Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-10-01
The Republican Party and the
State Finances.

uC pabbt PO"SA
in Pennsylvania in 1861. The debt of the
State at that time was S37 1854, ,602 OF. Of
this amount $40, 102, ,274 46 was overdue,
and the holders were c,amorous for pay
ment. A considerable portion Of debt was
for interest, which, the State being unable
to pay when due, had funded. To the Gre
ditors the answer of the State had been
that she was without funds to pay, and
they were remediless. 1t is true that un-
der Governor Bigler proposition was
made 10 compound our overdue indebted
ness by giving new bonds, but the creditors
declined any new obligation Of debtor
that had given so little evidence of its in
to take care of our maturing obligations OF
relieve our credit. Such was the condi-
ton Of our finances and credit in 1901,
wien the rebellion, with the enormous sac.
rifces required for its suppression, rose in
the face of the young party just installed
in place, aud we were called upon to raise
100000 to equip the defenders of our
firesides. No one wanted our loan The
English, already heavily our creditors,
mindful of our continued default, and SYM
pathizing with the South, refused to lend
us a dollar. Our own citizens were aP-
pealed to individually withop, large results.
Finally, by a united action OF our banks,
the loan was subscribed, as matter of pa
triotic duty, not of profit. Such was Penn
sylvania credit in 1861.
Looking to-day over the stock list where
our securities are quoted at from ten to
fifteen per cent. premium. some of US re-
member the days when the Democracy
had dragged US so far in the mire Of dishon-
or that the strongest comparison which
could be made of discredited government
was TO liken her her to Pennsylvania, and
when our State Loan was selling al from
thirty cents TO seyenty-five cents on the
dollar.
With this starting point, What has the
Republican rule of fourteen years given US?
We have been subjected during that period
TO the extraordinary expenses of the war.
We had to raise and equip an army, TO
support and educate the children of our
soldiers who died in our defense, and TO
contribute our share to the direct tax levied
by the General Governmental in addi-
ton to what the Democratic party had
been called upon in previous years to pro-
vide for. We paid during the last fourteen
years for extraordinary expenses occasion
ed by the war:
Education and support of Sol
diers' Orphans S3,90, ,0OO
Direct U. S. Tax, 100000
der counties, 100000
Military expenses, l,6OO,OOO
Total. SS,377, 600
An amount more than sufficient to pay the
ordinary expenses Of carrying on the State
Government for two years. But for these
extraordinary necessities the public debt
would have been less by that than its pre-
sent amount and the reduction during
the fourteen years of Republican rule would
have exhibited q total Of twenty-five and
a-half instead Of fourteen millions. And
this was done without stinting necessary
appropriations. The reports of the Audi
tor General show that our State charities
were maintained, during these years, with
liberalty never before equalled, and that,
while The appropriations for Common
Schools during the seven years previous to
1861, amounted in all to 81, ,2l5,02G or an
average of S175, $50 per annum, they have
amounted during the last fourteen years to
the sum of Sc, 577, 100, an average of S47O,-
900 per annum, or . times the amount of
the average annual appropriation under
Democrat rnle This amount (Of S6,5T,-
1907 does not include the sum of SO, ,977 900
expended during the same term for the
education of Soldiers Orphans.
Nor were these results accomplished by
taxing the labor Of the Commonwealth
Though The Democratic party bad always
pretended a concern for the welfare of the
laboring man, it never made an effort TO
relieve him from taxation. On the other
hand, while assuming an inveterate hostili-
ty TO corporate property, they permitted it
;c 20 Gee or nearly free. 1t was in fact
ort;-ol,, rol;ava,l of Ionul fay and maid hut