Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-18
Democratic Misrepresentation.

To follow the Democracy through all
their winding paths, expose all their misrep-
RESERVATIONS and refute all their wild state
ments, would leave one little time TO pre-
pare for that retreat where q presidential
election never disturbs the serenity Of ones
existence The air has been heavy with
Democratic "logic " during the past week.
| The chairman of the Democratic state CON-
mittee, by way of general demurrer to
General Woodford's magnificent appeals in
this state, stated in public Thursday night
that his salary is $4,000, and the poor la
boring man is burdened with taxes TO pay
it. General Woodford's fixed salary is
$4,000. Besides this there are some fees
and perquisites dependent upon the success
full prosecution of government suits, but
under the most favorable circumstances his
salary has never reached one-sixth part Of
the sum stated, and is much less than the
professional income of good legal practi-
TONER in New York. Mr.. Fisk, apparently
in a state of mental alteration that might
relieve him from moral responsibility, stated
before the convention, and amid the plaudits
of his hearers, that the government is now
paying more interest on the national debt
than it was at the close of the war, notwith-
standing the fact that the rate of interest
had been reduced from seven and three
tenths and six per cent to four per cent.
How is this? August 81, 1865, the interest
bearing public debt reached its highest
point, viz, S2,3s1, 530,294, and the annual
interest charge was sl50,977, 697. BY the
public debt statement for July last the inter-
est-bearing debt was sl,723, SOC, 400, and the
annual interest charge was 7S,301 $3.50.
So far from "paying more interest now
than at the close of the war the govern
ment is actually paying s72,675,72s less.
Mr.. Fisk also stated that the government
had called in all its demand notes and is
sued long time bonds in their place, and
then, having no debts due, aud one hundred
million dollars in gold in the treasury, had
resumed" specie payments. These state
ments seemed to be swallowed as facts by
his Democratic admirers, but occasionally
greenbacks are visible to people of ordinarily
close observation, and Secretary Sherman's
late report says there are s34674l 1881 of
them in circulation. Any person possessing
greenbacks and desiring the gold for them
can have his desire gratified from Uncle
Sans ample store of hard cash. In fifteen
years Republican administrations have paid
off more than onefourth of the bonded debt
of the nation, and reduced the interest on
the remainder to about one-half of what the
entire interest charge was. During the last
fifteen years of Democratic rule, prior to
1861, the national debt increased thirteen
million dollars, and in 1851 the government
was paying twelve per cent interest on
money borrowed for current expenses, and
was selling its bonds at heavy discount.
Now our four per cent bonds are sold at a
premium in all the money markets of the
world. And yet we are told by our "dear
Democratic friends" that the party which
has been so faithful over many things has
outlived its usefulness, and should now re-
tire in favor of the party that has been
faithless in all things.