The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-07-26

sewn per cent to pay all the other
vast and useful purposes of the gov
eminent. excluding postal service and
the preposterous sinking fund--re-
CURED by law, but never provided in
fact. This thirty-seyen per cent only
Is available for building the Panama
canal, improving our rivers and har-
bors, supporting the Inians, encourage
ing agriculture, public health and
education. to say nothing of taking
care of the entire machinery of civil
government-C n gress. executive,
courts. and the diplomatic and con-
sular service.
In the estimates for the new year
the expenditure OF the government
for all purposes with the exceptions
above stately reaches the vast sum
of $40. 100000. OF this, s466. 100000
go for war purposes and forty-five per
cent of this goes for pensions. retire.
ments, and interest on war debts.
But can, perhaps, best tell about
what found in the budget by show
ing how each dollar 1 pay in taxes
to the government Is divided up--and
the editor has agreed to publish some
little diagrams to illustrate the facts
even more graphically.
l find, as / said. that out OF my
dOIfAE, ElAiy-LUTtt CENTS ROtS Igt Wal
although l don't want any war.
The next largest proportion Is asked
20 improve harbors and rivers. and
costs over five cents out Of my dollar.
Some Of this Is pork" and repre-
sents unnecessary expenditures Sc
cured by congressman to make them
selves strong with their constituents
and that, of course, I don't want
and am prepared to object to: but
most of It, say four cents worth, is
probably necessary and useful,
The next largest item Is for the
encouragement Of agriculture. fish,
cries, and forestry-the great agricul-
tural department at Washington. the
agricultural colleges. and the control
of NATIONAL forests. This costs me
four cents a year out of my dollar,
and Is money well expended. Only
last year the govern ment showed me
how TO grow my potatoes more scien-
tihcalfy, and gave me hints on chick
en-raising which were worth a good
deal more than fGu. cents on the
dollar Of the taxes ! paid. I'm cure
of that
The next largest expense WIS three
cents for building the Panama canal
which I pay with complete satisfac-
ton I feel I'm getting my moneys
cents in a way that I'm proud OF.
II makes me proud every time I think
Of my connection with this Job; and
the more | think of II the prouder /
grow. I'd give Goethals a cent more,
at least II he said he needed 1t, for
he's down there honestly looking at
ter my interests.
suppose I've got TO keep on pay
ing a cent and a half a year TO feed
and ciothe the Indians. and see that
they are not Immediately extinguish-
ed by too close contact with Chris
tian civilization. Never mind. charge
1t up to rental on land. and hope that
some day 10. the Indian, may buy
farm and settle down as a citizen
of the republic. I believe that self
support will be far better for him
and shall save my cent and a half
year.
Now. there isn't a better two-stage
show in America than congress: and
it's not only amusing bur. as Artemus
Ward would say. "a highly Enorii
show" I consider one cent year a
moderate price for the amusement and
edificatton which it provides, especial
W when think OF the Interesting and
exciting newspaper II publishes, called
the Congressional Record"
rye tried to calculate. and can't.
the fraction Of a cent, the small num-
Der OF mills, ] have to pay yearly
to keep Mr. Wilson in the White
House. II makes me feel almost as
/ though I were getting something for
nothing. Al least It's real bargain
I'm glad to have had look at
this new budget; bat when I think
Of the disproport'on IN my payments
between the things I don't want
such az sixty-three cents a year for
war-and the things / do want--slch
az four cents for agricultural improve
ment, three CENTS for tho Panama
canal, half a cent for assisting the Ia
boring classes. half n cent for the en-
tire diplomatic and consular service.
and so Ont rather makes me
squirm' II rnskes me wish that Tn
Gle Samuel did not possess such a
cho1erio temperament: and would
take the advice OF the ancient sages
and beat his mighty sword into more
railroad iron for Alaska and build
more schools and encourage better
health protection and number or
other things which will really help
the progress of civilization