Extravagance And Pap

On the Ist of March, 1893, the total interest-bearing debt of the tlnitecl States was $585,034,260. On Nov. 30, 1897, it is $647,365,620. That is to say, in a time of profonud peace the goverument's bonded debt has been iuoreased by no less than $262,331,360, simply beoanse the revennes have not equalled the expenditures. And dow the nation is spending every month $9,000,000 raore than its income, with the certainty of still fnither bond issnes if something is net done to inorease revenne or to ent down expenses. This is the sitnatiou that will oonfront congiess when it meers nextweek. Yet the people are enormonely taxed. If what they pay all went into the treasnry the whole national debt wonld be speedily extinguished and a reduo tion of taxation woald beooiae a pressing necessity. The tronble is that nnder the Dingley-MoKinley system the greater portion of what the people pay goes not into the treasory bnt into the ceffers of "protected" and trust-manipnlating monopolies. On the other hand the expenditnres of the government are enormously in vcess of the actnal need, becanse a very great propörtion of the appropriations is made siruply to serve party parpo6es, or, in plain words, to bny votes with bounties. What a monument the present con. gress could bnild for itself if it had the courage to deal with this matter rationally and honestly, entting off all nnjust appropriations and levying taxes with sole leference to the replenishment of the treasnry ! But what a howl wonld come np from all the trusts and all the