Year: 1868




We have ever since the close of the war
called for cutting down of the expenses
of the government and such a course of ad-
ministrative policy as would insure the re-
duction of taxation and its abolition in
many oppressive respects. This last could
only be judiciously and permanently effcc-
ted by first accomplishing the former, as
was evident to all sensible men. But f.
nally, for political effect, the dominant
party in Congress undertook in measure
to remove taxes without Topping off ex-
penses, and the embarrassing results which
we then anticipated rs inevitable have
come. Mr.. Dclmar's compact and COM
prehensivs letter on the finances, however
it may be assaled, shows this conclusive
ly. In the views expressed thereon by
the New York Journal of Commerce, as
follows, we concur, having held like SEN
timents with that paper on the points and
occasions referred to by it:


''lt is curious to see the squirming of
the partisan papers at the expose made by
Mr.. Delmar of the condition of the treasu-
ry. The director of this bureau was ap-
pointed as an ardent republican. He has
been quoted approvingly by all the party
papers as long as his figures met the wish
es Of the party leaders. But the condi-
tion of the treasury is now uninviting
When Congress, for partisan purposes
took off the tax which had been levied
upon certain domestic manufactures, thus
reducing the revenue in that item nearly
one hundred millions per annum, we show
|


ed plainly that this legislation began en-
tirely at the wrong end. To reduce the
revenue without cutting down expenses
was to render the treasury bankrupt. Be-
sides, if these many millions could be
spared annually, the burden might better
have been lifted from other shoulders"


''ln spite of our remonstrance, and in
face of reason and common sense, the ma
jority persisted, and the measure was
adopted. We then sought to have cor
responding reduction made in the disbur-
sements, and here, too, we failed. The
dominant party were determined to take
advantage of the game they were playing
The reduction of taxes would be popu-
lar plea If they should be elected they
would have profited by the movement, and
could again increase the burden If they
should be defeated, they would still profit
by it. as they could throw on the new ad-
minstration the odium of such increase
and thus improve their own chances for ii
return to power. The democrats fell into
the trap and made feeble aud irregular
opposition to the project"


1T is not Mr.. Dclmar who now first
points out the prospective deficiency re-
sulting from this reckless legislation. We
have kept it constantly before our readers.
Mr.. Delmar is to leave his post in Janua-
ry. Whether he has made his figures, as
the party papers assert, in revenge for be-
ing legislated out of office, or because he
can now afford to speak the whole truth,
we de not undertake to say. But the fact
that there is staring us directly in the face
great deficiency in the national revenues,
SO that no total of estimated receipts can
be made sufficient to meet estimated ex-
penses for the curl tent year, is undeniablc,
and cannot be set aside with a sneer. 1t
may be unpleasant to those in power to
hear much about it before election, but if
it is the truth, why should it be kept back
from the people Z"