Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1900-04-25
WAR TAXES IN TIMES OF PEACE.

There is in the Treasury surplus
of $40, 100000. This is exclusive of
the $3.50, 900, 600 it is proposed to set
aside as a redemption fund. That
surplus represents partly the receipts
from the sale of bonds in 1898 and
partly the excess Of revenues over ex.
penditures under the present taxing
laws. That excess has been $40, 000,-
600 during the last eli ght and one third
months. There would be no such ex-
cess but for the war taxes o. 1893.
The war and it's expenses being over
those taxes are producing a surplus
which is the fecund parent of a hun
dred schemes of plumber. 1t is hot
bed of corruption.-Chicago Tribune.
1t is refreshing to hear prominent
republican newspaper speak the truth
about the surplus in the treasury, of
which the republicans brag so much.
There has been a determined effort to
make people believe that the surplus
has been caused by the skillful man-
agement of the fiscal aft airs of the ma
ton by the republican party. A little
familiarity with those affairs will
soon dispel that idea. The deficit in
the national treasury during Cleve-
lands administr alton was $l35, 1905
This was caused by the Wilson tariff.
But the Wilson tariff bill carried a
provision for an income tax that
was figured to bring about $50, 900, 900
a year., If tn at had not heen knocked
out by the supreme court it would dur
ing those four years have brought
5000, 000,0 900, leaving surplus of S64,-
529, 946 More than half the deficit oc-
Cured the first year under the Wilson
bill, when there was a stagnation in
business. The Dingley bill had no
provisions knocked out by the supreme
court. It was figured to bring the
necessary revenue for the expenses Of
the government. Yet the first year
showed a deficit of Sl8,092,2 54. The
deficit under the Wilson bill was
caused by the supreme court; the de-
felt under the Dingley bill was caused
by miscalculation. Since that time
the receipts of the treasury have been
increased by the special war taxes,
but the expenses have of course in.
creased on account Of the war and the
benevolent assimilation. We have
no exact figures on hand of the re-
ceipts and expenditures during the fol.
lowing years, but we can get at the to.
tai deficit by the following figures
The Cleveland administration left in the
treasury surplus-the balance of pre-
vious surplus and of loans-of abou,
S228, 100000. Since that time 5000
600, 900 more have been loaned. If the
Dingley tariff, plus the war taxes, ha6
brought enough for the expenses o
the government there should therefore
be a surplus of 1923, 100000 in thu
treasury. But the above clipping
shows that there is only 1920, 1000, 0O(
surplus. The Mckinley administra
ton has therefore spent $l28, 200, 00'
more than the receipts during the SAM
time. The receipts for the special wa
taxes have more than paid for the cos
of the war. Thus it will be seen tina
the above deficit is about what it woul,
have been under the Dingley bill
without war and war taxes. Gloriou
fnanciering!
The war expenses being paid but tn
war taxes kept up, there is now an ap
parent surplus accommodating. Blu
there is one item not taken into con
sideration in the clipping Accordin,
to the same paper the bonus for tn
exchange Of bonds will take abou
S8S, 900, 900, or more than twice this an
parent surplus. There will therefor
be no surplus over expenditures TO
the next nine months. By that tim
some of "the hundred schemes of plum
DER" the Hanna-Payne subsidy bill
for instance, will probably have bee1
consummated, and the danger of
surplus removed. The republican
will do we'll not to speak too loudl
about their skillful management O
fiscal affairs. War taxes in time q
peace ought to show better in th
treasury than they have done so far.