The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-23
Prom Macksy's 1--WE stern World. ~
Comparative Cost Of Ssevernn sent In the
OnieeA slales and In lsreal HrIlaiu

Comparative Cost OF Covers ment In the
Untsed States and I'm Great Britain.
A brief inquiry into the expenses Of the
American government, with vbsw to contrast
ing them with those Of tbs government of this
country, may be neither Embarrassing nor un-
instructive For the four years ending June
~ lo46, the average annual expenditure Of the
United States, exclusive Of payments ON ac-
count OF the public debts, was twenty-five mil
lions Of dollars, or "a, $50, 900, say $4,000. 900
sterling. For the same period, oar average an
nual expenditure, exclusive of payments on ac-
count OF the public debt, was 22,o0O, 900 stcr-
ling. The American people being now about
twenty millions, their expenditure for army.
navy, ordnance, pensions, civil contingencies,
ana foreign intercOurse--in sIf0rt, for every
thing but the debt amour 10 about s.. sier.
ing per head. We, being about thirty millions
oi people, have to pay Ids Sd sterling per
heao, to defray the expenses Of the State, eSclu-
sise OF The debt; that is to say, fer the mere ex
pehses d government, We pay absolutely be-
tween four and five times as much as the Amer
icans; and, individually, nearly three times as
much. When the debt of both countries Is
thrown into the scale, this difference il, OF
course, greatly Increased, inasmuch as We pay
yearly, as interest upon our debt, more than
'he whole principal of the debt of America,
even amer the war, amounts 10.
But II may be urged that this comparison is
aot fair. in smuch as In the case of America
no account is taken of the expense of the State
governments. IL is quite true that the yearly
expenditure for the support Of the general gov
eminent is not the sum total which the Ameri-
cans have to pay as the expenses OF government
II IL but proper, therefore, that, in comparing
me expenditure Of the two countries, the ex-
pense OF the State government in America
should % superadded to tnat of tho general gov
There being no less than thirty different |
States, with thirty local political systems to |
support, that is 10 say, thirty executives, thirty
legislatures, thirty Judicial systems, and thirty |
ainorent groups OF miscellaneous IL csfsras
connected with thirty different governments
70 provide for, one might naturally suppose
that the aggregate expense of oil this would |
greatly exceed that incurred 10 support the gen.
eral government. But the expense Of ali the
State governments taken together does not ex.
coed hve millions and a half Of dollars, which
IL but trIfle over u million and quarter ster.
ling. This added to The e., 000, 900 for the sup.
port Of the general government, gives E6,l25,-
Doo as the aggregate cost Of government, both
general and local, ia America. This makes the
cost per head Of government in America, ex-
elusive OF the debt, 6s. 3d. sterling, TO contrast
with Ids. 3D., the cost per head Of the govern
nent Of England, exclusive. Of her debt. The
Mexican war has materially enhanced the Amer.
can debt, but even with this addition il does not
'xceed E9O,OOO,000. The annual In terest upon
his will Dc, even at the rate paid by America,
little more than FL ,1DO, 00o.s So that, taking
INTO view the taxation imposed for the payment l.
Il the interest Of the debt, the tax per head will
lot exceed Is. Cd. sterling. More than this
nay be rsised for serne years to come to pay off
ne principal OF the debt, but il is not necessary
o take any extra effort of this kind into the
IL we add, in the case Of England,
he taxation necessary for the payment Of the :
nnual interest upon The debt to that raised for
he oTdintry expenses Of government, il gives 1
q no less than e. Ids. as the proportion paid {
er head. That is to say, taking everything 1
nto account on both sides, we pay more than
our and half times per head as much as the y
americans pay in the way Of taxation.
But some may urge that We have not only an
IMPERIAL government, but also from thirty to .
orty colonial governments 70 sustain. But II, In
edition to the general government, we have the )
governments Of thirty or forty colo nes 10 sup a
ort, let H. be remembered that the Americans 8
ave also their general government with thirty
'cas certainly not colonial governments to sus-
lin. They may differ "a nars from our colonies,
utthey occupy an analogous position to that oc- !,
uPied by the colonies, 50 far AZ this question Is
oneernet. The giiHhmsnpa pays for hlsimperial :
is imperial and State governments English
len pay four millions sterling for the govern :
tent Of from thirty 10 forty colonies; Ameri- :
ans pay about a mifiion and qusrter sterling \
~ the local government Of thirty States. The n
olOnies contain an aggregate population Of FIVE n
lilliOns; the States one Of twenty millions 4
at the four millions Pac by the imperial is y
nly half what il takes 10 support the govern
TENT of the colonies, the other being betrayed
J the colonists themselves IL thus takes eight :
lilhOns sterling 70 govern live millions OF col
nisis; ard an EaElind pays one.haIf Of this 4
nm, she may be- said to pay four millions d
ng for governing tsio millions aud half Of L
olonists- She thus pays a. the rate Of f. l2s. o
" the government Of each eolonist--more than {
ouble whit Il costs her to govern a subject at ;
cme.
fhe Stare debts MT inehIied, betsnse the sums
proved have beennvested In works. wthh already
some wholly and in others parity, PAYING and
III soon In all cases wholly pay, the upon them
e
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