The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-01-06

lAuS lIQAl Q4l a . 41~~s W
OF this year. the federal government has
expended over 1904. O0O. 900 more than it
has collected from taxation, and its
present state in this respect is far worse
lban the first.
War will largely explain the huge
deficit of the fiscal year, 1898; but the
still larger deficit now being piled up,
and amounting 10 above SS3,00O.OC0 for
the five months since June 80 last. has
been contracted after new sources Of
revenue have been tapped TO an es-
timated extent CT from Sl25.O00 900 10
SITS, COO, 600 a year. and under condi-
lions as to army and navy expenses
which now promise 10 become perma-
ncnt and which this administration Is
striving to make permanent. Since hos
~tilities with Spain were suspended and
half the volunteer army was disbanded
and the navy was practically put upon
q peace footing. the monthly deficit has
averaged over $4,000. 900. 1t is now
likely 10 remain indefinitely at nearly
that figure under present conditions of
taxation and projected policies of i'm
perial domain.
Two great revenue measures have
been enacted within IS months for the
purpose Of placing the government on
q revenue-pay!ng basis. and the govern
ment is as far from that position now
as il ever has been in the six years of
deficit. 1t is living on borrowed money
10 as great or a greater extent thar
ever.
The actual ordinary expenditures OF
the government in the fiscal year $50.
amounted 10 five dollars per capita tax
Of estimated population. The ordinary
expenditures now prevailing are al the
rate of nine dollars per capita of es-
timated population. The actual tax
revenue collected from the people IN
1897 amounted TO about $3.50 per apita.
The actual which must be COL
lected from the people under the pro-
jected policies Of the Mckinley admins
tration will amount 10 nine dollars PEI
capita yearly. We have been and are
now paying our way partly on borrowed
money. But this cannot continue with
out national bankruptcy. The ful.
measure Of the new financial burdens
of the imperial republic Is yet 10 be cur
rently assumed by the people.
When these burdens are fully as
sumed through current taxation, it will
appear that the actual federal tax bur
den upon the masses of the people has
been increased by 81 per cent.-that
federal taxes have been nearly doubled
within two years. That Is the amazing
administration as il is now shaping tn
course Of things.
sefedera. taxesare collected chief
ly from consumption-instead Of from
iicome or property. They consequently
fall upon the people in nearly equal
weight or amount per individual, and
are collected in unseen ways. If they
were collected by federal tax gstherers
from door TO door, the administration
OF Mr.. Mckinley, under the policies j.
has voluntarily and eagerly projected,
would be obliged 10 send forth its min.
lens TO collect s45 from each average
family throughout the %naticn, where
only S24 was being collected VIXEN Mr..
Mckinley came into power. The ad-
ministration which undertook that co..
lection would not live a day beyond the
time in which the people could get att.
and the imperial policies II was SO com
p,acently promoting would be buried
under a furious popular uprising
Springfield (Mass.) Republican.