Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-08-20
FACTS vs.. FICTION.
Current Democratic Falsehoods
Exposed and Answered in
Most Convincing Style.
Great Reduction Of the Public
Debt Effected Under Re-
publican Rule.
Glorious Achievements in This
Direction Made by the
Present Administration.

tlOn, as summary OF current partlan
falsehoohs the so-called surplus and
''the billion dollar congress- and exposes
them In the following clear and effective
fashion,
The rebellion left the United States with
a burden of debt amounting in 1867 to
S2,678, 1875, 103.87. From that time until
today it has been tie policy of the govern
ment to collect more revenues than were re-
quired for the actual expenses of admins
tration applying the surplus revenues to
the reduction of this debt On March 4,
1885, when Grover Cleveland entered the
white house, he found an available surplus
of exactly S21, 631 ,381.67. He found that
during the eighteen years of republican
administration from 1867 to 1886 the out
standing principal of the public debt had
been reduced from $2,678, 1875, 1888 to 81,
1862, 1854, 87314 The annual interest charge
has fallen from S138, 1872, 451. 80 in 1867 to
S47,0l4,13 in 1885, and the per capita
debt from 500 26 to $24.50. In the four
years preceding Grover Cleveland's term
of office, they is from March 4, 1881, to
March a. 1885, the face of the bonded debt
had been reduced in the sum of $479, $685.,
$50, AN average annual reduction of S120.
600, 600! This was done, as any democrat
may see, by collecting just that much more
money than was needed for the current
operations of the government, on the
theory that an honest people wished to
pay thu If honest debts as rapidly as they
could
But Mr.. Cleveland and his party had a
tariff plan that was not In harmony with
this theory. They were deadset for free
trade, and, as d means of working up
public sentiment in support of their
scheme, they stopped paying the public
debt except as they were absolutely com
PEELED to- They boarded these surplus
revenues, and summoned the country to
witness how grievously 1t was being taxed
Oy the republican tariff, urging as the
remedy for that Ubiquitous state of things
their plan of free trade. But even In their
statement of the size of the so-called sur
plus they we're dishonest. By Juggling
with the debt statement they were able to
make the surplus at one time fifty mil
lions at another a hundred. They even
got it up as far as a hundred and twenty.
But, although the receipts of the govern
ment during Cieveland's term grew
larger each year, and although he reduced
the bonded debt only $341 1896, $50, or ex-
actly S138, 1856, 300 less than it had been re-
duced by Arthur with smaller revenues at
his command, yet so extravaganza were the
appropriations of Cleveland's two demo
cratic congresses that his surplus on March
l. 1889, when he gave way to Harrison,
was only $48, 096, 1880, or only $26, 460,
1858 more than the sum left him by
President Arthur In other words, if he
had paid as much of the debt as Arthur
did he would not have had surplus at
all but deficit of 100000
This, tHen = S48, 096, 168.50- is the
boosted Cleveland surplus, left in the
treasury, according to the Maryland con
vention, Shy an economical democratic ad-
ministration, telling plain tale of over.
taxation, etc. Now, say the Maryland
democrats, the people supposed that this
shocking condition would be remedied by
Mr.. Harrison and his republican congress;
surplus was not spent in reducing the pub
lie debt as it should have been, sbut was
wasted in the extravaganza expenditures of
a congress which appropriated more than
a billion dollars the revenues were not
reduced, but unjust over taxation was con-
tinued. These charges are the current
democratic allegation, and they constitute
the capital on which the democracy pro
poses to contest tie next national election.
And every one of them is falsehood.
The surplus and six times the surplus has
been paid under Harrison in the liquida
ton of the public debt. The surplus as
Cleveland left it, was $48, 096, 1880 The
amount of the bonded debt discharged
under Harrison up to June 80, 1891. was
1924, 00S, $40. In two years ana four
months he has reduced the per capita debt
from s24 so, where Cleveland left it, to
t12.87, where it is today. This is the fnan
eial management which the democrats
claim has caused commercial ganics and
disasters. AS every schoolboy knows, the
distress of last year was mainly caused by
failure of crops and the Barring fail
ure in London, and was relieved and dis
,ipated here by just the policy that the
Maryland platform attacks. The 5lst
congress did not appropriate over bll-
lion dollars" but just exactly 1888, 400, 100
or Ste, 446, 269 more than the 50th con-
eress. OF this excess S25, 321 ,907 was for
pension deficiency which the democrats
of that congress dishonesty left unpaid;
800, 697, 343 So was for postottice bills,
three-fourths of which will be returned 10
the treasury; S7.307, 1850 was for the
purchase of Indian lands that will sell
for three times their COST S14 ,O42, 34469
was to meet contracts for naval vessels
Heretofore authorized, aud $685. ,525 SO
to pay new pensions under the new act
authorized by the people in 1888 The
balance went in census expenses, harbor
defenses and improvements and worlds
fair appropriations. As TO the revenues,
hey were reduced, and unjust taxation
was not continued AS we have already
demonstrated in these columns, the people
are ENJOYING under the Mckinley bill a
greater volume of trade than ever before
while they are paying less taxes.
- 1 4loA +Lo
of democratic cutlery. The figures we
have given are every one official, and they
prove that the democratic lies about the
wasted surplus, the billion dollar appro-
priations and the continued over taxation
IRE utterly reckless.
The new commercial treaty will un-
doubtediy open the way to an enlarged
rale Of many manufactured products. =
Detroit News.
The enlarged volume of our export trade
which Secretary Blaine's enforcement OF
the reciprocity provision OF the Mckinley
law is causing will rebound to the benefit
gof the republican party, and strengthen the
- republican policy OF protection with the
American people.-Albany Journal.
The agreement opens wider market
for great variety of United States pro
ducts without interfering in any way will
domestic industries, and is therefore o
distinct advantage to us--Troy Times.
Northwest milers will see business II
inc fact that they can enter their Hour a
Spanish Ports by the payment of duty o
only 80 cents per barrel, and may ente
bran, hrnckwheat -four, oatmeal and ry
-four free of daty. Minneapolis lumbe
Mills and woodworking factories vii
ff1th