Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-09-21
BUDGET INCIDENTS.


amounted to s2l9, 397. OF, and the internal
revenue collections to 1874, s23, 973.
The customs collections were the largest
since the fiscal year 1SSl-2, exceeding the
lowest in the intervening period by 80 mill
ions, the highest by two millions and the
average between 1882 and 1888 by Is millions.
With the single exception Of the year 1882,
the customs collections in 1875 were the
largest since the foundation OF the Govern
ment. The average of . like period Of five
years prior to 1881 was $155, 0l2 900, or e64,-
3b5, I'll less than the collections Of 1875.
The internal revenue collections in 1873
were six millions in excess OF 1857,
eight millions in excess OF 1856 and
twelve millions In excess Of 1S84-5. Thsy
were ten millions less than the average Of
five years preceding 1885; but in the six
years ls65-70 the average collections was
$l55, 012, 900, or 81 millions in excess OF
1875.
The net ordinary receipts Of the Treasury
from customs, internal revenues and the
miscellaneous list in 1875 amounted to
SS79. 80, 426, which exceeded the receipts Of
any year in the last seventeen except 1882.
With the exception of 1852 from the count.
the total net revenues OF the fiscal year
1SS5-S exceeded the average Of tho preceding
seventeen years by So 00O, 600. and exceeded
the average of lS75-S0 by lGS, 0OO, 600.
The net ordinary expenditures in the fiscal
which exceeds the expenditures OF any other
year Of the preceding period OF twenty-ons
years. In the six Year, preceding 1887 the
average expenditures was 10, 0OO, 900 year
less. and in the six years preceding that time,
or in 1880, the annual average sxpendi-
ture was liz, 00O, 600 . year less.
The interest on the public debt In lSS7-S
was ga, 7s9, 572, which was the smallest out
Law on that head since 1868 or in just .
quarter of . century. While the aggregate
ordinary expenditure in the six years pre-
ceding 1857 was 60 million dollars less than
millions moro than in 1888; and in the nix
years preceding that term, 1S.5-S0, in which
the total expenditure was 112 millions less
than in 1SS1-S, the interest was So millions
more than in 1888, or IA millions moro
than double the interest payments Of 16S7-8.
This survey includes ali the post-bsllum
period to the present. In The first quarter,
half. or two-thirds of that period, Of course.
there were more meritorious surviving vet
Grams OF the war; - well - deserving claim.
ants on the rights OF soldiers, than IN the
successive periods following. Bus the pan
amounted to $Sl SIS, 937, which exceed the
next largest payments ON that account since
the Government was founded BY q. Co.,
900. In the six years preceding 1883 the
average OF pension payments year was ST.
000. 900; in the next years the average was
q. 6 millions year, and in the next period.
which We make eight Year,, to 60 back 70
1855, when the country was fullest Of deserving
survivors of the war, and their families, the
average payments on pension accounts Was
80, Coz, 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. i apparently explainable
without difficulty. The reason why two and
three quarter times more money II now be-
ing paid the survivors Of the war armies Of
the Union than In 1865 IS, while there are
hundred or 20 Thousand less people deserving
this. to be plain about it: In the
earlier period that party was all power
full and were independent of all
necessities like this, and 30 the war veterans
ana their dependents were allowed to nurse
their wounds. and make such shifts rs they
could find convenient. In the later periods,
while their war cries falling more and mora
FIAT on the public ear, while their party Issues
were all dead except the issues Of capital
and monopoly against the people, while the
tariff bar2ns had to be kept in good humor
was w waning By rapid Stage they stiil had q
full Treasury in reach, and sufficient residue
OF power to tap it for political purposes. So
they paid the brave veterans Of l6ol-65 the
exceedingly sorry compliment Of voting
them the most lextravagant pension grants
OF wor idi in any Or. Of s1 Asy sas
theory that they would sell their franchises
as fresnlen and their rights Of sovereignty -
citizens OF the Union to the party which
would plunder the people most heavily for
the money to bride and corrupt them. A
scheme it was. and is, to induoa 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 all to their patri-
otto interest In the prosperity and morality
Of the country for which they had risksd
their lives and fortunes.
The interest account In the period 1S65-7O,
both inclusive. averaged elS3, 7B0, 0OO Q year,
or three times the amount paid in 1875,
and in that period the pension payments
averaged $25, 276, COO . year, or less than .
third of the payments in lSS7-S. That
period covers quito nearly the lifetime OF .
generation, and the Republicans must
plead guilty df they would de-
lend their late policy to . mon
strous and inexcusabls crime Of neglect
in voting third as much money to several
hundred thousand more admissible bensfi-
Charles than are living at present, and whom
their power was infinitely greater.
Either they robbed the veterans in 1S65-75,
when at the zenith Of their power, or they
have been fraudulently decsiving and rob-
bing the taxpayers in lsS0-S.
The reduction Of interest since the earlier
incr ease Of pensions il IL millions, which
creates the necessary inference that veterans
have multiplied in time Of peace almost a.
rapidly as war bonds have expired.
While the stock OF circulating money in
the Treasury has increased So 2236, 096 in
twelve months, the amount in active circu-
alton Is also s54, sol ,sl7 larger. This 10 q