The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1885-05-21
OUR NATIONAL DEBH.
Some Star1llng Figures That
No Net Lie.
from the Chicaeo eentinsll

Starting % the 90B0menI my Ue0m "
nine-tenths Of the people. it is u1yertheIeee
the fact that instead Of orr national dsbt
having been reduced, It in reality 10 almost
Our debt is payable In cash-but Ia order
TO get the cash tho taxpayers must part
with the products Of their labor. The
farmer must part with his wheat, corn, etc.;
the workingman must part with his labor;
the products Of labor, in other words. pay
The debt.
Taking it for granted that this PROPOSE.
ton will be conceded, We proceed with ouT
figures and facts:
In 1866 the total national debt, according
to the annual report Of the Secretary Of tho
Treasury, was $2,773. 236, 1850. This i
the highest figure that the debt sver reached.
In 1867 it was -, 678. 126, los. 81; and in
1868 it was S2,6l1 ,GS7, 65l.l9.
Those were the first three years after the
var, and the throe years in which the debt
reached the highest feufe. The ayeYass
debt O. those three years wss, therefore.
Deduct from this amount $3.50, Ooo, 900
oreenbacks (which Vas included in the
Treasury report OF the debt each year, and
there remains 81, 1897 ,663 ,342. Of % the total
average debt for the years 1866. 1857, and
1868.
The average price Of wheat for the same
wears 1896. 1867, and 1869 mas $1.76; the
average price of corn was 31.16. We take
the price Of wheat and corn tor those years,
because they are the same years when The
debt ranged the highest, and because u was
three wears after the war-therefore It can.
not be said that the price was Affected BY
the war. j.
During the three years Of 1866. 1857. and
1868 it would have taken only $50, O66, go
bushels of wheat 10 have paid the debt.
It would have taken only 9.0l5. "a, 26i
bushels Of corn.
According to the report Of he Secretary
OF the Treasury the total debt last year.
1884, was 81, $50, 528, 923.57. Deduct from.
this amount $3.50, OOO. 900 greenbacks las We
did from the amount Of the debt Tor tho
Years 1866, 1867, and 1861, and 1t leaves o
balance Of 81. 4s5. 52s. 923, 81,
The average price OF wheat in New York
last year was less than 81, but We viii call
Il 81. The avenge price Of corn WAS less
| than so cents, but We will call it 50 cents.
So that to-day it would take l. AS. 528, 923
bushels of wheat, or 2U1 .O57, SAG bushels
of corn!
II would take 10 pay the debt TO- day 1885,
| .G2, 253 bushels more Of wheat. OF 955, Sl3. /.
586 bushels more Of corn, than il would
during the years 1856. 1877. and 1878!
/ Thus It is. that instead Of our debt hav.
ing been reduced it has been almost
doubled!
TO put 1t in another light. the bondhold-
| ers in 1866. 1867, and 1868 could have
bought only $50. OG6, 60 bushels Of wheat,
or 2,Ol5. 24l, 26l bushels Of corn; while to-
day, with 81, 2G2. l5l. 40. "a less bonds. they
can buy 635, 462, 253 bushels more wheat,
and 955, 6l3.5s bushels moro corn than
they could then.
had in 1865 they can to-day buy % PEI
| cent. more wheat, oy 90 per cent more
corn, than they could then.
/ -
In the meantime the taxpayers have paid
81, 2O2, 154. 1884 Of prinsipal, and ", 49,
436.5S4 Of interest, total Of Ss.oA1''
591, OO3.
And vet, after having paid this enormoui
amount. thew are almost twice % much u
debt as they were in 1856!
In other words, after having received
81, 2O2, l54, 4l9. 81 Of principal and y. So
l3G, 65l OF interest," total Of e3.OA7. ST.
-bondholders can buy eS5. 469.2S!
bushels more wheat, or 955, SIS, 566 bushell
more corn than they could when they pur'
chased the bonds in 1866. 1857, and 1858.
We have stated this matter in di6sren
ways, even at the expense Of what may b.
considered unnecessary repetitiOns, Tor TIL
purpose Of making it % plain that even TIL
dullest newer Of wood and drawer OF watel
can understand It.
Another fact that We want 10 impress
upon the minds Of the people IL this: Thil
result has been accomplished through |
carefully Planned and well-exepgted con
spiracy of the money power!
As soon as the last Of these bonds werl
purchased in 1868. the scheme Of oontgac
ton of the currency. which had previously
been planned, was put into vigorous exc
cution.
By means of contraction the prices Of
the products Of labor have been reduced.
The reduction Of prices Of products has
correspondinsly increased the purchasing
power of the bonds!
This scheme Of contraction Was deliber
ately planned and it has been msrcilessl,
executed!
The scheme was as wicked as he'll an,
cruel as the grave.
It has robbed the people Of this countr,
more heartlessly and apaciously than eve
any Of the bloody warriors of old robbie,
their conquered victims at the point Of tn,
sword.
] How long will the poor. dumb, stupid
ignorant, blind, deaf, prejudiced, thought
less human asses, whom We coll the peo