Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-13
NATIONAL AND STATE CAMPAIGN
QUESTIONS.

with which free people have to deal.
1t more nearly and directly concerns
the life, liberty and happiness of man
than any other question at issue be-
tween the political parties Of the eoun-
try. Some very instructive figures in
regard to National and State taxation
and expenditures are found in the re-
cent speech delivered by Senator
HENRY G. DAvIsat Keyser, w. Va. He
shows in an impartial way the difference
In the public expenditures by the two
parties when i'm control of the Govern
ment. He takes the average Of two
wears, in decade periods, so rs TO be en-
tirely fair to the representative parties.
In the years lS59-6O, when the Demo-
Gratis had full control of the Govern
ment, the average expenses were but
$50, 2O6, 357.S9, and, per capita, but > Oh.
In lS69-7O, when the Republicans had
full control, the average expenses were
increased to SIT, ASS, 1871 .O5, and the per
capita to S4.6O. In lST9-SO, when the
Democrats had control of the House and
Senate, the average expenses decreased to
Sl65, S54, 99S. 39and the per capita to 1920,
while the appropriations for 1888, when
the Republicans again have full control
Ofthe Government, have increased the
expenses TO the enormous amount of
S294, 2IS. O97. SO, and the per capita, with
an estimated population of 81, 100000, to
1866. The expenses per capita, As the
population becomes greater, ought to be
reduced instead of increased.
To help pay these expenses, West
Virginia contributed last year, a. inter
nal revenue tax. the sum OF 500, %
per capita, with an estimated popula-
ton of co. 900, of - cents.
The entire amount of taxes lestimat-
ed collected by the State, for all pur-
poses, including schools, during lSS2, IS
put at S59S, $4,000 a per capita Of 80
cents. or but little more than we pay
the Government.
The people of the State do not feel the
collection of this amount, SOP, 1850,
As they do the State taxes, because it
falls upon them in different way, yet
they pay it. AS shown in the table of
net expenditures, the government will
collect from the people for the expenses
of the fiscal year ending June 81, 1883,
the sum of S294. 243, OT9.36, making the
sum of 81 6 to be paid, on an average,
by every man, woman and child in this
country. The census returns show that
an average family consists of five per-
sons, and this would make an average
-, Oh, fsaU1 L. in In
United States. so, if the head of "a fam
ily receives but so u month, the salary
of one month in the year has to he
given to the support of the government.
Apply this per capita to our State, and
we find that while the average taxes to
each person in our State, for all State
purposes, are but 50 cents, the average
taxes to be collected for the government
for the year 1883, to each person IN the
State, will amount to S5.66.
The Senator then speaks of the reck-
less manner in which the money is
squandered in the Navy Department.
and speaks Of the great pension steal
rs follows:
at is fact that We pay for this item
alone over SlOO,OOO, 900, which is four
times a. much a. the balance of the
whole world pays, the latter aggregat-
ing about S26,OOO,OOO. 1t is impossible
to estimate what our pension list will
eventually cost US; it will certainly cost
us as much as it did to pay the whole
expense of both the army and navy dur
ing the hate war, and it is believed and
asserted by some that it will cost more
than the whole national debt amounts
tC."
The whole amount of internal reye-
hue collections for the year ending June
30, 1882, was S146, 52O, 273.7l. On this,
spirits and fermented liquors paid $S6,-
O27, $3.50. To collect this amount, we
paid to internal revenue collectors,
gaugers, store-keeperS, special agents,
etc, a little over S5,OOO,O 900. Now, if
internal taxes were abolished
upon everything except spirits,
we would have about S9O,0Oe,OOO from
this source, and a very large number
of these collection officers and political
agents could be dispensed with, for there
would be no occasion for the appoint
ment of revenue officers except in those
districts of certain States where liquors
were made, and the large cities where
the brewing of beer and the making of
malt is largely engaged in. Leaving
the question of revenue, temporarily,
the Senator refers to other subjects Of
National Importance. He comments
very severely upon the work Of the.
HUBBELL Assessment Committee, aud
says that if all the employees who are
provided for in the Legislative, EXeeu-
tive and Judicial Appropriation bills
pay up, the committee will realize
from this source alone for political use
some 100000. If all the more than
100000 office-holders pay but an aver
age Of so, and even the laborers receiv-
ing but $50 month are assessed Sl2,
the Republicans will realize for election
purposes considerably over 81 600, 900.
This is what is termed carrying on
politics on business principles"
There is but one way to counteract
this evil. Congress should pass law
prohibiting all such acts, and the peo-
pie, by their votes, should teach these
gentlemen that when they undertake
to make 8 money canvass, they are go
ing considerable farther than the Ame-
riean people will stand.
On the one hand, the Republicans
have the office-holders, the offices and
the money; on the other hand the De-
mocracy goes into the fight with prin-
Oiple and right on their side. And
while the one, using all the influences
that power can control, or money pur-
chase, may have full sway for 3 time,
vet the truth of history demonstrates
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