Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-28

Mr. Edward Atkinson's article in The septen-
Dor F0rsa on "The Governments and the Tax
payers naturally gives great promioeuce 70
pensions ard she proper mode Of meeting By
taxation the debt incurred by Them. Any re-
view of the Business before the Fifty second
Congress viii inelude these subjects a. topics
hat broa,ien on the view. They affect the po-
litical economist and the practical legislator
more acutely in one sense tlAn the mass Of
citizens. because these have themselves 10 pay
not only. but 10 devise ways and means for
pnyins the expenses Of government already
enormous and steadily increasing in proportion
to the growth Of wealth and population. Mr..
Atkinson thinks that aside from pensions the
heavier appropriations of tine last Congress,
mainly for the construction Of naval vessels,
heavy guns and other works. may not increase
the annual cost Of government in excess Of the
additional income Being deri we'd from liquors
ard tobacco In view OF the big crops and
large imports to he expected in exchange for
them. aIIj likewise in view OF that principle OF
tariff operations which seems always to increase
imports where high duties are pa. both on
materials in the crude OF partly manufactured
state. and also upon finished fabrics. Mr..
Atkinson looks for . c0nsids able increase OF
rsvenue from import duties. But there lie In
We mind ~ this eminent economist point of
doubt 10 concerns the financial agitation
The threat q the free coinage of silver might
stop the progress Of the country if the dis
sresiit attaching to IL were widely extended,
thereby diminishing the country's power Of
consumption. He considers that the remedy
for the possible demonstration Of gold lies in
saisting acts Of Congress by lcssening the coin
sse OF silver. The danger thus avoided and
become apparent TO the whole country. there
would be no further pressure to carry the OBJ
jeetionable measure Of free coinage. In fact
Mr. Atkinson SAYS that that measure is about
dead any hew. In this Judgment such able au-
tAorfsies as Senator Sherman do not con-
cur with him In conclusion the Massa-
chasetts economist holds that the new admir-
istrstien may meet Congress in December,
1888. with a single suggestion 20 provide for
paying pensions. the income derived from
liquors aud tobacco defraying all the ordinary
expense. Of government aad in addition thereto
the interest on the pablie debt. To this end he
submits certain simple propositions and an
account current with the taxpayers. without
going fully into these suggestions ii may suffice
to say that the comparison of the cost Of admin
istration FOR twenty years past shows that the
revenue from liquor and tobacco increases in
ratie 10 population. while the normal expenses
diniaisA in rstis to population. Besides the cost
Of eolleetiea Is less than that Of customs Hence
he that the time ia In sight when these items
will pay permanently all the normal cost of
government. and perhaps the interest on the
debt The payment Of pensions. he holds,
drfers from the cost Of maintaining standing
armies, with which ii IL sometimes compared.
in this: that the stalwart men are Withdrawn
from productive industry for a long period of
then hives, whereas the money paid in pensions
gees 10 the increasing product Of grateful
natfoa saved from destruction.