The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-03-19
1ErERgED MATTER.
The APPROPRIATIONS.

The aggregate OF appropriations by
the last Congress was greater than t'.a
of any previous Congress, for the rea-
son that the needs of the country are
greater. There has been no wasteful Of
unnecessary sums appropriated, ano
certainly Virginia ought not to com
plain, for a very liberal allowance has
been made to this State both in the
river and harbor bill and in other ways
We have never had so many items in
serted in appropria ton bills for the
State before. Stanton gets $75, 900 fol
a public building and S11 900 for roaG
to the Federal cemetery, both of which
were refused by a Democratic Congress
Roanoke gets $75,0 G0 for public build
ing. Lynchburg and Norfolk are both
favored with appropriations for public
buildings. while our rivers and harbors
have been literally provided for
The large pension list, while it may
look extravagant and unnecessary to
for the life of the nation. The war be
tween the States was the product OF
causes beyond the power of man to
control, probably, yet its demands and
emergencies had to be met on the part
of the government. and it is natural
that the soldiers should be remembered
for the part they performed in preserv-
ing the Union. Certainly the South
ought not to regret the result. 1t was
her emancipation, as we'll as the triumph
of the North. Whether we object or
not, the policy of pensioning soldiers
will be endorsed by majority Of the
people of the country, aud it would not
be wise politics for any party to assail
or confront this conviction. The nancy,
too, had better be with the people than
locked up in the treasury. 1t will per
form its legitimate mission as a circu-
lating medium in the one way and in
that might have in it danger. The
large sums assigned for a navy and coast
defenses are in the line of wise national
precautions, and at the same time they
bear upon the material development of
the country, as all the articles which
may be nsed in the work of building up a
respectable navy are to be of American
products and from American labor No
provision was made for this important
and essential expenditure Of revenue
by the Democratic Congress which pre-
ceded, and this Republican Congress
had to prove true to the country, by
taking the responsibility, as it always
has DONE of passing laws and appropri-
ating moneys for the necessities of gov
eminent, present and prospective
One important item. which largely
adds to the sum of the appropriations
was rendered imperative by Democratic
neglect or party design That is over
sac, 000,0 caused by DEFICIENCIES in the
appropriations of the precedin g Com
s]ess. fnsfead~af meeting the demands
of the government, as was their duty.
they cut down the appropriations below
actual necessities, to have the appear
ance of economy, leaving the succeed
ing Congress to provide for them. This
the next Congress had to do-simply
paying the debts OF the government,
which the Democrats failed to do.
While the appropriations are large, the
fact remains that the revenues have
been reduced about $50 900 by the pro
visions of the Mckinney tariff, and to
that degree relief afforded to the peo-
lie. And almost every article that the
farmer uses has been reduced in price
HANGED in s;,leable value No one feels
the Federal tax, however, and but for
demagogues the great mass of the peo-
pie would not know that they ever paid
dollar to support the government, 1t
is collected through the custom house
and the internal revenue machinery,
without the Intervention of tax ticket
or a tax collector, so far as the great
mass of the people are concerned. But
this will not prevent batfied and defeated
Democratic politicians. eager for power
and the spoils of office, from declaiming
about oppressive Federal taxes, the
wrongs of the dear people and the ruin
that is impending. Intelligent men will
measure this kind of blather for what
il is worth. The Republicans have man
aged, through the enactment of wise
laws, to provide Il surplus without its
being felt, and they will be equally able
to provide for deficiency should the
necessity arise, of which there is no
danger The Democrats have been
equal to neither.