Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-04-18


ers, giving them this 400 instead of !
millions, and the masses will no longe
be impoverished, while the few are roll
ing in wealth. The curse of our lane
in business point of view, is concen
tration of money. What we need
that diffusion of 1t among the laborin
classes, which has ever been the dream
of the highest statemenship, but whicl
can never be realized until the peopl
are not only free from oppression, bu
free from vice.
From the N. Y. Herald, April 1Oth.l
The Perils Of President Arthur's Ad
m1nistrat10n.
Ii Congress adjourns without legisla'
ton for an immediate and great reduc,
tiOn Of the revenue, the chief peril O
President Arthur's administration-its
danger of being antagonized by a grea1
opposition majority in the next Con
gress-wilI not arise from the pernicious
effect of the intestine feuds of the re.
publican party upon its strength in the
autumn elections, but from the wilfu
refusal of its Senators and Representa-
tives to abate the taxes The democrats
will not need to invent artificial issues,
as they have done repeatedly during the
last ten years. Here will be natural,
substantial issue framed for them hy the
republican party itself and more favora.
BILE to their chances than any they ever
have had the wit to devise. What more
effective appeal to the people can be con.
celved in the presen. condition of poll :
tics than an appeal against the oppres-
sive ind wicked policy of wringing from
them hundred and fifty million dol
lars year more than is needful for all
the legitimate expenses of the federal
government, even Including the great
annual appropriation to satisfy the Pen
sion Arrears act among those expenses
If the operations of that infamous act
are arrested, as they should be, either
by the repeal of the measure or by the
refusal of Congress to vote money to
carry 1t out, this surplus will be more
than two hundred millions. Even
computing it at the lesser sum it is q
surplus SO large that its mere manage
ment requires careful statesmanship.-
But what kind of statesmanship is the
republican majority at Washing on,
which apparently is bent upon its re.
tention. now showing concerning it?
The first application of it that would
| occur to ordinary thinkers would be the
payment of our debt. Reasons of DO.
litical economy and finance render it
proper that we should walk prudently
in dealing with our national obligations
There is no doubt that Secretary Folgel
and President Arthur will 60 as far as is
possible toward funding the debt st the
lowest rate of interest and extinguish.
| ing as much of the principal as the bus
mess. interests of the country will per-
nit. But what chance of support will
the republican party stand in fnanoial
circles if it champions the policy of lay
| ing the whole burden of the payment OF
the national debt upon the present gen.
Grafton and carries on its liquidation
with such speed and in such manner
SIS seriously to embarrass all the inter
ests of business?
| Another method for disposing of 6
part of the surplus which has been sug-
gested is the abolition of all internal
revenue taxes, especially upon whiskey
and tobacco, go. as to throw the burden
of supporting the government wholly
upon the tariff. This few months age
was the favorite scheme of the high pro
tectionists, who would be glad to have
free whiskey and tobacco if thereby they
could keep the present exorbitant duty
upon iron, which compels ever farmer
in the West to contribute to the incomes
of few rich iron masters, and could al
so keep the eXorbitant tariff taxes on
coarse imported woollens and other nee
essaries of life-taxes which rival ir
their enormity the iron duty. But thu
republican members of Congress in eau.
Gus have resolved against even, abolish
ing the internal revenue taxes.
1t is plain that the present disposition
of the party is to maintain the surClus
at its greatest possible magnitude unde
the existing revenue laws in the hop,
to get a corrupt support in the elections
by embarking upon a magnificent anG
stupendous scheme of appropriations fo
jobs. There is no doubt any longer tha
this miscellaneous appropriation theory
is meeting with generous support from
republican CongTessmen. AS one o
our comedians puts it in a modern play
they apparently believe that nothing SC
stirs the patriotic as the cry for "the OLD
flag and an appropriation" A list O
the schemes which have already besl
conceived would fill a great space in tht
Herald. We have eli variety of pro
Jects for improving rivers and lakes
building railways, burying cables in tn
sea and opening canals through various
parts of our own and other Countries
The friends of education would like sew
eral millions to endow national schools
and especially national university
Western alkali plains should be irriga
ted. Steamships should be subsidize,
to go from New York to every knowr
harbor in the world. Out of this woul,
come season of unprecedented "pros
perity," recalling shoddy and petroleum
days, Then we have patriotic souls VIII
believe in building navy like that @
England or France, and planning gi
gantic system of torpedo boats and in
creasing the army to the dimensions O
the armies of great European Powers.
While our republican friends are af
iIeeted with this appropriation mani,
/ there is no knowing to what invention
they may not resort as to methods @
spending the surplus money. Why no
build canal direct from New York t.
San Francisco through the Rock,
Mountains? The Rocky Mountain
themselves might be shovelled off an
buried in the Gulf of Mexico, so as t
give us direct railway route from New
York to Panama. A thirty-foot dee
leueIaI sup cal:sl rom N6W YORK I
Chicago would be of great advantage t.
the contractors, and if we are to do any
thing at all with the Mississippi River
why not straighten it out and make it
direct channel from Lake Itasca down
getting rid of every one of those dsviou
bends and courses which porplex boat
men on that much winding stream
An appropriation could be made TO
planting trees on the Western prairies
Several hundred millions could be use
ifully employed in the transportation O
fsapIings from Canada and Maine to tur
those treeless reaches into luxurian
groves. We might build three or fou
continental railways more, runnin
north and south, 80 as to connect Alas
ka with Aspinwall and enable the in
hsbitants of cur ice-bound possession
J to enjoy, at a low rate of transportation
the choicest fruits of the Equator. Th
more this subject is dwelt upon by ou
j. imaginative republican friends in Con
gress the more splendid and far-reacf
ing will the prospect appear.