The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-09-15
TREASURY FULL OF
 GOOD GOLD COIN Officials State There Is No Reason for Alarm LARGEST IN HISTORY Billion Dollar Congress Left Treasury in Good Condition-Total, Ac-
 cording to Statistics, Is
 s3,276,7S6,613

Washington. September 14.-(SpeciaL)-- In spite of all the talk about the priva- tions which must be endured by the United States as a result of the billion dollar Congress. adjourned only last month. the men who guard the doors of the country's treasure house declare that there is absolute lack of foundation for any such alarm
 They assert that the treasury is full of good gold coin and plenty of bullion. with bank notes piled high in the stacks and glt-edged bonds in every vault. AL though the democfats, pledged to the most rigid economy, passed appropriation measures which total more than a bil- lion dollars, the treasury seems to re- main full.
 Statistics show that the amount of gold coin and bullion actually reposing in the vaults of the stately building next door to the White House is not only greater than ever before. but twice as large as any amount ever amassed at one time by q nation
 This is the season of the tourists in Washington. They are here in hundreds and when they are taken into the treas ury vaults by the guides they are per- mitted to look upon more real gold than ever King Croesus did in his palmiest days One of the watchmen at the main vault of the treasury is something of a wit, and the other day he went about telling his friends that he had lost his mind and thought that he was King Midas. He declared that when he was at work he could touch nothing that was not gold. Some of his acquaintances called the mans attention to his ears and 1t was not until he discovered that they were not of the fabulous character of those of King Midas that the watchman came back to earth and decided that his imagination rather than his brain was working overtime.
 At the end of August last the total of gold coin and bullion actually in the treasury amounted to a little less than a billion and a quarter dollars in value More than billion dollars of this is in gold coin. Of this sum sl,O4S, ,OO0,OO0 is held for the redemption of outstanding certifi- cates The sum of s150,00o,000 is in the reserve fund and is held for the redemp- tion of United States notes and treas ury notes. There is S22000.000 in gold coin held in the general fund of the treasury.
 put tliS NdSt dlllOulll oi iliOnty IS OIly handful compared to the actual re- sources of the United States government The amount of gold coin and bullion in the treasury might be compared to the money a man would carry around with him in his purse while the real resources of the nation are comparable to mans estate employing the same equation.
 Statistics made public last July show that the amount of money of all kinds | tJ,A or,d of c s, PIG, ,7s6,613 That even this sum would give each man, woman and child only a pittance of $3426 This per capita appor- tionment Is figured on the basis of population in continental United States of 9, ,656,000
 Of course the figures given represent only what is actually at the command of the government at the present time. Much money is to be paid out, to be sure, but the revenues are constantly coming In in increased amounts. The excise taxes and duties on exports and imports run far up into the millions every year There are many different kinds of internal rev enue.
 The government is conducted much the same as a business house, only, of course, on more tremendous scale than any cor poration the world has yet known.
 The government sells protection for taxes. on the world-old system. It ex- acts a percentage from practically every activity known to man. but in return 1t gives regulation and security.
 Taxes are not so heavy in this day and age as they were formerly, because there are so many more things to tax that a little on each commodity makes up for much on fewer things. In the middle ages, and even so late as 300 years ago, the owner of every wheel in England and every pane of window glass had to pay direct tax. Even when his revenue formed part of the incomes of the Euro pean nations they were not nearly so wealthy as the United States is today.
 Individuals of moderate means do not feel any oppression from taxation be- cause taxes are paid by them uncon- sc!cusly Every time man smokes a cigar or cigarette, or, in fact, uses to- bacco in any form. he Is paying a tax. All liquors are taxed. Shopkeepers of all sorts must pay licenses. Men practicing their professions are licensed. There are numerous vehicle taxes. A fraction of nearly every cent man spends goes to the government.
 Many of the taxes mentioned are state taxes and some county and municipal taxes The direct tax on land always goes to the local government of the city, county or state in which the land is To- cated.
 So the immense sum of money in the treasury comes out of the pockets of the people of the country.
 turn from summer tour of Europe. MT.