The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-17
THE WAR WORTH ALL 1T HAS COST.

A Washington dispatch, based apparently
mated cost of the war up to the present
time has been $780, 600 900, of which $685. OOO, 900
has been actually paid out of the treasury
leaving balance of So, 100000 to be paid.
The war expenditure began more than a
month before the war itself, the destruction
of the Maine on Feb. Is having made it evil
dent that war was inevitable. The national
defense fund of $50CO0,COO was voted March
s, and hostilities did not begin till April 90
War expenditures on account of the navy
began Immediately after Congress voted the
national defense fund, and during the
months of March and April the expendi-
lures on account of the navy were 1890, 900
while those on account of the army during
the same period were 81, 100000. The largest
were in April, So, SOO 900, and expenditures on
account of the army eliminated in July
with $29,5OO,OOO. During the entire period
of war preparation and active hostilities.
from March to Aug. 13, the expenditures
on account of the navy were $32 600 and
those on account of the army $65, 300 600.
Judged by the number and Importance of its
victories. including the total destruction Of
two of Spains fleets, the navy rendered
more efficient service in proportion to the
money expended on it than the army did,
though the latter lost many more men.
Such a comparison, however, is hardly
fair, since the navy could not have brought
the war to an end without the cooperation
of the army, and the fact that the latter
was preparing to complete its plan of con-
quest doubtless FASTENED the conclusion.
The figures above given are supposed to
represent the actual cost of the war to the
present time, but they will fall far short of
covering it's total cost. That will depend
on how rapidly the army is reduced and
how large a force is kept in new pos
sessions, and how long. The appropriations
made by Congress on account of the war
aggregate about $S6O,OOOO0O and cover the
time to Jan. l, $780, No doubt Congress will
find it necessary to make further appropria-
tions next session, and some of the expenses
fairly chargeable to the war may continue
two or three years. In the aggregate they
will probably exceed $500. 900 900. though this
sum should be offset by the value of the
permanent additions to our navy, amount
ing to several millions of dollars, and the
value of our territorial acquisitions. On
the other hand, the annual interest on the
war loan as long as the bonds are outstand-
ing will be an expenditure fairly chargeable
to the war.
But whatever the cost of the war may
have been or however much 1t may be in
creased by the continuance of some fea-
lures, we believe every patriotic American
will say it has been worth all it cost. Even
il there were no other consideration in the
case the complete unification of our own
people, the welding together of the North
and the South, the obliteration of sectional
feeling and the splendid development of
patriotism among all classeS-this alone is
worth the entire cost of the war. AS
slavery probably could never have been
abolished without a civil war. so the traces
and memories of that war probably never
could have been obliterated except by a
foreign one. In this point of view the war
has accomplished what nothing else could
have done. and has done it effectually and
for all time
The next greatest gain for us and scarcely
less important, is the enormous advance the
war has given to our national prestige and