Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-28

Cost OF Imperial Governmeut.
The Pittshurg Post has prepared an
interesting comparison and exhibit to
show the frightful money coat OF the
imperial form Ut government towards
which we aie rapidly drifting in this
country. Before the Civil War broke
out in 1861, it says, the expenses OF
the Federal government ranged between
Sc, 900, 900 and 100000, DOC u year and
only in one year reached as high a
figure as s73,000,o0 During the
was S54, 600, 600. The year the Civil
War commenced the expenditures were
only s66, CSC, 900, but they mounted up
very rapidly after Fort Sumter, reach
ing their maximum in 1865, the yeat
the war ended, with over LOCO, 600
soldiers in the field, the enormous total
being 81, 295, 900. 600. There vas a big
drop after the war closed and in 1866
the expenditures were s5l9, 600, 00U,
then falling to S242, 200, 600 in lsS5-S6,
the first year OF the Cleveland admins
tration. After the census legislation of
1890 there was rapid increase and in
1898 the expenditures went up over
800, 600, 900 and were SAB, 00O, 900.
Secretary Gage on Monday, as re-
quired by law, sent to Congress esti-
mates for the appropriations for the
next fiscal year ending July LIST, 1901.
The aggregate is 1851, 0Sl, 1884, or
S3S, 600, 900 over the estimates for the
current year and s34, 000, 900 over the
appropriations.
The total on account of pensions is
S145. s30, 232, which is decrease of
S3, $50, compared with the current year,
from which it would be supposed that
pensions we're OF the down grade, but
the West Indian and Philippine pen
sions remain to be heard from. Our
army and naval expenditures are in
creasing. For the army next year
$3.50, 900, 900 Is asked and for the navy
SIG, 600, 900, sn increase over the current
year in both branches OF the service
of S52, 600, 600.
Our army, navy and pension expendi-
lures for the coming year foot up the
enormous sum of SAIL, Sl2, 7T2, leaving
from the grand total sum Of S219,-
269, 22l for all other purposes of gov
eminent. We are not only nearing but
passing the totals Of European i'm
perialism. Nearly two-thirds Of the
enormous aggregate of national expendi-
ture goes to war and navy and tho pen
sions of past wars.
President Mckinley's national book
keeper figures up that he will need for
the closing year of the Mckinley ad-
ministration the neat sum Of 1851, 600,
600. The average rate of expenditure
! of Cleveland's first administration was
1910. COO, 600 year and for his second
administration $685.. 600, 600, the in
crease resulting mainly from the de-
pendent pension law, which he vetoed
his first term and became law in the
Harrison interregnum.
To state the case fully, the appropria-
tions and expenditures of the four years
of the Mckinley administration, ac-
ceptipg Secretary Cages estimates for
the closing year, will be as follows
1898, s443, 1858. 5S3; 1s95-99, 500, 093,
564; 1899. 1900. 5000, 1858, III; 10000,
1851, 0Sl, 994.
The difference between 1851, 900, 600 q
year and s270,000, 600 year represents
the difference in cost between Cleve-
land sAInerican policies and Mckinley IS
imperialist rage. Are We not paying q
little too much for our whistler And
| yet President Mckinley at the outset Of
his message declares that the condi
tions of the country are of unusual
prosperity, of universal good will among
| the people at home and in relations OF
peace and friendship with every gov
erDment Of the world" We are paying
at the rate of 5000, 900, 600 and 500,
600. 600 year for it, for every penny is
drained from the pockets of the people
by taxation. 1t is their substance that
is being thrown away on nti.American
| polIcies