The Washington herald., 1915-09-01
The Nations Reyeaue Problem.

A conscience-stricken sltruist believing that the
$500 which he received as the result of his year.
labor was too much, deliberately set about cutting
off $Ioo for the next year, but found that by mis-
calculation he had Topped off another $Ioo, leaving
only $500 for his annual income AT the same time
he contracted obligations to pay $500 for his board
and clothes. He had contempt for the almighty
dollar on the income side of the ledger, but was
reckless in the promises to pay, at the close of
the year he owed $500 more than he had earned.
and was condemned by his neighbors as knave
las well as fool
The United States government under the
present administration is in position like that of
the conscience-stricken altruist, with the figures
multiplied by million. The government in the
last fiscal year had 5000 $4,000 ordinary receipts
and the receipts for the first two months of this
fiscal year $I5oQoooo less than for the FIRST two
months of the last fiscal year. If that average de-
cline continues it will make reduction of 500
900 in the receipts for the year, or leave total
of little more than $6ooooo,ooo instead of $780,
100000 But the receipts for the last fiscal year in
cluded 100000 from the emergency revenue law
and $5o,ooo.ooo from the sugar tax, both of which
are to end before the close of this fiscal year. That
will cut off another $Ioooooooo, leaving total of
government revenues nearer $500, 100000 than the
Y(SoSSSSboSo
The altruists in Congress. who planned this
great economy in revenues, made appropriations
for this fiscal year amounting to $I.rI4o3z,oIao2
and authorized contracts obligatng the government
for $37,4ooooo more, making a grand total of
$I,I52.337.oIao2 Of this total 4667 was for
the postal service to be met by postal receipts but
even should there be postal deficit as last year.
Congress has authorized expenditures of $4,000
900 to be paid out of treasury which will have
little more than $500, ounder existing laws and
conditions. The expenditures last year were $685.
100000 more than the revenues and the deficit for
the frst two months this year is more than $3I ooo
900, an average of SI5,5oo,ooo for each month or
$I86ooo.ooo for the year, without the loss OF the
emergency revenue and that from the sugar tax.
But our optimistic Secretary of the Treasury
says there will be no necessity for the issue of
bonds, but money to spare to take care of the ex-
penditures to be authorized by the ship-purchase
bill which will be again urged in Congress at the
next session To put the country in state of pre-
paredness to defend ITSELF will cost from $4,000
600 to $500, 900 900. and even accepting the mini
estimate it will call for half the national reve
nues Then comes along another group of altruists
with contempt for the almighty dollar who says
that the government cannot in conscience and
morals longer accept the $3.50, 100000 it receives
from the liquor taxes. They would take away all
that is left in the Treasury and leave it as empty
as Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard, and not even
a bone to meet the $83o.oooooo expenditures
authorized by Congress. Many of these altrusts, !
who have been conscience stricken in various ways,
can see no resemblance between Uncle Sam in this
anomalous condition and the altrust who for CON-
science sake, reduced his revenues, but continued
to buy meat and groceries and clothes that he could
NOT for had to al h,,f
promises to pay.
There are $24o,ooo,ooo of Panama bonds which |
have not been issued but if all were sold the money
would not fill the gap between prospective revenues
and authorized expenditures, nor would it provide
or adequate national defense. Isn't it about time |
@ look at the operations of the government as we
ook at the operations of the individual, and not
:lothe Uncle Sam in garment of altruism alone ?
He ought to be able to pay well as to authorize
expenditures.