Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-10-05
EEcKLEss AND ExrRAyAeAxr PUBLIC TX.
PENDITuKE.

hECkLLcs AND EAthAtAoAhI PUBLIC II
PESDIruKE.
Now must pass that question anc
come tc another that l think Of over.
shadowing Importance that attracted
the attention of Congress and has agi
tated the public mind all over thil
country. From my early boyhood
learned in private life. from absolute
necessity, the great virtue of rigid
economy. In our national affairs,
think there should be applied. in al
our public expenditures, a riged, stern
strict economy. Why? We have haC
an extraordinary condition Of things,
% which l now invite your attention.
During the last fiscal year, as it j:
called, ending June 3Oth, 1882, we had
in round numbers S400,000,0OO, di-
rectly and Indirectly, taken from the
people and put into the national treas.
ury. The ordinary expenses of the
government during the last current
year, in round numbers, was S25O, ,OOO,'
600; so you see that you paid into the
national Treasury~Sl5O, 900, 900 more
than was required for the ordinary ex.
expenses of government. What was
the effect of that? This overfowing
treasury led to endless schemes Of
plumber, schemes by which the treasury
could be depleted, this money paid out
and, in the interests of some, this taxa
ton continued. Now, every plain man
will say, "Why not pay this surplus
on the public debt. We are owning
hundreds of millions-it seems to me
every business man will appreciate it
why not apply this great surplus on
the public debt, so far as we have it
now and then in the future quit taxing
us, lessen the income just hundred
and fifty millions, or hundred or two
hundred millions, as the surplus may
indicate you are safe in doing, Now,
l think, there are but two wise things
to do: Pay out on the puollc debt
what we have got now to pay and then
stop your taxation Of the people aid
lessen the income for the future. But
that was not the MODE and manner un-
dertaken to get rid of tLls money.
Why,I think it would be better even to
buy in the government bonds at pre-.
MUM, as have often been done before
in consequences of our refunding, than
to pay it out in extravagant, reckless
expenditure, useless to the public and
even detrimental to the welfare of our
country. But what did we do? Now,
that may be accurate upon this sub.
ject, for l will surely not state fact
that could not be sustained by the
record, l have before me speech in
the Congressional Record. You have
heard of that Record; 1t Is said that it
has killed more men than the malaria
on the bottoms there at Washington.
In this Record the speeches, and re-
marks of congressman are reported
literally, taken word, for word, and
the next morning we see ourselves
as others see us. In this record Sena-
tor Sherman, our own Senator, makes
a statement, and ] quote it, because |
have personal knowledge of his eau
tiousness and of his accuracy in the
statement of matters of this kind. He
rather would, not purposely, under
state proposition Of this kind. l am
therefore willing to adopt the basis laid
down by him for the remark that |
desire to make, and that is this, that
this last Congress has been recklessly
extravagant, has used your money in
a way that no private individual would
think of using money. [ donot speak
of it In partisan sense; therefore shall
depend more on what Senator Sher-
man says than on any further remarks
of my own in that direction. 1t was
on the 18th of July, 1882, shortly be-
fore our adjournment, that he made a
statement of appropriations. We have
noticed other and various statements
in the public press. lean say to you
with safety that they are calculated
to mislead. They are in the loose
way of stating it sometimes made by
partiesn OF familiar with the facts. But
look at the careful way in which our
Senator states 1t, and then you will see
you need not err in statements on
that subject. First he says:
"We had this last fiscal year, clos
ing the 30th of June, 1882, an income
Of $4O3,S53,475. We had net ex.
penditure of $l5s,8S6,537 That left
. surplus of $l44, 900, 600 in round
numbers $l45, 100000. If that sur.
plus were to continue you might re-
luce the tax on tobacco and good
many other taxes. But let us see
what is the probable condition of our
finances during this and the nett fiscal
vear--that is, what it was last shown
BY the appropriations Of Congress at
,he present session. Take the most
,avoraole circumstances. Suppose that
our revenues during this coming year
should be 100000, 900, how has Con-
yress treated the matter? Upon the
basis Of last years expenditures we
will have large surplus revenue of
SlO0, 600, 900 after paying to the sink
ng fund. But how is 1t? The ap-
bills have been enormously |
increased. They go through the Sen
tie and the House without attracting
much attention. They rush them