The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-03-03
RECKLESS ExTRAVAGANCE.
What Do the Republicans Propose to
DO About 1t?

Vhch PIuucut Han OK business
finds that his income Is decreasing,
his first thought Is to reduce his ex-
penditures-to cut his coat accord
Ing to his cloth, as the common say
ing is. No such policy as this seems
to commend itself to the Congress of
the United States. There has been
a season of business depression sue
ceeding a long term Of prosperity.
The income of the Federal Govern
ment has shrunk enormously. But
instead OF reducing expenditures and
appropriations, so that We can live
within our means, the Congress has
become more extravagant than ever.
The revenues of the United States
Treasury come almost exclusively
from taxation upon what people buy
upon certain articles produced or
made in this country and upon i'm
ports from abroad. In time of bus
mess depression, when the incomes of
the people are diminished, they buy
less. and consequently the Govern
ment gets less taxes. Up to this time
the receipts from customs duties
that Is. from the tax upon articles
bought abroad-are $17,O00,O0O less
than for the corresponding months OF
last year, and the internal revenue
receipts-that is. the receipts from
the tax upon certain articles bought
In this country--are $15,000,000 less
than during the same months of last
year. and there has been a decrease
in the same months of $5.0OO,000 in
miscellaneous receipts. Thus we
have a decrease of $37.0O0,O0O for
part OF year below the receipts of
the corresponding period Of last year.
For the year ended June 80, 1907, the
total receipts Of the Government, ex-
elusive OF postal receipts, were $685.
140.3S4. For the year ended June 80.
1908. the receipts were $es9,S95,763.
The expenditures in the year ended
June 80. 1908, were $65s.552,124, or
about $60,00O,00O more than the in
come. Since the close Of the last fis-
cal year conditions have become
worse instead Of better. So far this
fiscal year-that Is, since June 30,
190S-the Government has spent
100000 more than its income.
While the revenues have decreased,
the expenditures in the last seven
months have increased $4,000, 900
over those of the corresponding
month in the previous year.
With this growing deficit staring
them In the face. Congress has taken
this particular time for increasing the
cost Of government. for doubling the
Presidents salary. for giving princely
salaries to the Speaker OF the House
and "his superfluous excellency," the
Vice President. for scattering the peo-
ple's money to the four winds.
This great deficit has made It nee.
essary for the Government to use I'D
the accumulations of the years when
the expenditures were not so great.
Thirty million dollars has just been
called in from the national banks,
where 1t has been on deposit. In a
short time the surplus will have dis
appeared, and even now Congress is
looking around for more things to tax
We are threatened with war taxes in
tipe of peace, and a bond issue to
raise money for current expenses
seems not unlikely. All the time the
expenditures for the Panma Canal
are going on with profusion, and no
one can even speculate what the ul-
innate debt for that work will
amount to.
The lavish extravaganza of this
Government is the wonder and aston
ishment Of the world. In 1880 the
army cost $4,000, 900; in 1908 IL cost
$11O.00o,000. The cost Of the navy
grew In the same years from $13,-
100000 to 11S.OOO.OOO. The total or
dinary expenses Of the government in
1880 were $264.s47,OO0. In 1908 they
were $65s,552.000. The Fifty-first
Congress appropriated in two sessions
like a thousand million
dollars. 1t was called "the billion
dollar Congress-" and the extent of
the extravaganza so shocked public
sentiment that at the next election a
political revolution occurred. But
since that time the people have be-
come less sensitive. and they now
view a two billion dollar Congress
with equanimity The question for
the party In power to consider is
whether the peoDle will x,iou, r,,th