The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-03-12
TAX FACTS AND FIGURES FOR
FREEMEN TO CONSIDER.

There are some instructive figures in
the newspapers showing that a republic
can government has become an exceed
ing luxury-that the politicians nave
lost their heads, and it is a rivalry
among the leaders in all parties to ex-
Gel the others in voting away the mon
eys Of the people-the toilers and the
bread-winners The figures that have
been gathered from the records are in
deed startling in their en6rmity and
shows how the federal government has
become a great abuser of the tax-pay-
ers. The Messenger has never ~--~-n1
1.-The penny-wise course" nor the ~,
of making government inefficient by
reducing supplies, means, revenues.
But, on the otherhand. it has urged,
insisted upon a careful, rigid economy
"a reduction of high salaries-an
avoidance of every expenditure not i'm
peratively needed. 1t has seen haw he
honest, able presidents prior t. t"e
great war conducted the government,
and how the congresses were guarded
in expenditures and guided by a spir-
it Of conservatism and frugality. This
is all gone and unless the people take
the matter in hand very seriously, 1T
is gone forever.
Is there really any good. sound rea-
son Why it should necessarily cost more
in 100000 to carry on this gove~~~o"t
that it cost from $4,000, according to
population? Why should it cost more
in proportion to inhabitants now to
make effective a bad government than
it cost in the decades prior to the war
to carry on a good and just n equal
government Is it not that legislators
and high officials were then more hon
est, more capable, more economical,
more genuinely republican thar they
are in this end of the century?
Let us consult the figures referred to
that appear in exchanges.
There has been vast, extraordinary
growth of population on these shores.
In the beginning of this century, fruit
full, progressive, ingenious century the
population of these United States-the
latter-day Yankee style is to write
<'this'' United States. q consolidation
and even the great sea authority Cap
tain Mahan writes it as one, a nation,
United States is eJc.-uao IrIvrvao.u
from o,5US, 4S3 to proDaDIy TO, COZ, oOU now.
The increase in cost has greatly out
run the growth in population, n but
really little just cause for it. Dema-
gOgy craftsmanship, extravaganza, folly,
incapacity and dishonesty have COM
bined to bring about a vast increase
--l l.. .Iz .~~,II;o~~ fo~-, IF GOV
eminent very oppressive and costly. In
1900 when the national population was
5.3OS, 4S3 the cost of running the gov
eminent was only $7,400, 900, or $1.39
per capita. At the present tim how
ever, with a population of $1,000, 600, or
t~herabouts, the governments expenses
are over $500, 600, 900 or Sc per capita.
Study that. Look at the tremendous
increase. TURF it over in whatever way
you may, and you can not find any SEN
sible, clear, satisfactory reason why it
should cost the Americans Sc per head
to live under such a ~decayed, unjust,
corrupt government as the present one,
while our fathers lived at a cost of
but $1.39 each when statesmen control
led and were guided by wisdom, integ-
rity and genuine republican principles
We do not use republican" to desig-
nate the present corrupt party of that
name, but in cOntradistinction to a cen
tralized or monarchical government.
All the attempts to justify the e~xtrava-
gance, the expressions, the outrages
when critically examined have but lit
tie real force. There nay be necessar-
lily some increase per capita. But no
such increase is justifiable or wise or
right. 1t is extravaganza, partisan
zeal. wildcat legislation that have
mainly caused h immense. the very
amazing increase.
The following table shows the grad
ual increase of the country's population
since 1900, together with the cores
ponding increase Of federal expendi-