The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-02

lent condition Of our country, universal
. education REQUIRES the aid Of the general
Government. The authority 10 grant
such aid g established by line OF pre-,
cedents, beginning with the origin Of the
Republic and running down through al
most every administration TO the present
time. Lei this aid be granted wherever 1t
4 essential 10 the enjoyment Of free popu.
lar instruction.
1.-THE census OF these states shows now
great q proportion Of the whole popula.
ton occupies the classes between infancy
and manhood. These are the wide fields,
and here Il the deep and quick soil for the
seeds OF knowledge and virtue; and this
Is the favored season-the very spring.
time for sowing them. Let them be dis.
seminated without stint. Let them be
scattered with bountiful hand broadcast
Whatever the Government can fairly do
toward these objects, in my opinion,
oughtto be done"
The distinguishing feature Of Soldiers
Reunions this year, Is, that they are SO
largely meetings for mutual congratula:
ton and for rejoicing over the improved
condition and prospects OF the people Of
the United States.
No man OF well.baIanced character can
fall to be grateful for the blessings OF this
period Of restored prosperity, who will
consider even In the most casual and hasty
way the familiar facts Of our history during
the last nineteen years. Let me spread
before you very few OF the facts touch
ing our financial affairs. The great event
OF the period / have named Is the war for
the Union.
In reply TO resolution of the Senate,
the Secretary OF the Treasury reported, in
June last, statement Of the expenses Of
the Government on account OF the war OF
the rebellion, from July l, 1881, TO June
80, 1879, inclusive. In that official report
1t Is stated that the expenditures growing |
out OF the war, after deducting all the ex.
penses OF the Government other than
those for the war, have amounted 10 the
sum of s., 1855, 929, sos IS.
This great sum has all been paid in the
last nineteen years, except the present
amount OF the national debt. Deductipg
the debt which still remains, from this
statement OF the cost OF the war, and in
the fifteen years which have since elapsed,
the United States has paid in excess OF all
the ordinary and extraordinary expen.
ses OF the Government in time OF
peace, more than s., 2T5, 100000 on
account Of the war. This Is an average
Of about S225, 100000 per year Of war
for the last nineteen
years. These enormous payments were
made chiefly during the war and in the
years Immediately following the war.
That such vast expenditures by the
should lead TO an inflated
to extrayagant living, and to
reckless enterprises, and that these in
turn should be followed by that iremen-
1ous event, q financial panic, and its at
tendant ruin and distress. were inevitable,
and were part OF the price we paid for
restored Union, for stable Government,
and for human freedom.
0n'the 3lst Of August, 1866, the total
debt resulting from the war was $780,.
.3l, ST. 43; the interest bearing debt was {
3, SSl, $40, 294 SO; and the annual interest.
charge was Sl5O,977, 697 81. Now, after I
exactly fifteen years have passed, the to-
al debt. less cash in the Treasury, is ST. 7
200. 900 600; the interesthearing debt is !
81 ~, e93, 100; and the annual interest {
charge Is SIS, 633, 9sl. Fifteen years ago, c
The share OF the National debt Of each In !
nabitant OF the United States was SIS Is, Q
and each PERSONS share OF the interest 9
charge was $40. Thousands were in {
inced to believe that such q debt could
never be paid, and that our National debt, '
ike that Of England, would be perpetu.
al burden upon ourselves and our poster
ity. Now, however, the debt was dimin-
Ished to less than one-half for each inhabi-
liant OF what 1t was in 1885, and the inter-
est.charge, pr eGpilG, is scarcely more than
one.thirdol what it was fifteen years ago.
Such being the favorable state Of our
debt, let Us for moment examine the
condition OF our resources.
The imports and exports for the last
thirty years have been as follows:
In the twenty-five years next prior to
five years ago, the excess OF imports over
balance OF trade against us
was s. 500 900, O90, and the average annual
excess Of imports was more than $50, 000,-
300. In that period Of quarter Of q {
century there were only three years in
which the exports exceeded the imports,
and in those three years the average annu-
al excess Of exports was only about So
100000. Compare this condition OF trade
with the last five years, during which the
excess OF exports over imports-the bal.
s1ee Of trade In 9pF faYor-hl1as been as
follows.