Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-09

Total ..................si5o,VVv 'VU
Estimated surplus ..sS1'WO,vN
OF the receipts for the year lSs!
mot given here) $45,724,0 900 came from
the war tax provided in the act OF
June 10, 1898, and during the first
nine months of the present fiscal year
the sum from this source amounted
to S33, 100000. For the whole year the
secretary estimates that it will be the
same as in 1899, and he has included
this sum in the line devoted to inter-
nal revenue.
BY subtracting the war tax from the
revenues for the current year a clear
surplus of $25,0O0,00O is found to have
been derived from the net ordinary
receipts, and for the year ending 1901
the estimate shows like surplus OF
S37,OOO,OOO. Without the war tax IN
these two years the net surplus would
have been $62,O0O,000, and with the
war tax it amounts to $l52,OOO,OOO,
or more than enough to complete the
Nicaragua canal.
The expenses of the war and navy
department during these two years
were extraordinary. In 1897 the ex-
penses of both of these departments
were but $53OOO,O0O, as against $780,
100000 for the current year. II the ex-
penses for the current year in these
departments had been no greater than
ordinary more than S1OO,OoO,OOO could
have been added to the surplus reve'
nues, and this without a cent OF war
tax.
The showing for the revenue laws OF
the republican party is something
magnificent. and it is made to appear
more so when we remember the dire
full predictions of the democratic party
at the beginning of the Mckinley adj
ministration. Under the operations
of the Wilson bill and other revenue
legislation made by incompetent demo-
cratic congresses, the administration
of Grover Cleveland showed a net de-
ficiency of $l55,oOO,O00, which had to
be met by the issue of Understanding
bonds. Finding that its four years OF
laundering had depleted the treasury,
increasing the national debt, paralyzed
industries and brought want and mis-
ery TO the land, the democratic party
| declared that the republicans could do
no better ana that they, too, must
issue bonds. Who hasn't in mind the
iibes and jeers with which the Ding
| lev lawwas greeted? TWAS asserted by
democratic members of congress that
deficits would continue to pile up and
that the country would soon see the
abortiveness of republican schemes OF
financial legislation. The democratic
national convention went so lar as 10
rep,dlate the financial record OF Its
own party, and solemnly warned the
country that republican success meant
more debt-making, more treasl'ry-de'
pletion and more intcrcst-paylng
Even year after the passage OF the
Dinclev bill, but before it could com
mfIicc to work normally, we were con
staptlt told by the dcmocrataic press
that il, was failure as a revenue-pro
ducinr measure. The first year OF the
Wilson bill produced Sl5l,OOO'O0o reve
nue.: last year the Dngley bill pro
duced $3.50, OO0.OOO and here we have
the whole story.
The democratic party has been Sc
thoroughly discredited by curren
events that it appears ridiculous il no
shameless in its attitude beior
the country. At the beginning OF tn
, present national administration
| was campaigning on the theory ina
: the republicans did not know now U
handle the finances of the nation IN
T., way to pay expenses. In three shor
: wears t has been compelled completel'
: TO reverse this position and is nov
S ! nreparing to campaign on the old OH
cbarce that dangerous surplus !
about to accumulate in the treasury
The republican administrations hav
4 mayor failed TO reduce the nationa
e debit The most recent democratic ao
e mipistrations added to ii enormousl,
t The republican party gathered abunt
e ant tithes from the people in mar
o ner which added to their general pros
e perity. The democratic party gait
Il cred less than enough to pay the legl'
innate expenses of the government ou
its method cost the people thousan
t times the amount they paid into III
/. treasury.-K. {. Journal.
- ---- ---
: Candidate Debs declares that he WI
\ stand by the flag. This rather di
= credits the theory that he going
= withdraw in the interest OF the ma
i ,yho favors hauling, the flag down.