Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-06-01


or 1t in All of It's Phases.
What the war cost in money is an
interesting question often asked and
seldom answered, The New York
Sun has investigated the subject full
ly. with this result. A conventional
formula frequently employed by loose
speakers and writer's is that the War
of the Rebellion cost the north mil
lion lives and billion Of treasure.
The statement is grossly inaccurate
at both ends. The estimate Of NOR
tally is excessive, while the estimate
Of money expenditure is ridiculously
inadequate.
The popular idea that a million SOL
diers of the Union lost their lives dur
ing the war, or directly in conse-
quence Of the war, is encouraged by
many persons who know better, be-
cause it suggests such exaggerated
notions of the magnitude of the
struggle and Of the number Of men
actually engaged in military opera
tons in the northern armies as to af-
ford an argument or excuse for pen
sion system in which extravaganza
and dishonesty find plenty of room.
The number of officers and men actu-
ally killed in battle in all of the
Union armies during the four years
of war barely exceeds 10000. The
number of those who died of wounds
in the war is less than $4,000. The
number that died Of diseases, either
resulting from the hardships and ex-
posure Of warfare, or the incident of
natural mortality IN a great body of
men, is about $4,000 for the four
years Adding even the $4,000 cases
of disappearance, conveniently charg-
ed in the records of death "from un-
known causes" the total of mortality
among the Union troops during the
war IS 504, 900, or less than third Of
the million supposed by many people
to have persisted on the battlefield.
The purpose of the present article
is to put together some Of the items
of expenditure and loss clearly and
directly chargeable to the war ac-
count; in other words, to establish q
minimum estimate Of the money cost
of preserving the Union. II we were
to go into the matter of consequen,
tial damages, such as the paralysis OF
certain branches of business, the sus.
pension Of trade with the southern
states, the extinction of a large part
of our maritime commerce, the enor.
nous loss resulting from the arrest Of
the normal increase Of population,
and the peaceful development Of the
nations resources, we should pass at
once from the domain of precise
arithmetic to that of vague conjecture
and unverifed speculation. That is
not our intention. The figures pre-.
sented below are only such as are af-
forded by the official records; or,
where in the nature of things, the
fact is stated, and care is taken that
the estimates shall be manifestly well
within the bounds. The several clas-
ses of expenditure or direct loss to be
considered are:
First-The current war expenses
paid during the four years by the
United States government with money
raised by taxation or borrowed upon
the nations credit.
Second-Tho bounties paid to the
volunteers during the war by the
states, or from other sources than the
federal government.
Third -Themoney raised and OK.
pended by organizations of citizens
for the alienation of the soldiers con.
dition.
FourIh-The direct loss to the ma
tiou's wealth resulting from the EN-.
ployment IN military service of clti-
zens who otherwise would have been
producers.
Fifth-The war claims paid by act
Of congress since the war for the de.
struction of property or tor other