The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-31
WORCESTER:
WEDNESDAY. MARCH 81. 1880.

STATE EXPENsEs. i ne outcry made IN the
Jackson papers about the expenditures of the
State, and their pretended comparison of them
with those of other States, is one of the most
( hagitious attempts at fraud and deception, ever
practised on any community. Any comparison
of the gross amount paid from the Treasures
of different States, must, from the nature of
the case, be entirely fallacious in ascertaining
the extent 10 which the people are burdened
by the expenditures of the government, because,
in different States the modes of meeting the
same exigencies are various. In Massachu-
sets. for instance, the annual expense for State
Panpers is between 100000 and $4,000, no
trifing sum, yet the same class of paupers in
New Hampshire are supported by the counties
in hich they reside; and, therefore, do not
swell the amount drawn from TIE State Treas
ury. In Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island,
also, we believe, they are supported either by
the counties or towns in which they reside
and, therefore, although equally public ex-
pense, they make no part Of the State expendi-
lures. In Massachusetts, all the Judicial OFF,
GERS including Judges and Registers of Probate,
are paid from the State Treasury, but in most
of the other States, the County and Probate
Courts are paid by the Counties or by fees.
In the comparison published in the Boston
Statesman and other Jackson papers, the ex-
I penditures of Massachusetts, for the year 1929,
are said to have been $685. 942 from which, if
we deduct $63,942; which is about the amount
expended for the support of State paupers, it
will leave $230,000; from this sum also should
be deducted $37,97l, the amount paid for build
ing the new State Prison, and 1t will then
leave but $l92,029, considerable portion of
which is for objects not properly considered as
government expenses such as the appropria-
lions for Agricultural Societies, for the educa-
ton Of the deaf and dumb, &c, objects of
most valuable and praisewortby character, such
as the people would be unwilling that any ad-
minstraton should dispense with. Let us see
then how this will compare with the expendi.
lures of other States beginning with
Maine The expenditures of this State for
the year 1923 were $l2O,0OO, almost two-thirds
as much as that Of Massachusetts, after making
the above deductions, although the population,
half as at. In this State there is an annual
State land tar of about $4,000, which is two.
thirds as much in single year as the whole
State taxes Of Massachusetts during the flee
years of Gov Lincoln's administration Ow-
ing to the smaller representation in Maine the
expenses of the Legislature is about $4,000
less than in Massachusetts,. This is difference
in the systems, and not in the administration Of
the governments
NeO Hampshire. The expenditures of this
State in 1928, were $62, 900, tri1e less in pro-
portion to the population than those of Massa
chusetts, yet it must be considered that the
smaller business, population, wealth, &c, of the
S.-'" 'equiIV a shorter session of the Legisla-
lure, and a less proportional expenditure. The
! state tax is much heavier than in Massachu-
. sets.
{ Vermont. We have not the means at hand
to make comparison of the expenses of this
State with those of Massachusetts,. We under.
stand, however, from good authority, that the
annual State Tar is $l56,000 which is three
times as much as Massachusetts, has paid in fUe
gears!
Connecticut. The expenditures of Connec-
ticut in 1928, were $74, 1853, trife less in pro-
portion than in Massachusetts, yet in this sum
nothing is included for appropriations for Lit
erary' Benevolent, or agricultural objects, or to
works of internal improvement, all which are
! reckoned in the expenditures of Massachusetts,.
The State taxes are much higher than in Mas
sachusetts.
1t should be borne in mind that the expenses
of government depend more on the amount of
business done and on the wealth and improve
] ments Of State than on its extent or popua-
ton. In business and wealth, Massachusetts,
J probably exceeds all the other States in New
England united and a critical examination
will prove that no other State derives so many
benefits from its government in proportion TO
the burdens it imposes, or is taxed SO lightly in
proportion to its ability to pay.
In wealth, and in the amount and kinds Of its
business, Massachusetts, approaches much near
er TO Ne1o York and Pennsylvania than to the
E States already mentioned. As these States are
both blessed with Jackson government, let us
f see how their expenditures compare with ours
Ne'o York. Tho expenditures OF this State
IN 1928, were one million nine hundred and
e'ghty-eigM thousand eight hundred and four
dollars.
Pennsylvania. In this State the expenditures
the same year were three millions one hundrsd
and screen thousand fire hundred and 6ftv.t,oO
dollars.
! A considerable amount in both these States
was expended for internal improvements, and
is included in the above but il should be recol
lected that the sums expended in this State for
those and other kindred purposes, are included
, in the published accounts Of our expenditures
Let these all be deducted, and let the bare ex.
penses Of tho government be shown, and it will