Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1875-11-03
SPIRIT OF THE AGE,
Wednesday, November 3, 1875.
Cut Down the Army.


some of their state governments,
wherein they will be brought back re-
spectively to Il retrenchment Of ex-
penditures, and to a confederation of
the many abuses and corruption which
now exists in them.
First Of all in the long catalogue of
extravaganza, is the army. After ten
years Of peace, the military establish
ment is almost on war footing and
under similar conditions to those
which existed before the rebellion, it
is now maintained at a cost far more
than double the expenditures in 1861.
A comparison Of the six years of
peace preceding the civil war, with
six years of SO called peace under
Grant, presents astounding results
The figures taken from the last report
of the Secretary Of the Treasury show
that the expenses of the War Depart
ment for six years-1Sj6-'57- 50
go and 81, amounted to, in round
figures, the total sum of $124,33O,-
094.57.
. During this period the expenses
were largely increased by the expedi-
ton into Utah, or what is lpopularly
known as the Mormon war, which OK
plains the excess over the average in
the years 1858 and 1859. Upon this
basis the test of cost at the present
time--tor six years, also, period of
peace-from 1870 to 1875, inclusive,
or for the years Of 1S70-71-72-73-
"A and rs, the expenses of the War
Department amounted to the total
sum of $25s,5s 1888.
During this last named period some
additional cost was incurred for the
expedition against a small band of
Modoc Indians on the Pacific coast,
which can hardly be dignified with
the name Of war The department,
however, made it the preteXt for ask
ing a large appropriation. The sum
ming up of the totals for the two peri
DDS gives the following results:
Six years under Grant from 1870 to 1875
$25S So, 535 90
Six years from 1856 to 1861 l2S,3S0, 09l 81
Excess under Grant Sl34,2j5 AL Sc
Or, in another form:
Annual average under Grant S43001,jS9 -
Annual average previously 20, ,6S2 II
Annual excess under Grant $22 ,37j, 906 80
Thus it appears from official figures
that the War Department is to-day
costing the country nearly twenty-five
and a half millions more every year
than it did heretofore in the state of
peace. Or in other words, besides
supporting the army on the old basis,
we are paying in addition an amount
equal to an interest on the enormous
sum of four hundred and fifty mil
lions of five per cent bonds.
The army as now organized con-
sists of $4,000 men, The ordinary es-
innate Is that each soldier costs about
$1,000 year to maintain hlm, which
would aggregate twenty-five millions
annually. But measured by the exist
ing scale of expenditure, which is the
outgrowth of a prodjgal and protllgate
system, the cost of every soldier would
exceed Sl,723 year.
In considering this subject an able
exchange closes with the following
significant words:
"rhe country is now passing
through the severest crisis it has ever
experienced. There is absolute need
OF the most rigid economy in the pub
tic expenditures, to free it from bur
dens which Cypress industry, trade,
and enterprise. Every dollar of an
necessary outlay must be cut off and
saved, and the Government brought
back to honest and plain methods An
army of ten thousand men is fully sui
ticient for every present necessity,
with a large margin to spare for con
tingencies. That reduction, properly
managed, will relieve taxation to the
extent of twenty millions a year, and
strengthen the Treasury correspond
ingly, The people demand it, and
they look to the House of Representa-
tlves in December to initiate and car
ry out this reform, as it has the power
to do, by holding the purse strings
tight and insisting upon strict re-
trenchment, in spite of any opposition
which the Senate may attempt in a
Fictitious or selfish spirit"
old Hannibal Hamlin says he did
MT mean to when he had the postage
doubled. That's all very fine, but will