New-York tribune., 1906-07-03
COST OF GOVERNMENT.
Less Per Capita IN This Country than
IN Any European Country.

Washington. July 2-Representative Tawney.
chairTnan of the House Committee Appropria-
tfons has prepared detailed statement concern
ing the appropriations for the fiscal year beginning
July /, 1905, made by Congress IN course Of the
session just closed in which he claims that the
per capita cost OF government in the United States.
Including federal and state. is less than that in
any European country.
Mr.. Tawney enters upon an analysis TO show the
various channels into which the appropriation
OF SSSo1Ss,SO1 win be diverted. He begins by de-
Quoting $780, 4564l5 provided for the sinking fund
the Panama Canal, etc. showing that the real ap-
preparation for the conduct of the government for
the fiscal year is s74O726.sS6 To meet this demand
he estimates that the total revenues (customs in
ternsl and postal will be 7Sl.5TsS64.
The appropriations as made in the various supply
bills follows:
Agricultural. 49, saO army 165; diplomatic
and consular SSOSl 094; District of Columbia, &c.,
1852; fortihcations. s5O5SssS: Indian ss.2604oO
legislative etc. $29 ,Ol9; Military Academy Sl.
6647OS; navy. $1O2O1 ESQ., pension S1lO2455oO; post
office. sl6S5,s9S; sundry civil 1921 54; total s62
Ss7.7S4.
Isthmian canal deficiency 81 100000; urgent de-
hciency 1906 and prior years. s1697O3s2; urgent de-
hciency additional, 1906 and prior years S274,S25
deficiency, 1906 and prior years. sl1.57SS89.
Total regular annual appropriations. s740,1os.sSl
permanent annual appropriations s14OO76.s2O
Grand total regular and permanent annual appro-
priations, $3.50, ,1S3,90l.
The aggregate appropriation is ssOOooooO in excess
OF that for last year.
OF the various increases, that of s3O5O250 is made
on account of meat inspection; 42O.533 account
Of the army; sSs0s6 to carry the new consular law
into effect: 81 S497O account of the navy 1885, 400
on account OF PENSIONS sl0S7S So5 account OF the
Postofhce Department. OF which sSOSO.ooo was for
rural free delivery. OF the appropriations made
about $S1 0ooO 600 was unestimated for Included In
this list were the following Ten million two hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars carried in the State
hood act, sl.O00c0 for arming and equipping the
militia. s2.500O0a account OF the earthquake and
fire at San Francisco. s500oo0 account of the
quarantine law, s0,SN. 600 account OF public
buildings
Mr. Tawney comments as follows on the volume
of the appropriations:
While the expenditures OF our government are
ad 9Sra @ oTasS ana we T te m fa
large. yet when we take into consideration the
Which the people demand % that The federal govern ~
ment shall perform services that should be pail, by
who do not stop to consider the care with which
vice are scrutnized by the several committees hav
ing jurisdiction OF appropriation bills can mo any any
session of Congress
In a statement made for the Democratic minority
Representative Livingston makes comparison OF
the expenditures provided for by this Congress.
$3.50 SM with the expenditures Of 1885, the first
year of President McKnleys administration, when
the figures were S52S 7S5.O79 q difference of $751;
4a8.222 Commenting this showing he says:
This growth in appropriations sustains the con-
tention that the Republican party stands for
travagance in public expenditures in order TO use
that extravaganza as a cloak for their more OBJ
jectionable purpose OF maintaining high protective
tariff to favor the trust combinations Of manu-
facturers Of the country
reduction of expenditures, they well know.
would compel commensurate reduction in taxa
ton. and to that extent lowering of the Chinese
wall OF protection that surrounds the great
body OF consumers, who constitute the larger
portion Of population. and compel tribute from
them to the favored classes.
Much Of this. extravagance grows out Of the
practice prevailing with the present admnistra-
tion of appointing commissions TO do what Con-
gress ought TO do and what Congressman are
elected for and paid for, thus delegating the
powers cOnstitutionay belonging TO Congress 20
others who have no particular relations with or
responsibilities the public and do not render
accounting TO the taxpayers Of this country.
To afford an idea of the magnitude Of this years
appropriations Mr.. Livingston said:
Our corn crop Of 1899. valued at sS2s1s2Sss could
have been paid for with the total appropriations