Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-15

ECONOMY IN PUBLIC EXPENDITURES.
The legislature Of Pennsylvania hav-
ing requested the governor to inform
that body as to the probable shortage
in the state treasury and to suggest
what II should tax TO make the shortage
good Governor Hastings responded by
advising the legislature that the proper
course to pursue was to reduce ex
penses. lie urged that under present
conditions economy in the expenditure
of public moneys should control the leg
islature in its appropriations and said:
There are two ways for states as well
as individuals to successfully meet such
exigencies as the present conditions i'm
pose. The first is to increase the income
to meet existing outlay. This Is prac-
tically impossible for state or individ-
uals at this time. The other is to re-
duce expenditures, so as to live within
the income. This is good housekeeping"
The judicious counsel of the governor
Of Pennsylvania Is applicable every
where.
There is general demand for economy
in public penditures-national, state
and municipal Notwithstanding the
severe business depression of the last
four years, during which most people
have been compelled to practice the
most rigid economy and many have
found II difficult and others impossible
to pay the taxes necessary to the sup
port Of government public expenditures
have been maintained or. increased and
for the whole country are undoubtedly
very much greater now than in the time
OF highest prosperity. Hence 1t Is that
nearly everywhere, as in Pennsylvania,
those charged with the duty of provid-
ing revenue are finding the problem of
how to get more money to meet the de-
mands upon the public treasury exceed
ingly perplcxing. The question of find
ing new sources of revenue, of adding
to the already large list of things taxed,
must in time become general unless
there is change of policy in regard to
expenditures.
OF course this Is growing country
and our progress creates demands which
There are directions in which the out
lay of the national government will con-
tinue to grow from year to year and
this Is also true of states and munich
palities. Development and advancement
cost something. The postal service
could not be efficiently conducted now
upon the outlay of ten years ago, though
probably it is costing more than it ought
to. owing to the admission of n great
deal of matter to the mails which should
pay higher rates. The naval expenditure
has largely increased in the last ten or
twelve years, but there are few who
question the eXpediency of this or of
the expenditure for coast defenses. With
the states the increasing demands upon
their various institutions and other con-
ditions of growth and development re-
quire an increased expenditure from year
to year. So every growing municipality
finds the legitimate cost of government
steadily increasing.
But mquestionably there is a great
deal of public expenditure that is not
strictly legitimate or necessary and
which could be dispensed with without
impairment of the public service and
without disadvantage to the public in
terests. A penurious policy is not to be
desired. An economy which would put
II check upon progress and development
would be even more Objectionable than
extravaganza, Both are to be avoided.
The prerequisite to reform in the matter
Of public expenditures is to elect as
legislators honest and practical men
who will place the public interests and
welfare above personal or partisan con-
Siderations