The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-01-31
The Vanishing Surplus An Appa-
rent Deficit embarrassing Pension
Expenditures.

The bill for the purchase and coinage oil
silver, reported IN December by Senator
Sherman from the Committee on France.
lint WHICH was thrust aside after a long de-
bate. aud free coinage bill passed IN ITS
place. carried with it proposition TO issue
$500 DOC. 900 of new bonds, bearing the low
rate Of two Der cent To retire bonds bearing
four and half per cent. with two per cent.
bonds looked like saving of two and half
per cent. interest and met with some favor.
But in the course Of debate it was shown that,
with the premium added, which the four and
"A half per cents. bear, the 500. DOC, 900 would
retire only $3.50, 900, COO and the debt would
lie actually increased SjO,OoO,OOO. Senator
Sherman. however, was endeavoring TO pro-
vide for future contingencies, instead OF
making a step toward reducing the interest to
two per cent When the present Admins
tration came into power the surplus in the
treasury was nearly Slj0,OJ0,O0O. In one
year. on June 30, 1890, this had been reduced
to Sill, 900, 900. Up TO January, 1891, the
surplus had been reduced to SIS, 5000, 900.
Unless the revenues are largely increased, or
expenses Topped off, says Senator Carlisle in
the Forum for February, the surplus will have
vanished entirely, and the public debt will be
largely increased by the end of the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1892. The receipts are much
less than the expenditures. Besides, on
September LIST. next, more than SOL, 100000
bonds are due, and if the government credit
IL. l. L..
deemed 1t is likely, therefore, that the Ohio
Senator was providing for the payment of
these bonds and for the deficiencies that Be
publican extravaganza have brought about,
after squanderng all of the $3.50, 900 sur
pins left BY the Cleveland Administration.
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, the
revenues of the government are estimated at
1913, 0OO,0O0 To pay pensions alone, if no
further pension bills are passed. will require
SIG0, O00, 900, or nearly one half, and the
expenses all told are likely to foot up $751;
900. 600, leaving debt Of $50 100000 An
other raid upon the treasuryis contemplated.
A service pension bill is proposed, that will
add 25O, 900 more persons to the pension list.
Should this bill be passed the payment on
account of pensions will largely exceed half
of the present revenue and extra taxation
would have to be imposed. Ia 1910, with
population of 1928, sSl, the expenditures of
the government were but S5,3ll ,0S2, or %
cents per capita. In 1890, with the population
only nine times as great as in 1910, the ex-
penditures were more than forty eight times
as great. In 1910 the expenditures were only
70 cents for each man, woman and child; in
1890 it was S4.l9. This increase is out of all
Just proportion, and if extravagauccs were cut
off and pensions given only on account Of
disabling wounds actually received and dis
eases actually contracted in the service, the
expenditure per capita would be reduced to
SO. Aud this is what is coming. The plain
people all over the land are realizing that they
pay "a tax to support the government. not
withstanding federal taxgatherers do not visit
them personally, and they are maniiesting an
interest in public expenditures. Pension
lists, sooner or later, will be purged of the
names of all who do not actually need assist
ance on account of wounds or disease con-
tracted in the service, and all other appropri-
atoms will be closely scanned and extrava-
gance stopped. While agriculture, the basis
of all wealth, is depressed throughout the
country-when farms in New England and
Kansas are being deserted, and lands in such
states as New York and Pennsylvania have
declined thirty per cent.-it is hardship to
tax the people to support people whose disa-
bilities or poverty is in no way connected
with their military service. Aud be it remem-
bered, also, ex soldiers are given preference
over all others for government positions, and
very many of them are earning from 81, 900 to
81, 500 year, while drawing from $40 to So
per month pension. 1t is more than enough
to give them special privileges, and it is rob.
berry of the people to give them from $1,000
10 81, 800 salary and pay large pensions he
sides. The hand of the government weighs
heavily upon the people, and the people are
fast realizing it.