The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-03-24
Whore the Money Goes.

It looks as if, as the nation increases
in population, the cost OF government
per capita would grow less. We have
no more Presidents now than we had
at the beginning, though We have
very properly doubled the salary OF
the one we have. We have only
about one fifth as many Congressmen
as we had at frss in proportion to
population. In proportion to popula-
ton our army is much smaller than it
was at the beginning OF the century.
We have only eight members OF the
cabinet, where we had six in the time
of John Adams, in spite OF the fact
that the country is now fourteen
times as populous as then. We have
added little to our diplomatic service.
and one foreign minister now repre-
sents, 100000 people, instead OF
500, 600, and yet our annual ordinary
expenditures have increased hftyfold,
and our expenditures per capita, IN
stead of Diminishing, have increased
from 81. 80 in 1900 to $4.93 in 1895. 1t
looks as if either our ancestors were
very stingy, or we are very extrav'
agent. AS a matter of fact, however,
the greater part of our increased ex-
pendItures IS due to gratitude, and
gratitude is a thing to be proud Of
not ashamed Of. Wepay $40, 600, COO
annually to the men VINO saved the
Union, most of them for getting hurt
in saving it. There are about 800, 900
of them thirty-two years after the war
closed, which SHOWS that the 6Oo,0 200
Confederate soldiers were dangerous
lot of fellows, and that wounds re-
ceived in defending the Union were
conductive to longevity. Deductlng
the amount made for pensions and
the interest on the public debt, the
per capita of expenditure isS2 48.
For our war department we pay
about $4,000 for every soldier IN the
field. This ought to make enllstments
popular. In Europe, as rule, they
pay only about S400. If Russia paid
as muci for her army in proportion
to it's numbers as we pay to our war
department, it would cost her about
$1,000, ,O00, 900 year, in time of peace,
and in about two years Russia would
have to quit preparing to fight. AS q
matter OF fact, however, she pays lit.
tie more than dimes for our dollars,
and can continue to threaten the peace
OF Europe. Oae of our queerest
in increases expenditure, Is In
appropriations for the Indians.
We paid in Indian appropria.
tons something oyer $4,000, 600
last year. As there are only about
quarter OF a million Indians in the
country, wild and tame, this amounts
to SIS per capita, or $240 for a family
OF FIVE. 1t pays to be an Indian al
most as well as to be pensioner. In
1864 the Indians, as numerous as now,
cost only about one-sixth as much,
which shows that they are appreciat-
ing in value. At present rates of In
crease they would cost s27o per capita
thirty-three years from now, and
would be the aristocrats OF the land.
Perhaps by that time Congress will
decide that it is better to buy them
all and present them to our worst ene-
nv. 1t would certainly be economy
to buv chem off now. We can bor-
row money at 81 per cent. and rs
per annum per capita would amount
to nearly 81, 800 per Indian, or S, 600
per family. This is fully 900 times as
much as the Indians are worth TO them
selves, and 100000 times as much as
they are worth to anybody else.