Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1910-04-22


on March II, James j. Hill said in
part
"Four years ago on the Minnesota
State fair grounds, called attention
to the waste of our national resources
and to the choice between facing
about and inviting national disaster.
stated our position in these words:
''rhe highest conception of a nation
is that Of trustee for posterity. The
savage is content with wrestling from
nature the simple necessities of life.
But the modern idea of duty is the
conservation Of the old and modelling
Of the new, to the end that posterity
may have Il fairer dwelling place and
thus transmit the onward impulse.
An Age Of Financial D.lirium.
1--WE are living in an age of world
wide financial delirium. Most ma
tions have thrown away moderation
in the spending Of money.
''If credit has, as Daniel Webster
said. done more than all the mines
Of the world to develop and increase
its industry, the potential dangers Of
credit are equally great. Expansion
or contraction of cash is measured by
millions, and Of credits by billions.
'"The annual interest charge of Eu-
rope is now over 81 POO. .OOO. 900 ;::year.
| She is in the position Of a debtor who
must constantly add to the principal
OF his obligations in order to get mon
ey to keep him from defaulting on
the interest.
New Budget Threatens England.
"The new budget tllrertens to shake
the political foundations Of England
with it's revolutionary proposals for
raising more money, where borrow
ing money had become impossible
with turmoil and another drop in the
price of cOnsOls.
'"rhe total debt Of the states, lnclud-
ing all these minor civil divisions in
creased between 1890 and 1902 S727-
/ 77S ,3!,3. or IL per cent.
"Only small part of our expendi-
tnre is represented by debt tables.
The rest is raised by increased taxa
tion. In part this consists of new
impOsts, new licenses and fees; and
in part it comes from increased as.
sessments OF all property that pro-
vide more revenue without showing
All increased tax rate.
'"rhe net ordinary disbursements of
the United States government since
1890 have grown by Sl6O, ,OOO,OOO each
nine years OH the average, or s2O.-
OOO, 900 a year, until now they are
12l.4 per cent more than they were
eighteen years ago.
Extravaganza Of the States.
'The total expenditures Of state gov
ernments alone in all the states and
territories Of the nation combined
was ST., lO5.01l in 1890, and Sls5, 7G4,-
POP in 1902. The increase in these II
years was slO6. .65s. .20l, or 141 percent.
Not "Billlon Dollar" Country.
at is always asserted. when the
truth is told, and demand for econ
omy is made. that the development of
the country and it's increase Of wealth
have been so great as both to require
and Justify enlarged outlay. The an
swer to the charge OF IL billion-dollar
session OF cong ress is that this has
become a billion dollar country. The
apology is neither relevant nor true.
1t is not necessary that expense
should increase in the same ratio as
growth. But the growth of eXpendi-
ture has 50 far outrun the growth Of
the country that the actual figures
are almost incredible. The following
little table exhibiting the whole situ-
alton, might be printed at the top of
every letterhead used by any man IN
public office anywhere in the United
States:
wealth, 1870 to 1880. ll6 per cent,
1890 to 1904, IS per cent.
"Foreign trade, 1870 to 1890, 90 per
cent: 1890 to 1908, s5.4 per cent.
"Valne manufactured products, 1870
to 1890, l2l percent: 1890 to 1908, IS
per cent.
NET ordinary expenses L nited States
government, 1870 to 1890, 4 per cent !:
1870 to 1908. l2l.4 per cent.
"ENpenditnres,t thirty states. 1890 to
1909. 2Ol.8 per cent.
"Mr. Hill attributed higher expense
of living over the world to increased
taxation, currency imitation. the tar
iff. combinations in restraint of trade,
the decline in agricultural products.
lie said:
''The phenomenal increase of pub
lie expenditure has already produced
a plentiful crop of public ills. 1t is
one OF the causes Of the increase in