Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-05
TIE COST OF WAR AND CONQUEST.

. THE COST OF WAR AND CONQUEST.
The latest official treasury figures
show that the effort of our government
to subjugate the Philippine Islands has
| thus far resulted in an average daily
| expenditure of the peoples money of
$500, 900.
This is a startling exhibit and n
that should cause imperialist cranks to
pause and reflect as American citizens
and taxpayers.
The official figures show that the
Spanish wal and its sequel have cost
over $227, 500, 900, with every indication
that there will be a permanent increase
in our expenditures of more than $780,
600, 900 a year directly due to the war.
This would easily be bearable if it
could be shown that the American peo-
pie got it back in any way, or received
any return for this enormous outlay.
But this does not and cannot appear,
for the simple reason that there is no
way in which this money or compensat-
ing benefits may be returned to the peo-
pie in any shape.
The increased permanent expendi-
ture due mainly to the administrations
war of conquest may now be easily es-
timated, for the items of increase are
in plain sight.
If the present programme of the par
ty in power is carried out there must
be an increase of $4,000 men at least
in the standing army, which means
SIS, 000, 900 annually for that one item
| alone. This is altogether aside from
| additions to the navy that will have
to be made, which will increase the
annual expenditures Of that depart
| ment by man millions. If the war in
the Philippines were to end to-day 1t
is estimated that the annual increase
in the pension charge would be at least
bounty project, the construction of an
isthmian canal and many other costly
projects, the enormous expenditure for
which the dominant party proposes to
saddle on the people on the plea that
Expansion" has made these expendl-
lures imperative.
So much, in brief outline, for the fu-
ture. Now let us look at the present
status of the United States treasury.
The latest figures show that for the
fiscal year just closed the expenditures
of the general government exceeded
the receipts by 500, 528, 061. For the
fiscal year 1898 the expenditures ex-
ceeded the receipts by $40, 551,2 71. And
it must be borne in mind that the re-
ceipts for the year 1898 included the
extraordinary item of $4,000. 900 de-
rived from the sale of the Pacific rail-
roads, which was not revenue in the
proper sense. Eliminating that item
the actual excess of expenditures over
regular receipts for 1898 would be about
$50, 500, 900, against SIS, 900, 900 for the
year 1897.
Both receipts and expenditures were
unusually great last year. Comparing
figures with those for 1897 the receipts
were $514,116,9 oil, against s347, 721 ,905,
and expenditures 1904, 644 ,972, against
$265, 774,159.
Making the comparison with 1898,
there was an increase in customs re-
ceipts of $55, $40, 1853, and in internal
revenue receipts of $103, 293, 051, while
the expenditures were $161, 256 ,093
greater than the year before, the in
crease, of course, being almost wholly
due to the war.
The increase in revenue, both GUS
toms and internal last year, was due
to several unusual circumstances that
will not soon occur again.
This is the appalling cost of war,
principally due to the administrations
war in the Philippines, which, as stat
ed, is costing the American taxpayers
an average of $500, 900 a day.
The people might be able to stand
it if some Wall street fnancier would
tell them how they are to get any of
it back, and what the outlay will profit
anyone outside of the administrations
| friends in Wall street.