Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-09-11
sum is much greMer.

is 81, 49,, 900, the annual interest
being S469, 220, and a funded
and bonded debt due from our rail-
road companies, the exact amount
of which [ have not been able to
| ascertain, but which certainly is not
less than s20,000,000. Part of these
bonds. bear z per cent. interest, and part
of the interest is payable in gold.
When the gold is reduced to currency,
the total OF interest to be paid each
year by the railroad companies is not
less than s1,300,000.
Of the sum paid yearly to the Gov
eminent OF the United States, but
little is paid out in the State of Tenn
essee. The total expenses of the navy
and navy-yards and of the War De-
partment and Notifications, the interest
upon the public debt, the immense
sums paid to pensioners, all or nearly
all, is expended outside OF this State.
A part of the revenue, however, is !
paid out here in maintaining the reg
ular service of the Post Office Depart
ment, part in the administration of
justice and to pensioners, small sum
to revenue officers, such as whiskey
guagers, etc., and something to holders
of United States bonds. The total
amount, however, which comes back
in this way to the people of Tennessee,
will not exceed 81 ,500,00O
Perhaps one-half Of the bonds of
cities and counties, and one-twentieth
of the railroad bonds, and bonds Of the
State, are held by our citizens, and the
interest collected and expended here.
Thus we have to raise, and send every
gear out of the State, after making the
deductions required by the above esti-
estimates.
On Account of United States tax and
On account OF interest on Tennessee
on acesunt Of infst on 4. Il. bonds i5OSO
comfy 23I $50
Making total of...................sII ,l66, $50
All of which, if we would not be
come more deeply involved in debt,
must be paid each year from the sur
plus products of our labor.
But. stated in a different form, we
find we pay to the United States taxes
and profits six dollars and eighty cents
for each inhabitant.
To interest on the State debt, nearly |
ninety-six (96) cents for each inhabi-
! tant.
To interest upon railroad bonds,
nearly ninety-nine (99) cents for each
inhabitant.
In these estimates the sums yearly !
raised by taxation and required to sup.
port our State, county and city gov
ernments, and the public schools are
not considered, because they are ex-
pended within the limits of the State;
no part of them is sent abroad +; and
our inquiry to-day is limited to the
question, how may we become rich,
what shall be our pursuits and what
methods shall we adopt to make these
burthens easy to be borne?
But in passing | may say that it is
our duty to lessen the expenses Of our
home governments in every way that
is possible; for although expended in
our midst, the sums expended by these
governments are at least a tax upon
labor; and / Hold it to be a maxim in
polit;ca science, that an extravagant
government will make an extravagant
and thrift less people or rather that a
frugal and economical people will
demand, and will have, an economical
government. They act upon and react
upon each other-the government and
the people.
AVERAGE WEALTH.
In order that we may more accu-
rately perceive and more intelligently
comprehend our actual condition, and
measure the ability we possess in the
present state of our industrial pursuits
to meet these annually recurring obi
cations, and superadded to that to ac-
cumulate wealth, let us compare
our wealth with the wealth of other
communities and trust the lesson we
learn will not be lost, but will enable
us in the future to turn the knowledge
to some profit.
And just here let me say that wealth
does not consist in money alone; in
deed, the money is a small part of
the wealth of any community, as is
shown by the census returns to which
reference was made. For whilst in
1870 the gold and silver coin, the
Treasury and National bank notes-all
the currency, gold and silver, in the
United States-did not exceed the sum
of S900,000,0O0, the taal values of
property of every kind exceeded go
900, 900, 000) thirty thousand million
dollars. Wealth consists in improved
lands, in houses and furniture and
machinery, and all the varied produc-
tons of human skill and industry, and
all that contributes to the well-being
of mankind. In other words, wealth,
in the main is but the accumulated
stores of labor.
Now, by referring to the census re-
turns of 1870, | find that the average
wealth of each inhabitant of the fol-
lowing States to have been: in
New York ..............S1, 4S3 90
Massachusetts. ........ ! 49, w
Connecticut ......... LAP 90
Rhode Island. ............ 1870 w
Pennsylvania .......... 1850 90
New jersey l,02S 90
Ohio ................... $40 90