The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-10
THE TAX EATERS.
A Revolutionary Explanation Of the
High Cost Of Being Governed.

TO THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Sir: 1t
is wonder TO me that none Of the
social scientists who have volunteered
to discover and abate the causes VI SSAr
present social unrest has recognized, as
one of the underlying causes Of the
trouble, the outrageous burden put upon
the real workers OF the nation by their
enforced annual contribution to the sup
port ia luxury Of an enormou, and ever
growing army OF oilers and non-pro-
duCers in public office
7 do not refer to the capable and
conscientious minority OF public en-
ployees who, having a legitimate cause
for their employment. really work and
actually render an honest return for
the pay they get.
have in mind the vast army Of un-
necessary and supcriluous ofiicchOlders
who are milking public treasures all
over the land because they want the
job. not because the Job needs them.
They may he numbered by the hun
drcd. of thousands and their cost ot
maintenance runs into hundreds OF
millions OF dollars. From the high
brow 81 the top " the list. who hav-
ing some time made q lucky public hiuff,
now draws = big salary because OF
his big words and big promises, right
down the line TO the plain hanger on
uncle ~ somebody who has "a pull with
the Administration" troir getting Of the
taxpayer hard earned dollars Is a
shame and "A sin.
In the city of New York. FOR example.
two hundred million dollars are taken
every year from the real taxpayers, the
rent payers, the shop keepers and the
wage Garner. to run tho city govern
men' And what do they get Tor IT.
I'm the morning they see a regiment "
commissioners deputy commits Suncrs,
.ccrctIrics and assistant secretaries.
riding down town TN expensive automo-
biics manned by high priced chaureurs,
20 supervise the daily deliberations ~
other s!ncturists In the afternoon the
taxpayer reads Of wonderful economies
ana m1rvels OF official efficiency that are
always coming but never mltcri1lizc.
And New York city IS not the cNcep-
ton Il Is only the biggest individual
example OF the wholesale waste OF pub
lie money that I going on all over the
country all the time, and growing like
a giants SNOWFALL
The fault does not actually lie IN
Republican extravaganza or Democratic
m's~ule In any town or any community.
It Is to be found iu n1tiona, indimdr-
cnce There is not business enterprise
In tho country that Gould last five
ness OF any town, any county or any
state In America
II Is the fashion uowad ~ 20 blame
1ll our troubles on "tne millionaire ''
That may be good stun for headlines
out It's mostly humhug The greed OF
the hunrricst millionaire is ou,done p
hundred thousand times day ny a
hundred thousand tax eating oliver
Twists
II doesn't take my tax levy 20 sup
port the millionaire hut Il does take an
extra tax levy 20 maintain the super
tuous job holder The shop keeper and
the wage Garner must hand over TO day
tomorrow md next year the tax money
10 feed the public lecches
The romed, rs TO ignore fake party
u~incplc.' ana To- learn to- realize that
Oh" country Is supporting too mpuy pro
fc~s.onal takers and official idlc~s. The
proper function OF government service
Is, or should ho. 20 operate a purely
business Ike public ,oryire bureau In a
Hu .iu,ss Ike way When thai and the
necessity for n come to be generally
understood then perhaps some day our
expensive asylums for political pcts and
rrpples will be cleaned ont 10y the force
Of an enlightened ana eNasporated pub
lic opinion and the tax rate VII stop
climbing PrRcIyAL UMBAGE.
NEW NoRN, February o.