Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-07
FREELAND, PA, NOVEMBER :, 1898
THE STATE DEBT.


HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOL
LARS COLLECTED BY THE RE-
PUBLICAN MACHINE FROM THE
PEOPLE, AND THE STATE DEBT
YET REMAINS UNPAID-MANY
INTERESTING FACTS AND FIG
UREs IN THIS CONNECTION
FROM ONE OF THE BEST POSTED
MEN IN PENNSYLVANIA.
Before there was a Republican parry
in the country the Democratic party in
Pennsylvania had succeeded in incorpo-
rating into the state constitution such
adequate provision for a sinking fund
and the gradual payment of the state
debt that its ultimate cancellation was
assured. The credit for payment, there
fore, so far as any party is entitled to
it. is a Democratic monopoly. The fol-
lowing additional facts from the pen of
Hon. b. f. Myers, in the Harrisburg
Star-Independent of late date, in answer
to ignorant Republican vaporing, will
be found interesting:
The claim made that when the Demo-
Gratis went out of power in this state in
1861 the state debt was $40, 900 900, and
since then this debt has been almost
entirely liquidated, has done duty in
party organs and on the stump for at
least two decades. 1t was first made in
the Hoyt-Dill campaign in 1878, and it
has been repeated ever since in every
canvass in which questions affecting
the administration of the state govern
ment were raised. Let us accord all the
credit for the reduction of the state
debt that is due the party which has
had almost uninterrupted control of the
Legislature during the 81 years ending
with 1897, and which always had sufTl-
cient power in one of the two houses to
negative any reforms emanating from
the executive office when that was In
possession of the opposing party. But
let US ascertain from statistics on the
subject of the state debt what credit
really belongs to that party. What are
the facts involved in this matter? Turn
to pages 1908 and 1904 of Smull's Legis
lative Handbook for 1897 and find there
a statement of the Public Loans of the
Commonwealth" from 1921 until 1861. AS
nearly as can be ascertained the sum
total of those loans was, in 1861, in
round numbers, $4,000, 900, This sum
included the loan of May 10, 1861, for
arming the state, which was made by 4
Republican administration. The state
debt, on its face. left by the Democrats
when they went out of power was,
therefore. Sc, 200, 900, not $40, ,O00. 900 But
against this stood the proceeds of the
sale of the public works, effected by the
Democrats, which, as nearly as can be
ascertained, amounted to about $1l ,000
900. Thus it appears that the real
amount of debt left by the Democrats
when they We're turned out was $40, ,OOO
900, not $40 900, 900. Thus is the tale cut
in twain. Now, look again on page 1904
of Smull and you will find that the state
debt is S6S15 305. Deduct $6.S15. .305 from
500 900, 900 and it appears that $13, 1874, ,695
of the principal of the state debt left by
the Democrats in 1861 were paid during
n period of 81 years by the Republican
party. A careful calculation of the in
terest on the debt paid during that Pc
riod shows that 1t amounted to about
t27 900. 900. Add the principal and inter-
est paid during that time and the total
payments are shown to amount to $40,
1874 695. Add, also, the repayment of the
war loan of 1861 $4,000 OO0) and the pay
ments on the debt created by both the
political parties sum up to $43, 1874, sos.
Now turn to page 995 of Smull for 1897
and there find a statement of the re-
ceipts and expenditures at the state
treasury from 1851 to 1897, both years
inclusive. Foot up the receipts and you
will find that they aggregated $780,
1923, 900 for the 81 years. Taking the eX-
pendltures of the state government for
1880, for all purposes, as a fair average
of what the payments at the state
treasury should have been per annum
since the constitution of 1874 has been
In force and multiplying that average
by 81, we find that if the state govern
ment had been as economically admin
istered during all the years from 1861
to 1897 as it was in 1880, the payments
at the treasury should have been for
the 81 years $252 344 4O3. Deduct this
sum from 1926, 1923 GOO (the amount of
the receipts at the state treasury for
the 81 years. and there is shown sur
plus of receipts over necessary and
proper expenditures of $73.97S 597, but of
this surplus only s43 1874, ,694 were ap-
piled to the payment of the principal
and interest of the state debt. The
$50. .793, ,903 which should have remained
in the treasury would have wiped out
the $6,S15305 of the state debt still un-
paid, and left $685. 59S to be given to
the common schools over and above the
appropriation made to them on the
basis of 1880. How much credit, then,
is due to such administration of the