The New York herald., 1876-11-04


winter OF 1874 concluded that they had not better
any longer interfere. They sent out commission,
however, inquire, at the head OF which was Judge
Poland, OF Vermont and Judge Poland. 10 his honor,
reported that the federal government had better let
out parallel in American history In accordance with
proclamation by the proper officials, tho people Of
this State. on the 2S,h Of March, 1872 50. aside day
for thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God. There
have many cia occasions OF this nature even
our Pilgrim fathers gave thanks Tor the abun-
OF the seas when the abundanc OF The seas con
mainly Of clans; but has there been such
thsnkssivi AS this And what was IL all for? That
the State had been delivered from pestiencey No.
That the Indians the borders had not ravagcd the
settlements? 1? No. That the annual rution OF the
earth had not failed 2 No. But simply that The pco-
pie OF Arkansas allowed enjoy what is con-
s!dered the nalicnable right OF every American
namely that Of a free govern nent Aud Mr. Nordhof,
who in Little Rock AT this time, tells that the
day was observed by the whole people. The churches
were open. the banks aud The stores closed and
every body. they passed their way worship
amusement-white and black-clasped hands con.
graduated each other on The good times ahead And
the good times came; ior during the last two years
thcrc been State which has made such advances
in progress, population and industrial development
TINS same stale OF Arkansas And during The past few
months negotiations opened in Boston by
planters In the vciny OF Little Rock for the erection OF
cotton mil near that city; their representative stat
ing 10 friend OF mine In Boston that he was making
more cotton, better cotton ami cheaper cotton than
ever before; that he was working some half dozen
natonatcs IN peace and harmony on his plantation,
and that he and his neigh increasing their
capital so fast that they desired to diversity their In
dustrics.
Contrast, now, this picture OF Arkansas with the
present condition oil South Carolina The taxes I'M
posed by every government which lives by taxing and
not by borrowing cohiiscatng are proportoned to
It's expenditures. and the expenditures IN every
well administered government vary very snsnly
In successive years. except In case OF uncxDected
emergencies. This was The rule with this govern
ment before the war, tends TO be tho rule now and
would have been so years ago Ind II not been
for the extraordinary policy OF Mr. Boutwell,
in keeping up the taxes on the nation
through long OF war, for The purpose Of paying
debt not due to the utter neglect OF debt
that drc Suppose now the FIRST Congress undor
democratic should upon the work OF pay
ing these claims the sake OF making begin
TO pe q" najd Should appropra,e $4,000 600 over and
above the current necessary federal expenditures.
THIS would occasion deficit in the resources Of The
Treasury, which could only be met In two ways--by
increasing tho debt or increasing the taxes But
neither OF these things can be done in hurry or done
the dark. suppose II was proposed 10 increase the
deot The very hrst symptom OF proposition look
ing this direction would be flashed by telegraph to
every financial 10 the civilized world, aud tho
echo would come back almost speedily
In decline IN bonds. In rise In
gold in an unsettlng of foreign exchange and general
ness Tho American people take stock IN good
many things without much consideration, but think
IL would be difiicult to find man, claiming to be
sensible, who would believe hat any lar,y or admin
stration would deliberately go to work 10 get up. not
pancs, and this, too, with Few House OF Repre-
sentativcs elective every two years Or suppose It
that this policy would he IN direct opposition TO
tho interest that for years to come s to DC tho most
Industrial and business interests of the country and
also in opposition to tho almost universal seDti-
mens Of The people, ,ha. the burden Of tax; tax;
rapidly diminish. The danger to DO apprehended
the undue payment Of southern claims is there
fore, IN my opinion, purely Imaginary. Though the
southern m embers OF Congress should vote
OF their pay ment the representatives OF
the North and West have majority in Congress as
compared with the South OF nearly three to one AMI
II their politics could not bc reed on TO prevent raid
the public treasury, their interests aud their
stit car he 70
white backbirds but white blackbrds would be plenty
In comparison with members OF Congress from tho
North and West who should go before their consttu
ents for reelection or Endorsement with record
that they had voted to increase either the debt the
taxes What the South most needs is peace and good
government. Give her these and she will speedily he-
The riches, portion IN the Union, and in this IN
Of riches the North and West will largely share
Whatever, therefore, may be tho interests OF ndi
vduaIs at the South respcctto claims. tho South as
may he GU po' of - scoona ANY AZ
national prosperity. People have sometimes quarrcled
with their labor and their own pocketbooks Blu.
they don't do often and the average American Is not
much giving TO acting IN that direction
ruE TRUTH ABOUT NATIONAL EXPENDITURES.
On the business interests Of the country let
briefly review tho more purely economical transac
Of the federal government as administered by
the republican party, and II We can find anything
there which will enable tell aught Of the business
future and prospects.
The expenditure OF revenue and the method by
which revenue collected constitute tho best by
which estimate the wisdom and efficiency OF
government Al other Questions are subordinate Tor
without good finance there cannot be high degree
Of prosperity any high degree OF morality 10
nation any more than TO an Individual Let US apply
these tests to recent experience II Is propo-
silion in the nature oil axiom that national cxpcn-
dtures time oil peace ought not to increase in
greater ratio than popuation but, on the contrary as
the the levy of cnlarges, wealth and
population increase the capita expenditure OF every
well regulated government in time OF peace ought to de-
crease THIS Is the case with the British government.
the annual for the maintenance Of which
increase very slowly remain for long periods almost
stationary But does the experience OF
government answer to these requrementsY
In 1860 the national expenditures exclusive OF any
payments for interest or principal OF the public debt
In is7o the nth year after peace. our national ex-
pendtures exclusive Of Interest, payments the
principal of the debt. and not including PEN
slons, So 81 capita or IN other words. while
the population OF the country increased from 1860
lsso in tho ratio OF per cent the ordinary
peace expenditures OF the government showed
1870 as compared with 1850 OF over seventy
per cent
For the fiscal year 1878. the last for which
official figures have been published tho corresponding
national expenditures, with at least 1000 900 Of add
tional population were So 3S per capita Here then
all the essential facts respecting the increase
III the expenditures OF the federal government as IT
were IN nutshell Tho figures speak Tor themselves
and the data which they are founded are at COM
Secretary OF the Treasury and to the census Again
the I'D Of January 1872, General Garfield, as
Chairman OF the Committee on Appropriations, called
the attention OF the House OF Representatives and the
country to the tact that though the population OF tho
country had been increasing geomerical ratio tho
national expenditure since the termination OF the war
had increased rapidly and that IL this in
crease was to continue, 1--WE might look forward to
the iuture with alarm.n Tho speaker did
not however, think there any necessity Tor such
continued Increase, and the measures TO be
taken, expressed the House HIS confident belief that
II peace continues, tho year 1876 will witness
ordinary expenditures reduced TO $l25 900 000 And
Mr.. Eugene Hale also member Of the Committee on
Appropriations. who followed General Garfield,
pressed his opinion that in the reduction of expcndi
lures about 10 be naugura,ed, 1.-The lowest figure may
be reached year two earlier than General GARFIELD
has stated" But let how far the hopes of
General Garfield and tho predictions OF Mr. Hale have
been realized. For the year 1872 the year
when the reduction was TO be at oncc entered
government were $lt3, 900, 600 The very
year they jumped to $ls0,0o0, 900; in 1874
they went still highcr. to $l94 600, 600;
ton therefore, is complete, that the party having Iu
control OF the government have been able make
that reduction IN national expenditures which their