The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1876-09-15
Where the Money Goes.
Mes York SUM

In a remarkable and exhaustive ad-
dress delivered at Saratoga, on Tues
day evening, by the Hon. David A..
Wells, this learned political economist
and statistician undertook to give the
causes and remedy for the present
universal depression in business. As
one of those causes, Mr.. Wells point
ed out the extravagant cost of gov
ernment. This is a matter TO which
Gov. Tilden has often adverted, and
it is one that ought to be kept con-
stantly before the people, and impress
ed upon them. This succinct state
ment Of the facts should be read and
re-.ead by every reader:
"The next item in the bill Of par
ticulars to which would call atten-
ton is the enormous increase in the
United States within a comparatively
recent period of expenditures on ac-
count Of government-Federal, State
and municipal. Thus starting with a
period far removed from the time
when the burden of a war debt and
interest attained its maximum, we
find that the net ordinary expense of
the Federal Government increased
from 1870 to 1874, at the rate of 4
per cent. per annum compounded,
while in England the annual gross
expenditures for running the Govern
ment remain almost stationary; the
increase in thirteen years, comparing
1860, with 1873, having been less
than per cent. for the whole period.
In 1872, my friend, Gen. Garfield, as
Chairman Of the Committee on Ap-
preparations of the House of Repre-
sentatives, expressed belief on the
floor Of the House that if peace con-
tlnued, the net ordinary expenses of
the Federal Government, which in
that year were sl53, ,000,0 900, would be
reduced by 1876, to sl25, 900, 900.
But how far circumstances have prov
ell adverse to the realization of such
anticipations, is shown by the fact
that for 1875, the net ordinary expen-
ses of the Government were sl7l,.
900, 900, and for the fiscal year 1870
6, when the special efforts were made
to economize, sl5S, 900, 900. Great,
however, as has been the increase in
Federal expenditures, the increase Of
our State and municipal expenditures
has been comparatively greater. The
aggregate of State debts was reported
in 1875, at 1926, 600, 900, Of which
sl64, 10000 had defaulted. The
present aggregate Of municipal in
debtedness is in excess of $500, ,OOO,-
600. The agglagate taxation of the
United States has increased from
less than s. per head in 1861, to
more than sl3 in 1876. There has
been paid out in taxes--Federal, State
and municipality the people of the
United States, from 1865 to 1876, the
astounding sum of at least s6, 900, ,OOO,-
900. Certainly of all dear and expen-
sive things in this country,
which people buy and pay for, govern
ment has become the dearest and most
expensive
Thus we find that at time when
the people have been themselves close
ly economizing, the expenses of the
Government have steadily increased,
while heavy taxation has been put up
on the labor of the country to keep
up the extravaganza. Meanwhile bu-
siness declines, manufactures are clos
ed, and labor, skilled and unskilled,
seeks in vain for employment. The
first step to a remedy is to turn out of
power the party under which this
criminal extravaganza has grown up.