The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-07-12
EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT.

In speech which Mr.. TILDEN deliv-
cred in the city of Utica, last summer,
he used the following language, which at
first seems extraordinary:
~ "You are very justly proud that you
are the greatest gold and silver producing
nation in the world. You boast that on
your broad acres of fertile soils you raise
cereals to send abroad to exc out the sup
ply necessary to feed the population OF
the old world. You send forward your
grain from every part of the United
States. You send meats, you send wheat
and corn and cheese. You send other
products of the farm. You send vast
quantities Of petroleum; and then you
have one crop, the mass of which is ex-
ported, the largest that any nation in the
world ever contributes to the exchanges OF
mankind-I mean the cotton crop, which
yields from 5000, 100000 TO $3.50, 900
year foreign exports. Now, what is
the result2 When you have sent for.
ward your gold and silver, your cheese,
your butter, your petroleum, your wheat
and your corn, ard meat and cotton and
products of every kind, when you have
rsked and scraped this continent from
the lakes to the Gulf, and from the At
lantic to the remote interior, what have
You done? When you have gathered
together all these products, and paid the
cost of carrying them to the sesboard-a
cost larger ever than the original cost OF
raising the products-with every export.
able commodity carried TO the Atlantic
seaboard and deposited in the vessels OF
foreigners, you hare p0td ten months Of
the years toreS.
This statement is so surprising, says
the st. Louis Tines, and discoses such
dstressful state of affairs, that the In
quiry at once arises, can it be true2 Is
possible that all the exportable Surplus Of
the labor of forty millions of people dur
ing the year is only sufficient to pay ten
twelfths of their annualtsx It's really
true that we, to use a popular expression,
are working for a dead horse TO this
extent2 1t Is an extraordinary statement
to make, but Governor TILDEN is noted
for accuracy, and is not given to ground
ess declarations.
Let us look into the matter. The an
nusl expenses of our National Govern
ment, including interest on the public
debt have averaged, since 1868, about
$Sl5,OOOOOO. Our state, county and
municipal taxation, as nearly as the total
can be arrived at, averages about $780,
100000, making our yearly taxa
ton s765,0OO,OO0. Our total exports for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1876,
were only $643OO0,OOO, amounting
10 little more than ten-twelfths OF our
taxation. 1t will be seen, therefore, tina,
the accuracy of Governor TILDEN's re-
marksble statement is unquestionable,
and the subject is one which the Amer.
can people should ponder seriously, ask
ing themselves how long they expect to
continue such career, and how they
should endeavor to check it.
1t Is here that Governor TILpENs sim.
pie plan comes INTO play-the plan OF
which he has given US sample in the
state of New York. He makes the point
that we have total debt Of $500, Oo0,-
900, on which we pay in interest $225,-
100000 q year. But our annual taxes
amount to $765, 100000. or $4,000, 900
more than our interest charges. The in
terest account can be decreased gradu
ally, but very slowly while the enor-
nous amount of other expenditures for
which we are taxed, can be rap
IDLY and extensively reduced. We
have seen the vast reduction which has
been effected in New York, by means OF
honest and ecoSomical government, and
Governor TILDKN proposes, if the people
will allow him to do SO, to put the same
principles in operation in the national
government. tWe,hsve stated above that
theaverage annual expenses Of our nation
oil government have been about $Sl5, O00,-
90. The amount demanded by the esti-
mates At the opening OF the present session
of Congress was ssl4Ooo,Ooo. In passing
the appropriation bills the House cut
down these estimates over $4,000, 900,
and the greater part of this reduction is
sure TO become law, in spite Of the ex.
sravagant proclivities ofthe Senate This
shows what can be done, and it is certain
that the amounts might be still further
reduced without impairing the efficiency
of the public service.
1t is Governor TILDEE's theory that