The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-06-16


This Is the kind Of an item which 10
passing the rounds Of our exchanges .at
this time:
"The public debt was decreased dur.
ing April s., $50, ,6OO."
The eagerness with which this kind Of
news is published i little singular, and
the Republicans are doing no little crow
ing because they are making the people
pay up the debts Of their own creation.
In 1873 the interest-bearing debt was
81, TO, 4s3, $50. The next year it was
$28, 446, 800 greater than it was the year
before. We have no recollection that
any of our Republican papers took PAINS
to mention that fact. In getting down
to resumption in 1879 we added $S7,-
159, $50 to. onr Understanding debt.
This WAS not trumpeted over the country
very extensively either. But in the last
month Of 1879 fourteen Grcenback Con-
gressmen we're sworn in, besides many
Of the Democratic party who had been
nominated and elected on account Of
their Greenback sentiments, and the
Republicans learned that halt must be
called; that the people would not coun-
tenance perpetually- ly-incrcasing debt.
They were soon to COME before the people
with candidate for q President, and
they wanted votes te elect him. Then
commenced period of Dragging about
paying the public debt, although the
Understanding debt was only S557, ,536.-
1914 lower than at its highest point fifteen
wears before, and $219, 479,77 Of that
(nearly half had been paid during the
.lespised Andrew Johnson's administra-
tion and the other 1898, ,O57, Az had been
Johnson was read ont Of the Republican
party. rs was Horace Greeley. Charles
Summer, David Davis. Lyman Trumbu!l
and others, and their places were sup
piled by such low-bred creatures as John
A. Logan, Ulysses 8. Grant, Col. Mosby.
Gen. Longstreet, David NJ. Key aud
other like disreputable persons, and, Of
course, the Republicans have no right to
claim anything for the reduction which
was made during his administration.
The facts are that the Republicans
| never intended to pay the debt and never
would il the people had not called halt.
and they are only now batting the hook
with enough payment to stop what they
call the "clnck Of the voters, and, rs
soon A. they canget . new lease Of power
30 ~ to feel secure, they will drive us
pell-mell ON the same downward road
they were going before they were stopped
| by the voters.
They are not doing all they can do.
Everybody who knows anything knows
that. According to the last report.
there were $233, 731, 1875 Of cash III the
treasury. Taking out the sinking fund
there is money enough in the treasury
to pay all the 6-per-cent bonds and S2O,-
1 79J, 1O2 Of the 5 per cents. There was
no necessity for refunding the 5 and T.
percent. bonds in 81 per cents, and
while this money is in the treasury all
this boasting about the payment Of the
public debt is buncombe, made out of
doing only tithe Of their duties. We
are now paying interest ON $2l7, la, 703
OF money which is lying idle in the
year of the peoples money thrown away
by the Treasury Department. We say
"thrOwn away !" we are going upon the
supposition that Mr.. Window has no pet
bank in Now York. ~ Mr.. Sherman had.
which will be allowed the constant use
Of their money. II he has pct institn-
tion the phrase is too soft. The d, ,OOO.-
600 are actually stolen from the pockets
Of the people and put into the pockets
Of his pet institution.
The existence Of national banks and
the constant pleas for their continuance
il evidence sufficient that the Repuhli-
cans intend to fasten, at their earliest
convenience, perpetual interest.bear-
ing debt upon the necks Of the people.
National banks cannot exist without \
bonded debt, and every encomium pro-
nounoed BY this party upon this infa-
NOUS institution is struggle for the
porpetuity Of our national debt.
These things should be ventilated
among the people, and articles Of this
kind should be handed to Republicans
for their thoughtful perusal. They
must learn that all this Republican
boast Of what they are doing is hum.
bug.-COnsn,0ncr