Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-09-27
SOME OF GOV. FOSTERS MIS-.
STATEMENTS CORRECTED.
Republican Fxtravagance and Demo
cratic Economy!

cratic Economy!
Secretary of State Newman is mem
her of the State Sinking Fund Commits
sion, and knows what he is talking
about when he says that Fosters state
ments at Fredericksburg are contrary {,
the facts. A correspondent recent,
called upon Mr.. Newman with the fol
lowing result.
Yesterday afternoon | found Secreta
ry of State James w. Newman pouring
over Fosters speech i'm the Enquirer
He expressed his great surprise at some
of the statements made by the Governor
He said these statements had beer
made before, and were in the Republic
can platform, but that they were none
the less contrary to the facts. AS the
Republicans have for some time had
control of all the State Departments
we at once decided to tackle the man
who for eight months had been repre-.
senting the Democracy in one corner OF
the Capitol, in charge of the Depart
ment of State, ,fasked Mr.. Newman: "To
what part of the Governors speech dc
you refer most particularly?n
"To the bostful claim that the State
debt had been paid by the Republicans,
and very largely during his administra-
ton, and especially to the declaration
that the Democrats in the six years that
they had control of the affairs of the
State, never reduced the debt or charges
for interest a single penny. He also as
serts that he did not hesitate to say
that it would have been utterly impossi-
BILE for them to pay any considerable
portion of the debt, or to have, in com
parison with us, lightened the burdens
of taxpayers"
"Is that a correct statement of the
case?n
"Why, not at all. The Governor has
either failed to examine the official re-
ports, or has been egregiously imposed
upon by some one. The fact is that a
larger portion of the State debt was paid
during the two years of the Administra-
tion of Governor William Allen than
has been paid during the entire Admin
istration of Governor Fosters two
terms, and in fact more than during all
the Administrations of the Republicans
for the past twelve years"
"Well, that is putting it very strong.
On what do you base that statement?'
'Look at the annual reports of the
Auditor of State. | have them here.
These are good Republican authority.
Just look at the figures"
Thereupon the Secretary turned his
book rack and opened up the reports,
from which he gave the following facts:
When Governor Allen went into of
fee in JanuaIy, 1874, there was in the
Treasury to the credit of the sinking
fund but Sac, 5,475.30, and in two years
thereafter the amount had increased to
81, ,131 ,07S.64. Before the close of his ad-
ministration the loan of 1875 fell due
and was promptly redeemed. The
amount of that loan being ST. ,47S, I44.72,
was wiped out and the interest saved,
notwithstanding the statement of the
Governor that the Democracy had not
reduced the public debt or charges for
interest single penny. This is not all.
In addition to this the Auditors re-
port shows that during the year ending
November 18th, 1874, under Governor
Aliens Administration, $222, $3.50 was
paid on the funded-bebt, and the fol-
lowing year, 1875, there was paid $685.
1878. Add these amounts and it is
found there was paid on the public debt
under Governor Aliens administration
one million seven hundred and thirty
four thousand two hundred and fifty
six dollars and eighty cents.
"Now,n said the Secretary, Figure
out the interest at per cent. on that
amount of a million and three-quarters
and see whether there has not been a
single penny of the public debt, interest
or principal, saved under Democratic
rules"
"How does this compare with the
payment under Foster?'
"Well, I'll give you the figures and
you can make your own calculations
When Governor Foster came into office
there was $741 900 in round numbers in
the Sinking Fund, sacred to the pay.
ment of the public debt. Of this, $3l7,-
600 had accumulated under the admins.
tration of Governor Bishop. When the
loan of 1881 became due they were able
to pay 81, ,2S2, $40, showing that there
had accumulated during Fosters time
SAL 900. This is the entire amount fol
which his administration should have
credit. Suppose you draw the compari
son between the administration of All
en- and Foster. Governor Allen foun(
but $45, ,000i n the Sinking Fund and in
two years the amount had swollen te
81 ,131 900. Governor Foster fount
Sal ,007 in the Sinking Fund and taking
what was paid upon the public deb
in July, 1881, and adding thereto the
amount to the credit of the Sinking
Fund in November, 1881, you will fine
the increase of that fund mot counting
1922, $40, the amount retransferred t(
the Sinking Fund under the act of 1881, j,
was 66,356.75, thus showing that AL
len'sterm oftwo years there had accumu
lated to the credit of the Sinking Fund
$61S 900 more than during Fosters tern
of ftwo years"
"How about the financial manage
ment of the State debt under Governor
Bishops administration?n
During his term of office none of the
Funded debts of the State matured Of
became payable, and consequently ht
could pay nothing thereon. But during
his term about the third of a million
was added to the Sinking Fund, to bt
used in paying the debt, and at the clost
of his term $741 900 was turned over tt
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