The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-08
THE ExTRAvAGANCE
OF GOVERNMENT

OF GOVERNMENT
/ MIR. Edward Atkinson, the statstician
OF Boston. whom we recently quoted II,
this column. sends lis tho following adds
ttonal article. showing the extravaganza
/ of the Republican administrations:
Editor OF The Times-Dispatcll:~-
| Sir,-In my last communication OH tho
cost OF war and warfare dlsproved the err
toneous statements made by Secretaries
Shaw, Taft and Hay. proved that the
expenditures of eight years OF war and
warfare. ending June 80. 1905, as COM
Ipared to the normal standard established
| either in twelve years or twenty years
ai,teceder1t to the Spanish war, would
exceed fifteen hundred million dollars
| Isl 500 000, COO. This has been met by a
statement of Secretary TAFT that the Gus
tonary estimate of the cost OF the Span
isl war. three hundred million dollars
! ts309, 600, o0O, was too low. IN his belief
It was double that. We Will, therefore.
deduct six hundred million dollars ($G0O,-
| 000.000) from the excess Of expenditure.
Secretary Taft also gives assurance that
the expenditures In the Philippine Islands
| by the United States have been but two
hundred million dollars ($ooo. 900, 600 per-
hans true statement; but taking no
cogniznnce of the Incidental expenses IN
the conduct Of warfare on the Philippine
Islands incurred by the United states.
we will deduct two hundred million (S30o,-
coooc0) from the excess.
After these deductions there remains
seven hundred million dollars 100000 ocW
to DO accounted for. Efforts have been
made, notably by Secretary Shaw, TO ac-
count for this deficiency by citing eS-
pendittires upon rivers and harbors, upon
| VNsS1 }kN H.St1 III Il,
| olltEoes from the Treasury Department.
These customary expenditures were, rela-
lively to population, as large In tho twelve
years preceding the Spanish war as they
have been since and were all covered
ut the normal rate Of five dollars (so) per
head, and would be now covered at the
normal rate Of four and a half ($4.oO
was made tor river and harbor improve
nent by the last Congress.
Tho expenditures OF tho present year
have exceeded the estimate upon which
my computation was based. In four
months they have been more than two
hundred million dollars ts200, 900, 000), and
at that rate the expenditure for the pres
ent fiscal year will be moro than six
hundred million dollars (sG0o, 900 0c), which.
will be in excess of seven dollars and a
quarter (s725) per head, or In excess OF
two hundred million dollars (s20o, OK, tO0)F
of the seven hundred million (s7oo, 100000
waste upon war and warfare which has
yet to be accounted for. At this rate
the expenditures of tho present fiscal
year In gold will be either equal to or
larger than the average exl cnditures DUR
Ing eight years of Civil War md recon-
struction. These are facts derived from
official figures, which have been proved
and which cannot be met by any denial
or attempt to confuse the minds Of the
public by erroneous statements. The cues
ton Mt issue with tho voters to-morrow
Is squarely presented. !,
The present Congress Is said to have
refused to au thorize any investigation In
other departments of,thc government cor
responding to that which has been par
tally made in the postal frauds. charge
no fraud I believe the expenditures are
accounted for, but tile subjects OF ex-
ponditure require, Investigation and this
waste should be stopped. Whether or not
such an Investigation shall be made and
whether or not q true and complete ac-
count Of what has became OF fifteen hun
dred million dollars (s1,500 oO0;o00) of the
money expended during tho
last eight years. rests with each voter
to decide III casting his ballot on the Sth
of November II is5
expended In eight years, June, 80. 1905, In
excess OF Secretary Taft'st extrava giant
estimate of the cost Of the Spanish war
for the liberation of Cuba, namely. nine
hundred million dollars $500, 900, 0o0). not
been wasted on over-se1 expansion, bat
tlcships and armaments wholly uncallcd
for for national defense. that amount,
If applied in one sum to the payment of
the national debt, would have liauiGated
ali tho interest bearing bonds now out
standing. II It could have been applied
to constructive purposes. under safe and
honest administration, it would have SUI,
feed In eight years to develop all the
rivers and llarbors OF the United States
to the fullest measure. and iii addition,
to have worked on the problem of irriga-
ton OF the arid lands, so far rs 1t could
have been done. In addition, It would
have covered the lnnd with good roads,
and. In addition would have supplied
the poorer sections Of the country With
school houses for the common cucation
OF the children throughout the land equal
to what has been accomplished III the
best sections. All this might have been
done, but what might have been Is cited
merely rs n measure OF the waste COM
mtted during the temporary alteration
toward imperialism, mitarism and over
sen expansion.
The Imagination fails to grasp these
huge SUMS. Not less than fifteen hum
dred million dollars (s1,5o0, 600 600 have
been Spent In eight years in excess Of A
full standard; tho expenditures upon tho
civil service pensions. interest army and
navy, moro than sufficient for every pur-
poso Of national defense. The only part
OF this expenditure that can he justified
II at all Is thnt which was devoted to
the liberation Of Cuba and to tho estab-
lishmcnt Of the Cuban republic In good
faith. II that cost the maximum estimate
OF Secretary Taft, then there remain nino
hundred million dollars $500 ,00O PEN
atty for oversee expansion, battleshps.
Notifications in defense OF Islands, and
all the other waste of which we have no
exact account, and which cannot be d.
vided and separated by any one outside
tho government service. With that nine
hundred million dollars (S900, 100000 eX-
pended In eight years. the whole outstand-
ing bonded debt Of the limited States
might have been paid. or. with that
nine hundred million dollars all the work
that could have been done In eight years,
probably to the completion OF every part,
would have developed every harbor and