Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-15
A Democratic Plank.

What tho Chicago Tribune has to sa y
regarding the Financial Situation
Some Statements to be Examined.
One Of the planks, says the Tri.
bune of Chicago, in the Democratic
platform, which is expected to pro-
duce a profound impression on the
public mind, reads as follows: i.
"Reform is necessary in the scale
of public expense, Federal, State
and municipal. Our Federal taxa
ton has swollen from $60,O00,O0O
in gold in 1860 to S45O,OOO,OOO in
currency in 1870; our aggregate
taxation from 1854 100000 in gold
in 1860 to $3.50, 100000 in currency
in 1S7O-or in one decade from less
than S5 per head to more than S1S
per head. Since the peace the peo-
pie have paid to their tax-gatherers
more than thrice the sum of the ma.
tional debt, and more than twice
that sum for the federal government
alone. We demand vigorous fru.
gality in every department and from
every officer of the gov ernment."
If these figures are intended as
statistical information merely, they
are very inaccurate, and if intend
ed to represent the present burden
Of taxation, they are quite decep-
tive. In constructing platform for
a great national party accuracy OF
assertion in matters of fact is of
sufficient Importance not to be dis.
regarded. But the above quoted
plank pays but little attention to
the element of truth, as we shall
proceed to show.
In the first place, federal taxation
in 1860 yielded the sum, according
to the treasury reports, of $56,O54,.
500. But this sum was wholly in
sufficient to defray the expenses of
the government in the third year of
Buchanan's administration, and
there was added to the debt, in loans
and treasury notes, the amount Of
$40, 7S6, sos, making the total re
ceipts from revenue and loans, &c.,
841, 4O7 in gold. This was for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1860.
The expenditures for the same
year were $77, 055, 128, of which $3,-
144, 62O were for the interest of the
public debt, land for pensions 81, 1O0,.
8O2, leaving for ordinary expenses
about e73, 900, 900 in gold.
The population of the United
States at that time was 81, OOO, 900;
it is now over A, 900, 900, or AZ per
cent. greater than then.
But this Democratic platform as
serts that the federal taxes of 1870
amounted to $45O, 600, 900, and from
the way taxation and expenditure
are mixed together in the same sen
tence, it is obviously the purpose to
convey the idea that it costs $780,
OO0,C to "run" the government.
The actual receipts of the govern
ment in 1870 were:
From customs (gold) $194,5 ,S74
From internal revenue (cur-
rency) 1874, 1899, 756
From direct tax 229,1O2
From public lands $3.50, 4S1 |
From miscellaneous 12,942,11SI
Total receipts 1896, 1855, 1888
The 'smiscellaneOus" consisted of
proceeds of sales of surplus militia
~ stores, premium on gold, etc.,
but none of it was derived from tax
alton. Reducing the gold duties to
currency, the whole revenue deriv.
ed from taxation did not exceed
e4OO, DOC, 900, which are $50, 600, 900
less than asserted in the confederate
platform.
The expenditures the same year
were for
Interest on the debt
(gold) s129, 2S5, 49s
Pensions 2S,34O, POP
Net ordinary expendi-
lures Currency 164, 421, SOY
Total expenditures s311, 1897 ,2O7
This left $4,000, 900, which were
applied in payment of the national
debt; but the Dem ocratic platform