El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-17
JAMES ]. HILL SAYS WE ARE A
NATION Of EXTRAvAGANT PEOPLE
CONTINUED from Page One.)

ing of a patrimony not our own to OBJ
tain material for present extravaganees,
the diversion of wealth from productive
to unproductive uses-a1 these have
gone further than most people reallze-
Tradition Against Debt.
'~The people of the United States in
herited from its founders a wholesome
tradition against debt, which is only
now disappearing from the conduct OF
national affairs"
Mr.. Hill said the national debt now
tends to rise, concealed under the po-
lite fiction of certificates of indebted
ness to cover treasury deficits If. he
continued 1.-The advocates Of large bond
issues for all manner of Internal I'M
provements should carry their point, II
that resource is not definitely restricted
to the emergency of war. we will be in
the condition of Europe. where the motto
of every chancenory Row, seems to be,
After us the deluge-'
Increase of Debts.
I'm orr cities, modern extravaganza
finds its most untramelled civil di-
visions, increased $13.921.443. or 1.2S
percent between 1880 and 1890 Between
1890 and 1902 it increased S727,77S,393,
or 81 percent. Nearly three-Quarters OF
a billion in II years, an average OF
$50. 000, 600 year in the amount Dor
rowed by the people. ought to make any
country stop and think. Most Of the
actual material development is privately
financed and carries its own bonded IN
deb4edness which the public finances
cannot take into account The figures
down to 1910 outside of an addition 10
the national debt, would probably show
an increase of a billion and quarter
to billion and a half dollars for the
last 90 years, and grand total of over
two and a quarter billion dollars; ABOUT
double what it was in 1890
National Extravaganza.
debt figures, however. do not begin
to tell the story Of our national ex-
trayagance Only a small part of our
expenditure is represented by debt ia
bles. The rest is raised by Increased
taxation. I know of nothing bearing
more directly or forcibly upon the sub
iect of national waste and the conserva-
ton of public expense ledgers-
Although the great business expan-
sion of this country began right after
the civil war. the expenses for 1890 were
but 81 600 600 greater than those of 20
years before Since 1899. these expendi-
lures have grown by S180,000,0OO each
nine years on the average, or $40, 100000
a year until now they are 1914 percent
more than they were Is years ago. Elk
pressed in terms Of per capita outgo,
these charges, which are only part Of
the cost of maintaining the federal gov
eminent, rose from s4-75 in 1890 20 $3.50
in 1900 and to s7.56 In 1908.
A Billion Dollar Country.
1T is always asserted, when the truth
is told and a demand for economy is
made. that the development of the coun-
try and its increase of wealth have been
so great as both TO require and justify
enlarged outlay. The answer to the
charge of a billion dollar session OF
congress is that this has become a bill
lion 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 expenditure has so far outrun
the growth of the country that the &C
tuaI figures are almost Incredible The
following little table exhibiting the
whole situation might be printed at the
TOP of every letterhead used by any
man in public office anywhere in the
United States:
Wealth. 1870 to 1890, I16 percent, 1890
to 1904. 65 percent.
Foreign trade. 1870 to 1890, SO per-
sent. 1890 to 1908, 1874 percent
Value manufactured products, 1870 TO
1890. l21 percent, 1890 TO 1905, So per-
cent.
Net ordinary expenses United States
government, 1870 to 1890 IA percent,
1890 TO 1908, 1914 percent
Expenditures 80 states. 1870 to 1880
1899 TO 1909. 201.6 percent
Plet1y Of Public Ills.
1.-The phenomenal increase of public
expenditure has alreacy produced a
plentiful crop of public, ills. 1t is one
of the causes of the increase in prices
now disturbing the people. This increas sc
follows in a suggestive way the infla-
ton Of national and local budgets The
average cost of the supplies that must
he bought for practically every house
hold has increased about so percent be-
tween 1896 and 1900 During the past
wear there has been a marked lifting of