Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-10-03


Since the close Of the war there has
not been an election for any officer
from Constable to President into which
the national finances have not been
dragged as an alleged issue. At all
times, on all occasions, and under each
succeeding administration, the Treas
urv Department has shown its willing
ness to help the machine politicians by
the preparation and circulation, at pub
lie expense and without lawful author
ity, of extra official reports, ingenious
" adapted for use in party organs,
and evidently intended to be fitted with
headlines and supplemented with CON-
ments calculated to deceive the people.
OF course, there is interesting in
formation in these extra official state
ments, although it is all contained in
the regular monthly statements and
yearly reports, From the last OF these
documents, made for the use OF the
Hubbell committee, we learn that in
addition to payments made during the
past seventeen years for pensions to
soldiers, their widows and orphans, "
amounting in the aggregate to $780,
8S4, 023 06, We have redeemed u ma
tional securities to the amount of S943,-
926, 544 96, and reduced the annual in
terest charge during the same period
$94, 534, 500 81, with every prospect OF
a still further reduction within the next
few weeks amounting to 81, 500, 900 per
annum, by the refupding operations now
in progress, under the recent law au-
thorizing the issue OF three per cent
bonds. During the same period the in
terest on our national debt, amounting
in the aggregate to the enormous sum
OF 81, 1872. 229, l0s 09, has been prompt
ly paid,
We have reason, as a people, to feel
proud OF this showing, for, although we
might have done a great deal better il
hundreds of millions had not been stolen
by rings and squandered by corrupt prac-
tees, what We have done is really great.
It shows the enormous productive capac-
ity Of our young country, whose measure
less resources have enabled us to bear
such burdens.
But we are told that the Republican
party has done all this! The people are
invited to rise up and bless the great and
good party, because it has paid pensions,
because it has been faithful to the bond
holders, and because it has not paid six
or seven per cent interest when we could
sell three per cent bonds at par.
It is strange, but true, that there are
thousands OF politicians and editors whose
miniature intellects are capable OF trying
to palm off on the voting ~populace the
idea that the Democrats made the debt
and the Republicans are paying it, As
to the war which caused such a vast ex-
penditure, and has served as a pretext
and cover for stealing so many hundreds
Of millions, there is not a person on the
continent with human brains in his skull
who does not know that it was the result
Of circumstances as far beyond the con
troll Of parties as are the tides, the course
OF the seasons, the movements Of comets,
or the transits Of Venus.
In the course ofsevents that brought
on the war, statesmen, politicians, par
ties and their doings were like straw in
a gale. War came through the opera
tions OF that divinity that shapes our
ends, rough hew them as we may"
Slavery ceased TO be profitable at the
North from natural causes, and there
died out. Natural causes, aided by the
great invention Of a New England man,
made slavery profitable at the South.
Given these facts and the progress Of
civilization, and the war was as ~inevita-
BILE as four is the result OF adding two
and two together. So much for that
great argument" which the petty poll
ticians and parasitical editors brush up
and bring out with flourish Of trumpets
in every campaign.
Labor pays the pensions, pays the
bondholders, pays the current expenses
OF the Government, and has produced all
the millions that have been stolen. the
millions that have been reeklessly
s~quandered and the soap" by which
Democratic msjorities have been changed
into Republican maiorities.