The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-05-06

| the United States.
l noticed. some time since, an &C
count of the current expenses OF
members OF Congress, paid by gen
eral appropriation, which included
pocket knives, pocket books, purs-
es, combs and brushes, &C., DC
These are small matters; but they
are badges OF how far extravaganza e
and luxury is carried on at the seat
OF government, and should be
stopped. To go a little further, the
contrast between the expenses OF
this government at this time and
former years, and with other gov
ernments, is certainly discouraging
The imperial revenue of Grea,
Britain is about 1888 $4,000, and
The amount raised by taxation for
local purposes, is abou, $104, 335-
900. So thai the whole cost ol
governing the country is, say. $500
| 534, 900. The revenue of the gov
eminent of the United States is
S290.O0O,O0O, and the amount rails
Ell ~ taxation for local purpos-
es is about $330,000,000. So that
the whole cost of government in the
United States Is 100000, 600
again st 1856, 534, 900 in Great Brit
ain. Local taxes alone, in the Uni
ted States, are within a fraction OF
the entire revenue of the British
Government. Yet, that govern
ment maintains and supports pro
life royal family, plants and pro-
tects distant colonies, and governs
in vice-regal munificence a great
Eastern Empire. But bring the
comparison home. Compare the
costs of government now with pre-
ceding administrations, and the
picture is still more revolving. The
cost of Washington's administra-
ton, in Its highest expenditure.
was little over $4,0O0,o00; that of
John Adams, less than 100000;
that of Jefferson, less than $4,000,
600; that OF Monroe, less than ST.
100000; that of jackson, with In
dian wars less than $31, 200. 900;
that of Van Buren,, less than $3S,
100000, that of Polk, with the
Mexican war included, less than
$54, 600. 900; that of Pierce, $50, 600,
900; that of Buchanan little over
$50, 100000 and that of Grants last
year over 1924, 100000. This in
creased expenditure in administra
on uecessitated proportionate IN
crease in Federal taxation. Thus
the Federal tax in 1850 was $40.
100000; in 1850 it was $6OO0O,O0O,
and in 1870 it was $3.50, 100000.
IL 1850 the population OF the UnI-
Ted States was 23.10l, S76. paying a
Federal per capita tax of SLIP; in
1860 it was 3I,443,32 paying a
ike tax of $l9I; and in 1870 it
was $3S,55S,37I, and paid a like
tax OF $ll.67. 1t is thus seen that
the increase of public expenditures,
excluding the interest on the pub
lie debt, has been, since 1860, Two
hundred per cent, while the popu
latlon of the United States has In
creased only 40 per cent; and the
ratio of Federal taxation, per capita
has increased from 1860 to 1874,
about 600 per cent. What has be
come of this immense increase OF
taxation, taken from the earnings
of the people? 1t has not paid the
public debt; 1t has not flied the
public treasury; it is not boarded
for resumption. Where, then, is It'll
1t has been squandered under the
guise of official expenditure, in the
license of party corruption; it has
| been used to debauch the morals OF
great party through the instru-
mentalitIes of the civil service; and
it has organized and perpetuated
unconstitutional satrapies in the
Southern States, to overawe a con
quered and submissive people, and
suppress the freedom of the ballot
box, that carpet baggery, with all
its train of evils, might rule and ruin
what war, in its most gigantic pro
portions, had not destroyed.
These extraVagances should be
stopped, and their perpetrators
hurled from Office and from power.
If only one voice can be found in
the halls of the National Legisla-
ture which will befri nd the people,
let that voice be raised with conf
Gence and courage. 1t may not
affect immediate results, but it will
become the entering wedge that
will, alter a while, expose the very
heart of the rotten timber; it will
be the small stream that will gather
as it goes, until the mighty voice OF
the people will become tributary.
and, like a mighty torrent, once
more sweep the dregs and filth OF
corruption from the pure channel OF
true political economy. Most OF
these expenses have been the cor
rupt offspring of republican legisia-
tion since the war.
The democratic party presents to
the country a glorious record on
this question. In 1874 the dem
ocratic party first came into power
in the National House of Represen-
tatives, the republican party con-
trolling the Executive and the Sen
ate. During that session, a demo
cratic House, strongly and bitterly
opposed by the Executive and the
Senate, reduced the current expen-
ses of the United States govern
ment to within fraction OF $780,
100000, relieving the people of an
annual burden of $102, 555.65 to
each Congressional District. This
system OF reform commenced then
by Mr.. Randall, as chairman of the
committee on appropriations, is
still continued under the lead OF
Mr.. Atkins, of Tennessee, one OF
the truest men and best members in
the body.
THE ARMY AND NAVY.
There is to-day, my countrymen,
supported from the revenue OF The
people OF the United States, a
standing army of "a, 1862 soldiers,
and 2,I27 officers ana navy OF
SOS6 men. These men are emphat-
icaily consumers-not one of them
producers. The annual cost OF
maintaining this military depart
ment is over s37,OOO,OO0O 90; aud
do not forget that this, too, in a
time of profound peace, when there