Washington sentinel., 1899-09-16
The oosr of a national Orime


neous receipts, and from the sale
of the Central Pacific railroad
were. in round numbers, S5Is,'
o6o, ,6ao.I6.
The computed population July
1, 1899. which is the divisor used
by the Treasury Department in
estimating per capita expenditures,
numbered 7s,I4S,ooo. 1t therefore
appears that the Dingley bill, sup
plemented by the war tax bill,
forced the rate Of taxation from
the normal OF the previous 20
years Of a fraction under IS per
head up 10 SO 81 per head OF taxes,
Including small items always in
cluded in taxes. The sum COM
Ited as the total receipt Of the
Treasury by the Secretary amounts
to S6.77 per head.
The expenditures Of the Govern
ment in the fiscal year ending June
80, 1899, amounted to S6o5 ,o72,I79.
These are official figures, derived
from the Treasury Department,
possibly subject to slight changes
when the accounts are finally
audited. The rate oi expenditure
in the last fiscal year was, there
fore, S7.9s per head OF population.
1t will therefore be observed
that il we take. as we may rightly
take, as a standard the average ex-
penditures for 1878 to 1897, inclu-
sive, as a normal expenditure
under conditions OF peace, varying
from the lowest year, 1886, under
President Cleveland, at So. ~, to
the highest year, 1891, under
President Harrison, at S6.7t, aver
aging for the whole period 81 81
per capita, the waste Of the sub
stance of the people in the last is
cal wear in the war oil criminal ag-
gression on the Philippine Island.
ers-the difference between S. and
S8 per head-was in round figures
So per head, or SIS per family.
This sum assessed on 5000, 900
people amounted to a waste at the
rate Of Sa28.ooo, 900 during the
yearl But the end is not yet.
So far as we may Judge slrom
monthly reports, the waste of the
substance OF the people is now
going on at the rate Of So per head
or more, or So ab We the normal,
amounting to SSo4 900, 900 year,
with corresponding waste Of life
and health among the troops now
in the Philippine Islands.
The war with Spain for the lib
Grafton of Cuba was paid tor out
OF cash already in the Treasury,
the proceeds Of loan Of Saoo, ,ooo,-
900, and $50, ,ooo, 900 or more re-
ceived from the Union Pacific rail-
road. Hence 1t is fair to reason
that what we are now spending,
and what we shall spend, above
S. per head is or will be due
wholly to the national crime now
being committed in the effort to
subjugate the inhabitants Of the
Philippine Islands.
While such is the financial pros
pect of the future, that is not the
whole. 1t is probable that 81 per
head Of the customs revenue will
soon be lost to the Treasury; or
approximately $4,000, 900. de-
rived from the revenue duties on
sugar, tobacco, cigars, rice, tropi-
cal fruits. and other produc; S.
Protests against the payment OF
duties or taxes on these imports
are already before the courts.
me decision rendered by Chief
| Justice Marshall, subsequently
sustained by the Supreme Court
in another case, entities these i'm
ports to entry free OF du y. II
there were any doubt upon tn s
subject the revised statute OF the
United States, title "a, section 1871
until repealed, gives practically
absolute assurance to importers
that these products are Tree OF duty.
That statute is in the terms;
All persons within the jurisdiction of
the United States shal, have the same
right in every State and Territory to
make and enforce contracts, to sue, be
parties. give evidence, and to the full
and equal benefit OF all laws and pro.
ceedIngs for the security of persons and
property as is enjoyed by white citizens,
and shall be subject to like punishment,
pains, penalties. taxes, licenses, and
exactIons Of every kind. and to no other.
1t therefore appears from all
present facts known that the neces-
sitv tor additional taxation in the
next fiscal year. ending June 80,
1900, of $3.50, ooo. 900 (S7s, ,ooo, ,ooo
to make up for a deficit and $751;
600 900 to make up for the loss OF
revenue on sugar, etc.) is impera-