The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-07-04

lie debt which were falling due
and payable were limited, and to
get rid of the constantly accumu-
lating surplus It was found neces-
sary to offer u premium for Gov
ernment bonds. Mr.. Cleveland
thought that the easiest and hest
way to prevent the annual accu-
mutation of unneeded money in
the Treasury was to stop taking it
from the people. This simple poll
cy would accomplish two good
things: 1t would prevent the con-
stant collection into the Govern
ment vaults Of large amounts of
idle money which it had no good
use for, and which served as u
temptation to extravaganza and
speculation, and it would relieve
the people of the amount of taxa
tion.
The present Harrison admins
tration followed that of Mr.. Cleve-
land, and, recognizing the proprie-
ty of getting rid of the surplus in
the Treasury, and preventing the
future accumulation of other such
surpluses, it addressed itself heroic
ally to the task. And it has ac-
complished it-accomplished it
with success that fills the coun-
try with amaZement. The surplus
which the Cleveland administra-
tion turned over to its successor is
gone. No doubt about that. And
this is not all. The Harrison adj
ministration has done its work so
effectively that what was an eX-
cess of revenues has been changed
into deficit. The Treasury is
worse than empty-and all the arts
of the sweating mathematicians of
the Treasury Department cannot
hide the fact. The 4-per-cent. bonds,
which, more accurately than any
thing else, gauge the credit of the
Government, and which have sold
as high as 130, have fallen to 11S,
and it is plain to be seen that there
is uneasiness at Washington.
But the whole story is not told
yet. Mr.. Cleveland's plan for pre-
venting the accumulation of an an
nual surplus in the Treasury was
to let the money stay in the peoples
pockets, by reducing the taxes. But
the Harrison administration has
managed to squander the $G0,00O,-
600 inherited from its predecessor
and prevent the accumulation of
such eXcesses in the future without
reducing the taxes one dollar. 1t
RENTS nothing to the people. All
the talk by Republican organs
about reducing taxes $54,000000 by
cutting down the duties on sugar
is deceptive and misleading, for
the whole of this sum and more
besides is eXacted from the people
in the shape Of higher duties on
and higher prices for other neces-
saries and comforts. The duty on
the article of tin-plate alone takes
$15,000,000 from them one half of
which is the result of the Increase; {;
and if the higher prices the people
are paying for other similar neces-
saries could be computed for this
year they would amoGnt to not
less than $7O,OO0,0 0OO-enough to
swallow up all the released sugar
duties and $16,OO0,OOO besides.
And so q squandered surplus, a
largely diminished revenue, in
creased burdens on the people and
a fall Of Government 4-per-cent.
down to ll8 are the products of Re-
publican policy under the Harrison
administrations"
The plain history of the ten hun
dred thousand million Congress,
solves the whole enigma and ex-
plains the reason for the disappear
ance of the surplus as well as the
increased burdens of taxation laid
on the shoulders of the people