The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-01-06
OpTIMIsT DINGLEY.
h Great Tarin Doctor Sees S0shing
Ahead hut . Buiging
Surplus.

Chairman Dirgley's views Of the ma
tional finances Tor the future are o,.ii-
mistic. While he declares that there
will be no reduction OF the war taxes
before next winter at the earliest. he
confidently predicts that "our depend
encies." as he properly calls them. will
be practically self-supporting by 1897
and hat "'empire' will not materially
permanently increase our expenses"
lie disposes Of Secretary Cages esti-
mate of a deficit Of $3.50. 100000 for tho
current fiscal year and OF s~30.COo.ooO
for the year following by saying that
the secretary. as a prudent man. puts
the lowest possible estimate on revenue
or income and the highest possible esti-
mate upon the expenditures To Illus
trate. he says that the secretary as
sumes that we will have an army Of $780,
900 for two years and that we are going
to spend SIS. 100000 for river and harbor
improvements in 1900, whereas we are
not going 70 have an army Of more than
100000 and the river and harbor ex-
penditures will not exceed s25.o0O.o o0-
Mr.. Dingley admits that the national
expenditures will be Increased for the
time being in consequence OF the war.
but insists that with $1,000 0 DOC pro-
duced under the provisions Of the war
ways and means bill there will be a sur
plus in 1900 and that our dependencies
afterthatwill furnish their " keep"
But Mr.. Dingley fails to observe that.
while Mr.. Gage makes good allowance
for expenditures in some directions. he
has TO leave out of account a number
of important items which are not mere
" probable. but almost certain 10 APP
pear in the next budget or as supple
ments 10 the one just submitted. For
instance. he says nothing about the
100000. 900 which our Paris commission
ers have agreed to pay Spain for a vo-
racious elephant. He says nothing
about the millions that the president
wants TO spend on an isthmian canal
and on ocean cables. and that he him
self wants TO spend to encourage Amer
leans to build and sail ships. Mr.. Ding
ley fails TO observe that the reason
given for spending these millions in hot
haste is because we have been spread
ing ourselves territorially. tits for this
lt1okAAs w 7 AT0AAEAs AnNA We HttA
the canal and the cables and the ships
without delay.
Mr.. Dingley admits that we are 90
ing TO need an army Of 100. 900 men. He
could not very well do otherwise when
the president unhesitatingly recon-
mends that the regular army be in
creased 10 that number. II would not
be an excess Of prudence TO estimate
the increase in the standing army at
$4,000 men. Since nobody pretends that
there would be any need OF increase IL
we had no dependencies TO take care
OF, we must charge all this 10 the sem
pire." The cost OF this additional force
would be $500 coo a year. estimating
in the usual way at $1,000 per man.
But for service in the deadly tropics
deadly to men of the Caucasian race
the cos would be much more. A mod
| crate estimate would be 500. 900. 900
year. Mr.. Dinglev admits that he takes
no account of increased expenditure on
account Of the navy. But ii Is no secret
that il is proposed by the administra-
tion TO add to the navy ships and arma-
ments costing not less than $50. 0oO. 900.
This. with the increased cost % mainte-
nance. would be no small item. and Il
will grow TO still larger proportions IL
Senator Davis triple alliance is con-
summated.
Does Mr.. Dinglev suppose that we ara
going TO make our dependencies pay all
these costs? n he does he supposes
that we are going 10 oppressthem moro
than Spain ever did. though we may be
more successful than Spain in applying
the Hanna plan Of getting the money
out Of them without letting them know
what has become of II.
He will learn. IL he does not already
know. that the taxpayers Of the United
States will have TO pay the most Of all
this. If we make the possessions pay
the cost OF civil administration. or such
civil administration as our military
governors may allow them. including
the cost OF schools and public improve
ments. we will go about 10 the limit.
Most OF the increased cost OF army and
navy. Of canals. cables and what not
will fall upon the shoulders ofthe Amer
lean taxpayers.
And they may grow weary. Hence the
necessity for making the most Of the
Hanna plan OF flching from their pock-
cts and leaving them to wonder why IL
is that the dollar they earn seems so
small and inadequate when they come
TO lay II out for the necessaries and
comforts Of life. Hence we hear even
the optimistic Dingley talk Of getting
rid Of the stamp taxes as soon as pos
sible. II will never do TO have people
reminded that they are paying a tax
every time they lick a stamp.-Chicagu
Chronicle.