, which, if practicable,
will cost $l50, 100000. But even the Sco1r
subsidy and the Ohio improvement nre
eclipsel by a series Of resolutions to be re-
ported to the Senate, which propose that in
addition to the ordinary appropriations for
rivers and harbors there shall be appro-
printed n sum adequate for the beginning Of
the following named works, to complete
which will cost ut tho lowest the s,,1ns Affixed:
The Improvement Of the Mississippi River
from st. Paul TO New Orleans, 500, 600, 600.
Mouth Of the Mississippi, $4,000, 900.
Tho construction Of tho Wisconsin, Fog
River, aud Hennepin Canals, $o5,oo0,0o0
The improvement Of the Ohio River,
100000, ,0oo to $,15o,o00,000.
Tie improvement Of the Kanawhn River,
james River Canal to Richmond, $125,-
o00,O0
Tho excavation and other improvement Of
the Tennessee River from its mouth to its
headwaters, and the construction Of Il canal
oyes the mountains Of Georgia and Alabama,
and its extension by s1ack-water navigation
to Savannah and Mobile, 800, 900, 600 or
moro.
The improvement Of tho Missouri River
}N i,,o7,,1s,r
navigable the Yellowstone and other rivers,
$4,000, 900, or double that sum.
Tie improvement of other rivers and con-
struction Of other canals to be added to this
scheme, $15o, 900.
While tho Secretary Of tho Treasury is una-
ble to meet current expenses, has to borrow
money to pay the interest on the public debt
while the Committee of Ways aud Means are
deyising new taxes to enable tho Secretary to
pay his way, tho Senate is proposing to begin
now the appropriations necessary to com
moueo sories Of internal improvements
which are to cost, at tho lowest estimate,
$3.50, 1000, 900. Who're is the money to como
from to begin even this stupendous series Of
jobs, Of which, except the improvement Of
thu mouth Of tho Mississippi River and por-
haps one other work, every item proposes
waste Of money on inpracticnble and useless
Bchcmcs?
II tho Senate seriously proposes to commit
the country to any s,1eA wild measure as this,
lot it treat tho country fairly by proposing
with the bill a direct tax to produce tho rev.
enue to carry it On. Lot Congress have tho
courage, when thoy propose to expend the