The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-09-02
THE WAR AND THE FINANCES.


The Globe Democrat is exceedingly op-
timistic with reference to the financial
outlook and thinks that no war in history
was ever 50 ably "hnanced" as the late
conflict with Spain, nor left so few burdens
upon the people. Among other things our
St Louis contemporary says;
Nos; OF tha cKpcnscs Of the war were
charged up during thc last fiscal year, endiug
june 60. The deficit Tor the year vas Sse,u90,-
co., much less than any Of the estimates tbs
years prospect iE that the treasury gili keep
eveu, or aearly 50. Revenue is Increasing anu
cHpegses falling OF. The navy costs but littie
more nus thah an peace footing. Congress-
appropriated s009 90 FER the authorized
army Of 10, 0eN men. The cost Of maintaining
the army In the Philippines is not yet closely
escorts iued hut Il wilt be nothing uuusual
ACert 81 the matter u transporting troops
NrE.ia IS an IDEAL base for convenience and
c5curi,y, and campaigning IN Luzon VIII be
TO more expensive thsn elsewhere. Carrying
army sUpplies Ia ships rs the cheapPs, method
known Nothing in the condition OF the trea4-
urY Indicates that heavy tnxeH will he nCces-
aary ard those IN exlstence bear lightly upon
the people. There IS an ample balance of cash
on hand,
There IS a wealth Of omission In this
statement, There Is no mention of the
$500 ooo. 900 increase Of the National debt,
or OF the 100000 900 expended in the pre-
eeang fiscal year. The fact that the
treasury departmeu, contrndicts the state
ment that the revenues this year will even
approximately reach the expenditures, Is
airily ignored. The further fact that the
deficit last year was over 100000. 600, and
will this year, according to experts, prob
ably reach double that sum. in view OF
the increase OF the army, is directly lalsi-
fed in the one case and avoided In the
other in the Globe-Democrat' statement.
This st. Louis optimist seems not to
have heard. either. that the secretary Of
the treasury and his chiefs are today puz-
cling their heads, as Washington advices
say. 10 ind new subjects for taxation In
order to meet the terrible burdens which
the war in the Philippines is entailing
upon the Nation.
But, says the Globe Democrat, the cost
Of maintaining the army in the Philippines
VIII be nothing extra, except In the mat
ter or transportation There's the rub
the cost for transportation is enormous
and no sane man will argue that an army
can be carried 1000 miles and maintained
In state OF war for even double what
it would cost to maintain it in peace at
home.
But why such an immense army in the
first place? Is that no extra burden?
And again the cost Of the navy increases
in proportion to the number of vessels In
commission. and our colonial" troubles
neeess!tate keeping twice the ships In
commission It would otherwise need
Carrying army supplies in ships. says the
CD, is the cheapest method known
But why have to carry supplies abroad?
In a word. our st, Louis contemporary
seems to assume that the conditions now
existing are the usual and natural ones
and from this hypothesis argues that
everything is being done on as cheap 4
basis as possible. The premise is false
the conditions should not exist. and woule
not have existed but for the republican
spirit OF Imperialism. We are doubtea.
| getting expansion as cheaply AS it can bt
had. but expansion itself Is the unnec.
essary burden, and n great one. added
to those the Nation has heretofore beer
carrying only by piling UP big deficits.