The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1893-05-27
The Cost of the War.


In political campaigns the Re
publican press end orators. with
the view ct arouSlng sectional
feeling. have raised the cry that
the South alone WAS responsible
for the war aud TINT IT cost the
North million "f soiiicr' and II
billion Of dollars to save the tn
ion. Tie New York, SrN, having
its attention called To- the matter.
commenced To- Investigate with TIN"
view of asccTtaimin% what the war
did really cost the North in the
lives and treasure. and the re-
suit. which it has laid before ITS
readers after thoroughly cNamin-
ING all obtainable statistics, Is
highly Interesting 1t says:
The popular idea that Il million sol
diers of the Union lost their lives dur
ing the war. or directly IN consequence
of the war. is encouraged by many per-
sons who hEoW better, because Il sItg-
.gestS such exaggerated Eoiions 81 The
magnitude If the struggle AMI Of the
number of men actually cngagad ~ MI
iitary OPERATIONS in the Northern armies,
as IL afford IN argument or excuse for Il
pension system III which extravaganza
and dishonesty find plenty of room. The
number Of officers ana men actually
killed in battle in all Of the Union ar
mics during the four years of war, bare
" exceeds 6O,VCo. The number Of those
who died of wounds during the war Is
less than 3J,WO. The number chat died
of diseases, either resulting from the
hardships and exposure Of warfare, or
the incident of natural mortality III Il
great body ef men. is about lSa,ro FOR
the four years. Adding even the 2i."o"
cases Of disappearance. conveniently
charged in the records to death from
unknown causes" the total of mortality
among the Union troops during the wal
VS. 3OI $40. or less than third OF The mil
lion supposed by many people TO have
persisted on The battlefield.
The purpose Of the present article Is To
put together Somc Of the items of cXPen-
diture and loss CLEARLY and directly
chargeable to the war account; III other
words, to establish minimum estimate
of the money co,l of preserving the Tn
ion. If We were to 20 into the matter of
consequential damages. such as the par
;alysiS of certain branches If business.
the suspension Of trade with the sou
thern States, the extinction of large
part of our maritime commerce. the en-
Orn0us loss resulting from the arrest OF
Fhe normal increase Of population and
the peaceful development of the nations
resources. We should pass at once from
the domain oi precise arithmetic to Thai |
of vague conjecture and unyeritird spe
culation. That is not our intention.
After reviewing the enormous
sums exp pended 10y the government
to maintain It's armies in the field,
paid 10y Northern States in the
shape of bountics, raised 10y pri-
vate individuals and associations
for the comfort and care of thc
soldiers. the amount paid for pen
sions and the war debt, the SUN
offers rccapltulation of the diff
ferent items Of expenditures show
Ing as near as it is possible To as
certain what ii cost the North to
carry on the war and prevent the
eleven Southern States from Sc
ceding.
The fact that the total cost was
nearly eight and one half billions
OF dollars H. simply astounding.
and proves beyond the shadow of
n doubt the truth of the suns as
sertion that the loss eff life WAS n
mere bagatelle compared To- the
loss OF treasure.
AT the beginning Of the war or
rather accounting to- the statistics
of 1850. the entire valuation of all |
the property in the eleven South
ern States WAS 5000. Onp.OnO. and |
therefore the cost of the war In,