The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-08-19
A LARGE SUM
OF MONEY
is REQUIRED ANNUALLY TO
RUN THE u. S. GOVERN
MENT.
Doubtless Because the Revenues Are
Not Collected Directly-Millions
Spent in Buying Goods.

In surprisingly interesting article
on governmental expenditures, Geo.
f. Burba con- >nds tlat some OF the
governments of the old world are so
expensive that the people supporting
them have become bankrupt. Imagine
the millions that are necessary to
support such government 5
that OF Russia And look at the roy
al family OF England, every member
on (which is provided for by the gov
,rnment, and at the vast navy which
is maintained at public expense And
there is the army OF Germany, with
the German navy fast approaching
that OF England Think OF the enor-
nous amount OF wealth that is re-
quired to maintain such a govern
ment. Would we in this country toll
crate such foolishness? Would we
tax ourselves to the extent the people
OF the old world are taxed to sup
port in such splendor the thrones OF
the old-world monarchies? Would
we be saddled with so much glitter
and tinsel at public expense?
Before answering the question per-
haps it would be we'll to know some
thing OF our government and the
manner in which it is conducted, and
the amount OF money that is spent
by the government When you have
mastered the details you will find
that the United States government:
is more expensive than any other in
the world More expensive than Rus
STA, with an OF the crown princes TO
be provided Tor, you ask? More ex-
pensive than England, more costly
bhan Germany--France's expenses a
mere pittaRce compared with ours?
1t costs more to operate the gov
eminent of the United States than il
does TO operae any other government
on earth. No other nation in his
tory has ever approached us in the
matter OF spending the public funds.
The appropriations OF congress at
the last session we're greater by hun
dreds of millions than the appropri-
alton OF any other government in the
world,
We have no large army Xix other
countries are maintaining Our navy
is not SO large as England's. Our
colonies cannot compare with the
colonies OF some other nations. We
have no royal personages to take care
of, no fixed court expenses to meet,
no crown princes to provide for. The
only great government construction
under way is the Panama canal, while
several countries are pushing con-
Struction works to a much greater
extent. And notwiths finding all OF
these things in our favor, We find thai
II takes more money to run this
simple republic than it does to meet
the expenses of the most extravagant
monarchy in the world
: No one believes for moment that
we are getting a dollars worth OF
government for every dollar we
spend But so little interest do the
people take in the matter of public
expenditures that here in this coun-
try where theoretically the people
make their own laws, the expenses
are double those OF other countries.
The trouble is largely with our
manner OF raising revenu 1t is rails
ed so indirectly that very few people
-ealize they pay anything to the sup
port OF the government. The money
is secured in such subtle ways that
it doesn't seem to belong to any
body and everybody seems willing
ror the gov nment to spend any
amount of money the lawmaker.
write down.
Iii the money for maintaf ming the
government were raised by direct
taxation-if every dollar that every
citizen pays Tor the maintenance OF
the government were taken out OF his
pocket by an officer who would make
the statement at the time, Il want
this money to run the government;
| if such were the procedure, then
everybody would want to know what
was to be done with the money. The
people, realizing that the more that
3 spent. the more taxes they would
have to pay. would demand a daily
balance sheet and carefully consider
every item.
The same thing would apply to the
expenditures OF the municipalities, if
all OF the money required to run
them were raised u more direct tax
alton. The expenditure It millions
worrld not be left to inexpera need
people The elections would be a
different affair if it were not for the
fact that a good deal of the revenue
is raised by indirect axation.
Asks 100000 For Sons Death.
NT,.o.- ID l..