Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-22

1T Two years. anu VII eNhuyiNA."'y
contraction OF the volume OF standard
money is threatened which can but
add 10 the wealth OF the money power
and the poverty OF the industrial
masses. Since 1891 great financial de-
preston has pervaded every avenue OF
trade and independent OF other con-
sidoratlons II calls for retrenchment OF
penditures OF the national government,
as reported and estimated by the Sec
rotary of the treasury are as followsi
Receipts Expenditures.
For 1871. .$f5S.bii. g35.03 s42i,s0ifIoi6
For 1899 49,. 4e1, Sos, 2G022 AIS. 9oS, SO6.50
For 1893 80. 46l, ,h6l.gi 45l,slt So, 20
For 1894 49,. $40, s02 1882 4i2c05. i5S.sI
For 1895 -. 800. $40, 20sOO 43s1Is.l26.o0
For 1896 49,. 43I, 907, 40T0o 44s,sO7iOL0O
From this statement It will be seen
that with the exception OF the years
1891. 1892 and 1898 there has bean a de-
felt each year. The total deficit for
the years 1894, 1895 and 1895 VIII be
1929, COS. 4S3.5S or more than S43.DVOOOO
each year. Expenses We're reduced IN
1892 as compared with 1891. ana IN
1894 as compared with 1898, but In
1896 they will be greater than any OF
these preceding years except 1898, S26.-
Coz. 1864 greater than In 1891 and ss2.-
953 ,600.ii greater than In 1899, The
deficit for the past three years Is due
10 the reduction Of receipts from GUS
toms and internal revenues. the de-
clsion OF the supreme court OF the
United States holding the income tax
provisions of the act OF 1894 uncon-
stitutional and the increased expendi-
lures. As affordlng some relief to the
people. by the act of 1894 the average
ad valorem rate OF tarlfr taxation was
reduced from 49,5S to 3S.6s. the sugar
bounty provision repealed and higher
-. -. a t.alk -.
some other articles. This Increased re-
ceipts from customs but not sufficiently
without the income tax to meet the de-
felt and increasing expenses Accord
ingly this deficit was provided for, ns
said by the present secretary of the
treasury in his report. by using s22.
462 .3g balance on hand July 1, 1898,
and the remainder has been supplied
by the use OF United States notes and
treasury notes presented for redemp-
tion and thus received into the treas
ury In exchange for gold coin" I'm
the expense OF government in
a growing country like the United
States will gradually increase hut the
Increase here OF So, 953 900 in four years
the people demands a reduction OF
$50 900. 600 to S75,OO0.000 In expenditures
and no one acquainted with the ex-
travagance common in log-rolling
federal appropriation bills doubts that
II can be made without affecting the
efficiency of the government Referring
to the decrease of ordinary expenses
and strongly urging general reduction
of expenses Secretary Carlisle says in
his last report 'it Is believed that with
the cooperation Of congress further re-
auctions can be made without impair
ing the efficiency of the public service"
The course to be pursued is too plain to
leo, Il
imperative to be delayed. Expenses
should be radically reduced else an
enormous interest bearing debt will be
created and high protective duties will
be continued and to aid In this reduce
tlon the constitution should be amend
ed SO that the president may disap-
prove separate and specific items in
appropriation bills: tho pension roll
should be pursed; the extraordinary
decision Of the supreme court against
an income tax should be overcome by
q constitutional amendment and
revenue tariff only should be imposed
Since 1891 the yearly expenditures
for pensions alone are as follows:
Year ending
June 30, 1891 1924. 4l5 cal 40
June 30 lS9s................ 1Sl.5sS,052.79
June 3d. S9S.........., 1h9. S57 b5T. 81
June 30, lS94............... 1fl, III, 2s4.9 90
June 10. lSy5................ 1895, 22S.S7
June ~, 1886, (est.) ......... al, 900, 900. 90
That this great expense for pensions
Is unjust and uncomfortable does not
admit Of question, and the determined
and conspicuous efforts of the presi-
dent to reduce 1t during his present and
preceding term deserves the highest
praise. In two years II Incl easad S35, cOO,-
600, and the average increase In Ave
years is Sl7.O0O,00O II was nearly equal
to the entire receipts from customs and
lnnf ri tl,.
lures the past year. The total number
OF pensioners the past year on account
of the civil war was g3S, GOO. According
to the census OF 1890 there were 1884,
OiS surviving soldiers OF the union and
1888 widows OF such, aEgregating
1,lie,432, leaving 24l,432 not pensioned.
on June 80. 1896, there were in the
pension office 10000 applications for
pensions not acted upon, so that there
are only few thousand survivors and
their widows and children who have
not applied for this character OF gov
eminent aid.
No patriotic person will object to lib
ersl pensions FOR disabled soldiers and
sailors and their dependents but a SER
Vice pension, which this closely APP
proaches, is unnecessary, extrayagent
and oppressive. The South especially
does not complain of the principle IN
VOWED In the grant OF fair pensions,
YET us perVersion TO the extent shown
operates with particular hardship upon
this section. In a total number Of pen-
sioners Of pI0.b2i for all wars the South
ern states have only 1902, and in the
total expenditures for pensions OF $14i,-
100000 annually, they receive only S25,-
O0vO0O or 17.I5 per cent. While this'fs
true, out OF total OF 1926. oO0, 900 In tar
III and Internal revenue taxes the past
year receipts in these states from these
sources amounted to $4,000, 600. The
disproportion Is not fairly represented
by these receipts for the population OF
tho ~tteen Southern states lie 40 per
cent OF the whole and customs collected
on their limited direct imports do not
fully represent the taxes they pay in
duties on the total imports for their
consumption. Custom duties ana in
ternal revenue are In proportion TO
population, because they depend upon
consumable articles used. and conse-
Quently taxes paid and pensions receiy-
ed are about ns 40 10 1873 per cent.
II Is 2 recognized principle OF taxa
tion. approval BY statesmen and econo-
mists OF every variety OF opinion other
wise, that taxes should be laid in pro-
portion Of the ability OF the people TO
bear them. and consideration should be
given TO tho protection OF government
received. An income tax accordingly
Is part OF the system OF taxation OF
every civilized state. The system Of
Federal taxation by which practically
all necessary revenue Ia derived from
custom duties and taxes on tobacco
and distilled spirits Is not based upon
this principle but ia a notable departure