Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-05-04
BUDGET INCIDENTS.

The customs receipts IN the last nScal year
amounted to S2l9. 397, or, and the internal
revenue collections to Sl24, So, 973.
The customs collections were the largest
since the fiscal year 1ssl-2, exceeding the
lowest in the intervening period by SS mill
ions, the highest by two millions and the
average between 1882 and 1888 by Is millions.
With the single exception OF the year 1852,
the customs collections in 1878 were the
largest since the foundation Of the Govern
ment. The average of like period of five
years prior to 1881 was $l55, ol2 900. or t04,-
1855, I'll less than the collections OF ISIS.
The internal revenue collections in 1878
were six millions In excess of 1867.
eight millions in excess Of 1856 aud
twelve millions in excess OF 1870. They
were ten millions less than the average Of
five years preceding lsS5; but in the six
years lS6o-1o the average collections was
Sl55. or 900, or 81 millions in excess OF
1873.
The net ordinary receipts of the Treasury
from customs, internal revenues and the
miscellaneous list in 1875 amounted to
SSH, 32v, 426, which exceeded the receipts OF
any year in the last seventeen except 1852.
With the exception of 1852 from the count.
the total net revenues Of the fiscal year
1888 exceeded the average of the preceding
seventeen years by IS, O0O, 600. and exceeded
the average of 1850 by los, 00O, 900.
The net ordinary expenditures in the fiscal
which exceeds the expenditures Of any other
year or .tae Trcccufng pcrrou or cwcnty-
years. In the six years preceding l661 the
average expenditures was ID, OOO 600 year
less. and in the six years preceding that time,
or in lS,5-SO, tho annual average expendi-
ture was ll2 OK, 600 year less.
The interest on the public debt In lSS7-6
was ~, 1S9, 572, which was the smallest out
lay on that head since 1868 or in just .
quarter Of q century. While the aggregate
nrAin in al prn
csding 1887 was IS million dollars less than
in lSS7-S, the interest in chat period was IL
millions more tnan in 1875; and in the six
years preceding that term, lSl5-SO, in which
the total expenditure was liz millions less
than in 1878, the interest was 90 millions
moro than in lSS7-S, or IA millions more
than double the interest payments OF 1875.
This survey includes all the postbeilum
period to the present. In The first quarter,
halt, or two-thirds Of that period, Of course,
there were more msritorious surviving vet
Grams Of the war, as well as deserving claim
ants on the rights Of soldiers, than in the
successive periods following. But the pom
sion payments Of the fiscal year 1878
amounted to $sl, 575, 9S7, which exceed the
next largest payments on that account since
the Government was founded BY %, co.,
900. In the six years preceding 1885 the
average OF pension payments year was ST.
000. 900; in the next years tho average was
90 millions year. and in the next period.
which we make eight years, to 60 back to
1865, when the country was fullest OF deserving
average payments on pension accounts was
sc, 1000, 900 year.
The peculiar evolution Of increasing mag
nitude, as the number Of deserving bene-
ficiaries has steadily lessened, and the power
and numbers of Republican legislators and
rulers have waned. 70 apparently sxplainsble
without difficulty. The reason why two and
three quarter times more money is now be-
ing paid the survivors of the war armies of
the Union than in lS65-75, while there are q
hundred or so thousand less people deserving
pension than quarter Of a century ago. is
this, to be plain about it: In tho
earlier period that party was all power
full and were independent of all
necessities like this, and so the war veterans
ana their dependents were allowed to nurse
their wounds, and make such shifts as they
could find convenient. In the later periods,
while their war cries falling more and more
nat on the public ear, while their party issues
were all dead except the issues OF capital
and monopoly against the people, while the
tariff barons had to be kept in good humor
by big duties; while their popular strength
was waning by rapid stages, they still had a
full Treasury in reach and sufficient residue
OF power TO tap it for political purposes. So
they paid the brave veterans OF lS6l-65 the
exceedingly sorry compliment Of voting
them the most .extravagant pension grants
e ever sr. made - 0y any zig. government
theory that they would sell their franchises
as freemen and their rights OF sovereignty as
citizens Of the Union to the party which
would plumber the people most heavily for
the money to bride and corrupt them. A
scheme it was, and Is, to induce them to bar
ter their liberties and enslave themselves DO
litically to the Money DEVIL sorry compli-
ment, indeed. to their manhood, however,
and self-respect, and above ali to their pafri-
otto interest in the prosperity ana morality
OF the country for which they had risked
their lives and fortunes.
The interest account in the period 1S65-7O.
both inclusive. averaged $l33, 766 900 year,
or three times the amount paid in 1875,
and in that period the pension payments
averaged SIS, 276, 900 a year, or less than Q
third of tho payments in 1SS7-S. That
period covers quite nearly the lfs-t time of a
generation, and the Republicans must
plead guilty Gf they would de-
lend their late policy to mon
strous and inexcusable crime Of neglect
In voting athird as much money to several
hundred thousand more admissible beneti-
Charles than are living at present, and when
their power was infinitely greater.
Either they robbed the veterans in 1856 75.
when at the zenith Of their power, OF they
have been fraudulently deceiving and rob
bling tine taxpayers in $685.
The reduction of interest since the earlier
peri Cd is 90 million dollars q year. and the
incr ease OF pensions is 66 millions. which
crea tes the necessary inference that veterans
have multiplied in time Of peace almost as
rapidly as war bonds have expired,
W hile the stock Of circulating money in
the treasury has increased $50 ri, O96 in
twelve months, the amount in active circu
atiOn algO So SDl NJ larn