The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-05-27
The Defict---How and Why
Uncle Sam Is Running Behind


the government corporation vote
to cut the naval appropriation?
How about the army? The army
cost $24,000,000 year before the
Spanish war occurred; during the
last eight years it has averaged
$50, 100000 year. Do you want
la smaller army and less spent on
1.-THE state militiaf 1906
The other half a billion dollars
goes for what we call civil expendi-
lures. That means postoffice de-
lpartment, which is not quite self
supporting, the salaries of some
Il 1000 government employees in
Washington, d. c., and elsewhere;
public works. like postoffices1 and
federal buildings, and river and
harbor improvements, the salaries
of federal judges, the construc-
|tion of palatial office buildings for
members of the senate and house
Iof representatives, and salaries of
senators and congressman. Posi-
bly, one ought to mention what is
known as the miscellaneous ac-
count of the United States senate.
Under this head are carried sal
aries for ex-members of the senate
like Jas. A. Hemenway of Indiana,
Henry M. Teller of Colorado, Hen
ry Hansbrough of North Dakota
and other lame ducks" of the "In
Good club" of the United States
senate. This account also pays for
junkets, pomades, soap, electric
massage, barbering, Apollinaris
water and other small luxuries en-
joyed by members Of the United
States senate. Summed up, the
account runs into several hun
dred thousand dollars, and the
whole civil expense account comes
to half billion dollars, as before
stated.
Where does the money come
from? What are the sources of
revenue of our United States gov
eminent corporation? Answer,
duties on imports and receipts
from internal revenue taxes. Ev-
erybody knows about import du-
ties. That's what the tariff Is all
about, and goodness knows we've
heard enough about the tariff.
Well, what does this tariff pro-
duce in money? A recent day by
day examination for a month of
the customs receipts shows that
the treasury took In an average of
about $1,00O,000 a day.
But there is another source of
revenue. namely, the direct tax on
spirituous liquors, tobaccos and
snuff. The amount produced byl
this tax Is little less than half
In from the customs Of
fices. Adding miscellaneous
Of revenue to customs and
internal revenue receipts, we find
that our corporation takes inl
(postal receipts not included) inl
an average day about 31,504.-l
433.S5.
Between June 80, 1908, and
16, 1909, the revenues OIL
the United States government cor
poration amounted to $415,610,-I
202.93. Expenditures (excfusiye
of postal expenditures) for the
same period of time amounted toI
03,686,982.13. The excess of
expenditures over receipts was
$88,176,779.20. That ie the .def-l
icit" for that period. And there
was a leftover deficit from the
previous fiscal year of $780,
417.19.
What, Mr.. Stakeholder, do you
propose to do about ~ You cam
issue bonds-that is, you can Dor
row money-if you feel like II.
There Is law also left over from
the Spanish-American war period
which authorizes your secretary OF
the treasury to issue what are
known az certificates Of Indebted
ness, up to 500, 200. These
would be In small amounts and
carry per cent interest. But
that also IL merely borrowing to
meet current expenses. And to cap
It all, the probability h that the
Payne-Aldrich law will reduce the
receipts.
So there you are. Mr.. Stockhold-
Ter. How do you like It?
NOTICE. All bIackcmffhins ana