Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-02-26
A CONTRAST.

The people-tbe distressed tax-pay.
ers--should remember that the cleo.
tion of a Democratic Congress in 1876,
has reduced the National expenditures
$40, 100000 per annum, and this, too,
despite hostile Senate and an extrava.
giant Executive. In few weeks the
present Congress will expire, and until
the close Of Hayes term the Demo
Gratis will have control OF both branches
Of Congress, and can and will enforce
further reductions in expenditure, and
carry into effect other much needed
reforms. We can only explain the
readiness with which the Republican
masses have acquiesced in the corrupt
and wasteiul extravagance of their
party for the past ioul teen years, on
the score that they have been dupcd
by their leaders and newspapers.
We would, however, briefly call at
tention to a few pertinent facts. As
an illustration we will take the ex-
penses of our Army and Navy, and
contrast them with former years. For
this purpose let us revert TO the war
of 18l2-l4 with the mighty force Of
England, and contest between VIC
raw levies on the other. We had
coast to defend from Maine to the Gulf.
Our northern frontier was constantly
harassed from Canada The Indians
were the hired allies OF the British
Our means OF communication and
transportation wero difficult, and il
cost more TO transport piece of ar
tillery from the sea-board TO the lakes,
than it now does TO move a regiment
OF artillery from and to the same
points.
Our currency was from 40 TO so per
cent. below par. On the land we lost
10000 men killed in battle. At the
same time our Navy was unusually
active on every lake and sea as will be
seen from the tact that VIC captured
50 British men of war carrying 1856
cannon, 1850 merchantmen mounting
5000 guns, besides driving ashore or
shipwrecking 90 vessels Of war carry
ing 500 guns, and capturing over 30
900 seamen. In contrast, we lost 25
vessels OF war mounting $50 guns,
lI07 mel chantmen and 2l 900 seamen.
1t will thus be seen that this was quite
u war, and the cost of it fell upon the
years of 1928 II. Now what was
the cost?
In 1912 the Madison Administration
spent Tor military objects, including
forts, and everything pertaining to
land operations, s1l,S17, 900; in 1912,
sl9, $50, 900 in 1914, s20,3OO,0 ,009, max
ing an aggregate Of s51,767, 900; and
in 1871 it spent for all naval objects,
including gunboats in and around har
bors, s3,959,OOO; IN 1918, SO 100000
in 1914, s7,30O,000. making an aggre-
gate of s17 $4,000, and total for
both branches of the service Of $685.
426, 900 TOR three years of the war.
Our next war was with Mexico. In
this, also, our Navy was considerably
employed, but tho main operations
were on land, in foreign country, and
n, n lone d;stanca from our basa of
sn,r,;as a rasnl, wo av,snded ,he
boundary line OF Texas TO the Rio
Grande, conquered and annexed New
Mexico and California, as well as the
and Poskv Morn,a;ns Tins secrr;na
,ha ,;ohas, ,old and s;lver ro;nas IN ,he
uo,id Il, ns nsovam;na ,ho oos, or ,ba,
wor
In 1915 tho poIk Administration
anon, on ,ha ormy sI0aIa 00o in
iea7 sas sao ooo II isie so7 sae
o0o maL;ng total of e7a ell 00o
IN iste !, snan, On ,ho Nav se ihs
600 in ls4f az 900 O0o in lsls so.
4Os, 600; making q total OF s23, 3,763,-
900. Here we have an aggregate for
both branches OF the service in the
three years of the Mexican war,
amounting TO s97, ,707 900.
Noc comes the contrast For the past
three years, under the Republican ad.
ministration, there has been total
expenditure for naval and military
purposes of sl55, i24, 900. This, too,
has been in a time of profound peace,
if we may except the frontier skir-
mishes with the Indians, brought on
by the rascality of Indian Agents, and
the ineficiency and barbarity of our
army leaders. To suppress these out.
breaks, however we have an army OF
%. 600 men. btfl, somebow or another.