Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-12-04
GOVERNMENTAL EXTRA VA


There is an old saying that "willful waste
makes woeful want" 1t Is true of govern
ments as well as OF individuals. Ifs coun.
ty, State or national administration spends
money In excess of its income and thereby
comes to want, the burden must fall upon
the community which supports such admin
istration; taxes must be increased to meet
increased expenditures, and excessive taxa :
ton brings hardship upon every community
upon which it is imposed, not only upon
those who directly pay it, but also upon the
poorer classes of people whose names are
not upon the assessment rolls Tribute
drawn from the general public to meet ex-
travagant governmental expenses brings spe.
cial hardship upon those who depend upon
their daily labor for a living. The higher
he taxes upon the property of the landlord,
he higher must be the rate OF rental paid
)y the struggling tenant, the larger profits
must the merchant exact upon bis goods
ind the lower the wages will fall, in order
enable the employing classes to contrib
tie heavier tax to the public treasury.
The people of the United State have
much pride and pleasure in believing thai
We have the greatest country on the face Of
he earth, and it is constantly growing and
Increasing in wealth and greatness; conse
iuently the expense Of cunning Its govern
nent must necessarily increase In proper
ion to its growth. But there is abundant
.ause for apprehension that our government
al expenditures are growing much faster
han the Nation, and that we have, In this
aspect, already become unsafely extrava
CAN'T A few years ago, when Congress ap.
,ropriated billion dollars during single
ERIN of two years, the country was astound
d at the figures, but the amount set apart
or government uses by the present Con
sress has reached that sum already, ant
here is yet another session to hear from
Ne may hear at the close of this term of "a
wo billion dollar Congress-"
Where is it all going to end? That is the
question that invites the serious attention
II the American people. The present Ad-
ninistration has gone ahead as If money
rev on trees, and the country has looked
IN complacently, as If the growing AND
reckless extravagance were matter OF little
concern. New offices have been created
with liberal salaries, by the tens of thous.
ands; hand over fist, Congress has voted
higher salaries In various directions, even
making an increase Of 80 per cent. In th,
pay OF its own members, and strong move
ment is on foot in governmental circles t
increase salaries all along the line, in every
department of Uncle Sans service.
William II. Taft, at the head OF the Re
publican party, has been elected to the
Presidency, TO take his seat 10 March, and a
Congress Of his political persuasion will
succeed the present one. Mr.. Taft lay
claim to being a reformer, and Il is predicted
that the incoming Congress will be in &C
cord with his policies. There are many
important questions Of public concern to b.
dealt with 10 the immediate future, such al
the promised revision of the tariff, the ques
ton of finance, etc. but this matter Of gov
ernmental extravaganza, of enormous de
fcits in various departments OF the publi
service, and Of the wanton waste of publ
money is reform of no less importan 8
the " re OF the country than any aos
needing .ttentlon. Win anything be do Is +
curb the growing tendency to saddle upoI
the American people financial burdensGreai
er than they are able to bear, and thus brin
upon them the "woelul want" which follow
"willful waste?