The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-08-13

country, and OF tDe reforms neeneu
bring back the Government to it's true fun'
tions, to restore purity of administrator
and to renew the prosperity of the people
But some of these reforms are SO urger
that they claim more than q passing apprC
val.
REFORM IN PUBLIC EXPENSES.
The necessity for a reform Gin the seal
of public expense, Federal, State and nun
icipal and ain the modes of Fedora
taxation" justifies all the prominence givel
to it in the declaration of the st. Loui
Convention.
The present depression in all the bust
nees and industries of the people, which ii
depriving labor Of it's employment, anC
carrying want into 80 many BONES, has it,
principal cause in excessive governments
consumption. Under the illusions of &
specious prosperity, engendered by the
false policies of the Federal Government, q
waste of capital has been going on ever
since the peace of 1865, which could only
end in universal disaster.
The Federal taxes of the last eleven
gears reach the gigantic sum of $500 mil
lions. Local taxation has amounted to two
thirds as much more. The vast aggregate
is not lees than $500 millions.
This enormous taxation, follow ed civil
conflict that had greatly impaired our sg
gregate wealth, and had made a prompt re-
duction of expenses Indispensable.
1t was aggravated by NEST unscientitic
and i'll adjusted methods of taxation that
increased the sacrifices of the people far
beyond the receipts of the treasury.
1t was aggravated, moreover, by q foam
cial policy which tended to diminish the
energy, skill and economy of production,
and the frugality of private consumption,
and the induced characterization in business,
and unrenunerative use of capital and la
Dor.
Even ia prosperous times, the daily
wants OF Industrious communities press
closely upon their daily earnings. The mar
gin Of possible national savings is at best
small percentage of national earnings. Yet,
now, for these eleven years governmental
consumption has been larger portion of
the national earnings than the whole peo-
pie can possibly save, even in prosperous
times, for all new Investments.
The consequences of these errors are now
e present public calamity. But they we're
never doubtful, never invisible. They were
necessary and inevitable, nnd ere foreseen |
snd depicted when the waves of that ficti-
tious prosperity ran highest. In speech |
made by me on the Oath of September,
1858, it was said of these taxes -
They bear heavily upon every mans income,
upon every Industry and every business in the
country, and year by year they are destined to
press still more heavily, unless we arrest the
system that gives rise to them. 1t WAS COM
paratively easy when valnee were doubling I'M
der repeated issues of legal tender paper money,
to pay out of the froth of our growing and ap-
parent " ealth these taxes bat when values re-
oede and sink to wards their natural scale, the
Rx.gathcrer takes from US rot only our income
not only on. profits, but also portion of our
capital. do not wish to exaggerste |
or alarm simply say that we cannot afford
the costly and rrinons policy of the Radical
majority of Congress. We cannot afford that
policy towards the South. We canrot efferd |
the magnificent ard oppressive cen tralism into
which orr Government ls being converted. We
cannot afford the present magnificent scale of
taxation.
To the Secretary Of the Treasury, said,
early in 1866
There isno royal road for a Government more
thar for an individual or corporation. What
you want u do now is to cut down your ex-
penses and live within your income. would
give all the lsserdemain of finance and fnan.
cieriu g-I would give the whole of it for the
old homely maxim, " Live within your p-
oome."
This reto.ro will be resisted at evory
step, but il must be pressed Professionally.
We zee to day the Immediate representa-
tives of the people in one branch of Con
gress, while struggling to reduce eNpendi-
lures compelled to confront the nIcuace of
the Senate and the Executive that unless
the objectionable appropriations ne con-
sented to, the operations Of tLo Govern
ment Hereunder shall suffer detrimeut OF
cease. In my Judgment, an emendment of
the Constitution ought to be devised separ-
ating into distinct bills the appropriations
for the VARGAS departments of the public |
service, and excluding from each bill all |
appropriations for other objects, and all |
independent legislation. In that way alone |
can the revisory power of each of the two |
Houses and of the Executive be preserved |
and exempted from the moral duress which |
often compels assent to Objectionable APP
preparations, rather than stop the wheels |
of the Government.
THE SOUTH.
A., ,1o Al.
in business is to be found in the systematic |
and insupportable misgovernment i'm posed |
on the States of the South. Besides the or
binary effects of ignorant and dishonest |
Administration, it has inflicted upon them
enormous issues of fraudulent bonds, the
scanty avails of which were wasted or
stolen, and the existence of which is
public discredit, tending to bankruptcy or
reputation. Taxes, generally oppressive,
in some instances have confiscated the en-