The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-10-29

Navy % o,Ltl
The expense of the Executive Mansion in
cluding the Presidents salary has grown to
magnificent sum of Sl2400
All this combined fraud, corruption and
extravaganza has done more to bring the
evils upon our people under which they now
suffer than any other cause. The expenses
Of the late war, enormous as they were could
easily nave been met bya growing prosperous
country like ours with proper management
Gf Hmr finances, and economy in administra-
people, and he her 1a6tans 1at We're We're made at low
rate of interest. But our people little un-
derstand the magnitude of their obligations,
and orators speak tippantly of hundreds of
millions of dollars. Assuming our national
Indebtedness to be $2,l00000 900, and that
is low estimate-how far would it reach?
You will be surprised to learn that if our
line they would extend beyond the boundaries
of your State-beyond the Mississippi and
over the Rocky mOuntains-across the Pacific
and in fact around this world of "a 900 miles of
circumference to Catawissa, and then around
again and again until over ten circuits had
| been made and if piled up would extend
one hundred and fifty miles into the air
What is the remedy? Shall we borrow
more? Certainly not. The interest we are
now paying is fearful drain upon our peo-
| pie Shall we resort to increased taxation? =?
| Emphatically no. Our people are overbur-
dcned now, and already pay more taxes than
any. other civilized nation. Nor is it fair
that the people of this generation who have
carried on gigantic war, and freely given
their lives and substance to preserve the
Union should be taxed to death to pay debts
not yet due. Let peace first be fully estab-
lished, trade and commerce revive, and with
our growing industries the load can more ca
| silly be borne.
| next come, Mr.. Chairman, to the much
vexed currency question. 1t can no more
be called party issue than that of the
Tariff, Leading Republicans favor more
money!" and leading Democrats oppose it.
State conventions have taken widely differ
ent views on the subject, but the only au-
thoritative declaration we have is that
of our national convention at Balti-
more in 1872 which distinctly resolved in
favor of return to specie payments. As a
party we have always believed in the doe
trine that gold and silver is the only consti-
tutiona currency, and we believe so to-day
| When Chief Justice Chase the father of oul
currency system, delivered the decision o
the Supreme Court, that the issue of green
backs was unconstitutional, we applaudeC
his opinion, and justly condemned the tricl
of packing the Court by appointing Bradley
and Strong for the express purpose of revers
ing that decision Being II national ques
ton and one with which neither our Cover
nor nor State Treasurer can have any con
nection, it may properly be left TO the Dem
ocratic Congress which will assemble in DE
cember next, But "a the Erie and Lancas
ter platforms have both made declaration
on this subject, it may be proper to dayot
a few moments to them.
As | have stated, opinions differ on tn
subject, Thad. Stevens openly ldyooate'
the payment of our bonds in greeu-back.
Senator Morton did the same. To-day Bu,
Ter, Kelley, Wendell Phillips, and othe
leading Republicans are expansionists. Th
Lancaster platform says:
"Free banking, safe and uniform n1ttonC
currency adjusted to the grol0ing Wants Of II
: business interests Of the country, and stead
reduction of the national debt"
> Here are two important declaration
First, it demands continuance of our pre-
, ent banking system, and secondly, it dc
t mands imitation, because business wants
2 will constantly grow, and according to tn