Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-09-27

which $3.50, 900 was paid back during the
administration of Governor Allen, and
S2I2, $40 in 1881, leaving SIT, 900 still
due the Sinking Fund. If this had not
been transferred from that fund, or had
been returned to it, that amount would
have been in the treasury in 1881 to pay
on the debt then due, and it would have
been necessary to refund Just that much
less. Instead of refunding S2,S00, 600
they would have had to refund about
g, 100000.
"How about the reduction of the rate
of interest i'm refunding this debt?n
1.-THE debt was refunded ut a very IA
vorable time, when money was cheap
and interest low. Whatever credit is
due in bringing about a low rate of in
terest in public debts the Democracy is
entitled to, for it was Democratic Con-
gress that first proposed the reduction
to 81 per cent. on the United State debt,
measure which was vetoed by HAYES,
under the advice of Secretary Sher-
man,
"You do not think that the Republi-
cans are alone entitled to the credit for
the gradual reduction of the public
debt?n
"By no means. The debt is being
paid under Democratic policy. 1t was
that party that placed in the Constitu-
ton of 1851 the provisions which re-
quires certain amount to be set aside
annually for the payment of the public
debt and the maintenance of the credit
of the State. 1t is under that the debt
is being surely and gradually eXtin-
guished, and the Republican Admins
trations are only carrying out what
Democratic Constitution compels them
to do. The Democrats never believed
that a public debt is public blessing"
"How about the appropriations by
the different Legislatures and the
amount of deficiencies of which the
Governor speaks?"
"If our distinguished Chief Executive
had examined the appropriation bills
himself and not depended upon some
body to furnish him his figures, he
would have remained silent upon this
matter The comparison of appropria-
tions is decidedly against his party and
his administration. The last Demo-
cratic Legislature in 1879 under Cover
nor Bishop appropriated for all pur-
poses S4 ,340, ,044.70 while the last Leg
islature, which Governor Foster seeks
to exalt, appropriated $5,05l ,l06.39, not
including the amount appropriated for
contingent payment of the public debt,
showing that Fosters's Legislature last
winter made appropriations in excess of
those made by the last Democratic Leg
islature in 1879, $711 ,091. so. / think the
Governor will find these figures correct,
and if so, he should revise his esti-
mates. 1t is true he speaks of deticien-
cies' in 1879. Certainly, there are al
ways deficiencies. The Legislature last
winter had to appropriate about 500, 600
to make up its deficiencies of the year
previous. And the deficiencies that
will show up next winter will, | doubt
not, far exceed that amount. But to
guess that deficiencies will not exceed
$4,000, as he says, is simply talk in the
(air.n 50
How about the rates of taxes. Who
decreased them?"
"The Democratic Legislature reduced
the State tax in 1874 from 3.5 mills on
the dollar to 50 mills, and the next
year, in 1875, again reduced them to 81
mills, and again in 1879, reduced the
levy to 80 mills; reduction of 6 mills.
The Republicans have made no reduc-
ton in the tax levy in the past dozen
years.