The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1910-01-21
UNCLE SAM HAS
MANY EXPENSES
Appropriation Bill Contains Many
Odd Items Amounting to
Thousands.

The United States government paws
out annually thousands of dollars for
purposes which not one in thousand
citizens know anything about.
Although slave trading is generally
supposed to be thing of the past, the
United States contributes annually 800
as its share of the expense of keeping
up at Brussels an institution known as
the international bureau for the repres-
sion of the African slave trade.
Uncle Sam is deeply interested in as
certaining the size of the earth over
which he recently stretched out his
mighty hand, so he pays annually,
| through the American embassy at Ber-
lin, his quota as an adhering member
of the international geodetic associa-
ton for the measurement of the earth,
$500.
In Brussels there is an international
bureau for the publication of customs
tariffs, and the United States pays
$l3ss annually as its proportionate
share of the expense. More expense
still is the annual membership fee of
the United States in another institution
with headquarters in Brussels. Every
year 1920 is paid by this government
the international bureau of weights and
measures.
1t costs the United States no less
than $l4,100 annually to provide
prisons for American convicts in for
eign countries. These prisons are un-
der the immediate jurisdiction of the
consular officers in various cities in
China, Korea, Japan and Turkey. They
are seldom used but they must be main
tanned nevertheless. The prisons, with
the cost of rent and salary of keepers,
are as follows: Bangkok $1,000, Shang-
hal $3.50, Yokohama $3.50, Turkey
$1,000. For keeping and feeding such
prisoners as may from time to time be
confined in these prisons $4,000 is set
aside every year.
The secretary of the treasury would
doubtless experience no difficulty in
finding plenty of men about Washing
ton who spend day without remun-
Grafton watching the destruction by
maceration of United States securities.
But to save the secretary any possible
embarrassment congress has provided
that he may pay the representative of
the public, who the law says shall be
one of a committee to witness the re-
ductiOn of the securities to pulp, So
a day for each day he may be so EN-.
ployed.
Uncle Sam has also to spend few
dollars every year to aid in keeping
his sailor men from going ashore on
foreign coasts. On the coast of Moroc-
co, at Tangier and at Cape Spartel,
mariners used to experience great diff
ficulty in avoiding disaster on account
of the absence of warning night sig
nails on the shore. Lighthouses were
sadly needed, and as the government
of Morocco would not provide them
the great powers took the matter in
hand in the interest of their shipping
interests. Lighthouses were establish
ed and the powers are assessed so much
annually for their maintenance. The
share of the United States in this ex
pense is 1926.
This government is ever grateful fol
any service rendered it's citizens in
case of marine disasters by those OF
foreign countries. Such services are
usually substantially remembered and
! there is n special provision for them
An annual appropriation of $4,000 i:
made for expenses incurred in the ac
acknowledgement of the services of mas
tiers and crews of foreign vessels in
rescuing American seamen and citizens
The people of Alaska who inhabit
the islands of st. Paul and st. George
receive special consideration at the
hands of the government. Congress
authorizes the secretary of the treas
ury to furnish them with food, fue
and clothing, and for this purpose $40,
500 is appropriated. Industrial and ele
/, government $4,000 a year.
The Washington monument comes
in for good sized appropriation ever.
year. In order that it may be KEEP
J open to the public and receive tn,
! necessary repairs congress allows thu
war department an annual appropria
ton of $l1,520.