Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1880-10-06

LMENT.
them, can not be found named on the map,
and all of them are put into appropriation
bills for the pecuniary or political advantage
of individuals and corporations
The erection of public buildings for courts,
postoffices, and the like at the national cost,
is another serious and increasing drain on the
treasury. From small places where no such
expenditure Is needed, come applications for
public buildings; many Of them have recently
D assed the S5nate. One place in North Caro-
lima where public building WAS voted, has
not more than 2. 500 inhabitants None at all
familiar with the facts can doubt that, with
full Democratic swing, the doors of the treas
ury will open, and copious streams will run
South and empty into the pockets of no end of
eXpectants.
fore us for keeping the staff in the hands of
those who hsve vastly most at stake in the
wholesome preservation of the government,
its revenues, and its laws. Those with the
least at stake fought for one-half the govern
ment, and now the question is whether we
had better vote them both halves. The Demo-
crate party has had possession of one house
of congress for four years, and CT both houses
for two years. What useful thing has been
done or proposed? They have stricken some
million of tax from whisky and tobacco. They
have attempted by revolutionary means to put
the executive under duress, and to cripple the
government IN order to overthrow just and
me-honored laws. Whist else? | do not
know.
PRETENDED DEMOCRATIC ECONOMY.
1t is said that the Democracy have reduced
appropriations. l do not 80 understand it.
The claim of economy is no better than a
juggle. Here are the exact figures year by
year, Republican, aud Democratic, of sums
annually appropriated for current expenses,
stated in currency and gold:
i 1871 tfsep 6fa1 s. $751;
1875 (Republican)... 155,Olz75S.2O 1865, 1928
1876 Republicanl.. 147,7I4,94OS1 129,6937l8 O3
1877 (Democratic)... 1874 1921 l0.92 115 061 104. u
1873 (Democratic)... 1886 9S3.13 1926 1853
| 1879 Democratic. 72Ol68O92l 17I,672,775.59
1880 tDemocratic)... 1852, 40l64I76 162,404,647.76
1881 (Democratic).. 154, ,2l264 154 1852 ga
! 1t will be seen that under a Republican ma
| jority appropriations steadily decreased down
to Democratic accessions III 1877. In the first
! year, the Democrats continued reduction,
emitting, however, needed appropriations.
In their second year-the year preceding con-
gressional elections-they boldly neglected to
provide for many obvious and indispensable
appropriations. This was exposed on the spot
| as an electioneering device, but the figures
went forth and had their effect. There they
stand i'll the tables of 1878 as great apparent
saving, loudly Dragged about at the time, But
|
| government knew beforehand must be the
pretended saving VIII ch had been purposely
| left out of the regular appropriation bills,
came in as deficiency bills" after the election,
at the next session. There stands the proof
in the tables of 1879. The appropr alton that
year were much greater than in 1876, the last
! year of Republ can rule-greater in currency
by $24, 3O1 s68. 4O-greater in gold by 81, 979,-
O57 Sc.
| For last year the appropriations exceeded
the last Republican year more than fifteen
millions, and for this year they are considera-
bly, larger; and in both years appropriations
were purposely omitted IN cases in which they
are sure to be supplied at the next session.
THE GREAT WORK OF RESUMPTION.
! In the fee of the facts, bold and arrant as
the claim Is, the country is gravely told Of
wondrous Democratic economies, and il now
begins to be stated that the resumption of
specie payments was really brought about by
! the frugality Of 81 Democratic Congress-
! Laughter If race was to be sailed for on
the sea of fiction, the inventor of this state
ment would surely take the cup. [Uproarious
applause.l
The resumption of specie payments was a
ascendant achievement. The credit Of it
belongs to some party, and to that party future
| generations will look back with grateful ad.
miration. Whoever would know the truth
about IL can easily do so.
After the war we had sfioat we'll toward a
thousand millions Of paper currency. 1t fuc-
tuated ia value from 80 to 70 cents on the dol
lar. The public debt was more than twenty
! eight hundred millions, and more than
twenty-three hundred millions of it bore
interest. The annual interest charge was q
hundred and fifty millions. The first Pres-
Dental election afterward was in 1868. The
two parties, of course, arrayed themselves on
the greatest financial issue which has ever
| arisen III this country, or perhaps in any coun-
try. The question was, what should be done
with the colossal debt inflicted by the rebellion,
and with the sea of paper promises we had
been compelled to put out. The Democratic
party pronounced Reputation. The declar-
alton was covert and indirect, but it meant re-
pudlatlOn. They resolved that all debts should
be paid II paper promises, unless the obliga-
ton expressly on its face said otherwise, or
unless the law mentioned that coin should be
paid. They resolved that government bonds
and all other securities" should all be taxed
They resolved that "every species of property :"
should be taxed, al taxed at its "real value. :"
They resolved that there should be but one
currency for the Government and the "bOnd-
holder" Taken together, these declara ions
were plain reputation.
Nobody pretended that the obligations of the
Government were payable in honest money for
the reasons which alone could allow them to
be go paid under the Democratic resolution.
Had their payment in honest money been
| specified literally and technically in the way
required by the resolution, there would have
been no efficacy Of meaning in such 8 resolve;
and declaring that the bondholder should have
only the same currency that the Government
received. clearly and conclusively meant that
payment OF bonds was to made in legal tender
notes. [Applause.]
The bonds had been sold on an express
agreement that they should never be taxed,
and exemption fl ON taxation had entered into
the transaction and been discounted as an ele-
ment OF value, and paid for In the price given
for the bonds [Applause.l To tax not only
the bonds, but every species of property at
its real value" would have taxed barrel of
flour as well as a barrel of whisky, would have
taxed land, and all else. Such scheme would
not only have worn frontlet of reputation,
but would have thrown into chaos the whole
revenue and business of the country. ZAP
plause.l This was the Democratic position.
THE REPUBLICANS TAX THEIR STAND.
The Republicans IN their national conven-
ton declared two things: First, that the repu-
diation is a national crime, and that every debt
must be paid to the uttermost, not according to
| the letter but the spirit of the law Second