The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-08-25
THE APPALLING
EXTRAVAGANZA
OF GOVERNMENT A FAC
TOR OF HIGH COST OF
LIVING.
Every Dollar Thus Recklessly
Squandered Must be Paid
by Workers and Consumers

lie report Oh the democratic
minority OF the congressional
committee on wages and prices
OF commodities is almost as I'M
satisfactory as the report OF the
majority. which was given to the
public couple OF months ago.
The majority exonerated the tar
If altogether, while the minority
places IT first on the list OF
factors in the high price problem.
According to the minority report
the three principal factors are
The tariff: trusts, combines and
mOnopolies: increased money sup
ply. 1t gives number OF min
or factors, but the report as a
whole leaves something to be de-
sired.
Both the majority report and
the minority report omit all ref
erence to principal factor-the
phenomenal extravaganza and
extraordinary expenditures OF
all governments, federal, state
and municipal. Any report on
the boosting of prices which,
Omits THAT factor is incomplete.
Indeed there are many people
who place the phenomenal in
crease OF government eXpendi-
lures at the top OF the list.
In about ten years the expen-
ditures of the various govern
ments have almost, if not quite
doubled. They have kept far
in advance of the increase of pep
ulation and thus the increase
OF the per capita taxation, direct
has been extremely burdensome.
In the circumstances it is use
less to ascribe the increase in
the cost OF living to everything
except the extravagances OF gov
ernments. The people provide
every dollar that is spent by the
governments. They pay it di-
rectly in taxes and indirectly for
rents, public utilities and for the
necessaries of life. Senator
Aldrich is on record as saying
that he could run the federal gov.
eminent for $500, 100000 less
than it now costs. Another man
might do better, in view of the
fact that seventy per cent OF the
money collected by that govern
ment is for past wars and in pre-
paration for future wars. State
and municipal governments have
gone in for all sorts of extrava-
gances that would not have been
permitted decadei ago. All
of them could havefreduced taxa
ton when their incomes were too
large for the purposes of govern
ment administered with compare
tive economy, burt they preferred
to increase expenditures. In
consequence they plunged into
extravaganza that swallowed a
little more than the annual in
come and they were obliged to
increase already burdensome tan
rates in order to make income
equal the outgo.
That is the story OF one phase
of the increase of prices. Tax
alton has reached the limit OF
the moneyof the peo-
pie Is wrung from them because
governments are spending 1t
like drunken sailors and there is
in sight no promise or hope OF
any return to sancity. ALI the
taxes are passed on to the con-
Stunning public. That is one
great reason why everything the
public consumes has increased in
price. And no government is
celebrating upon how to de-
crease expenditures, but on the
how to get more
money for further excuses.
Therefore we say again that any
on the causes OF prices
increase which omits mention OF
expenditure Is UNI
Star
Indenendent