New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-15
By REPRESENTATIVE JOHN J. FITZ-
GERALD

greSs when il reassembles. The para
mount consideration should be to es-
tabliSh our finances upon perms-
nently sound basis. Makeshift legisla-
ton will not be helpful. Temporary
expedients will only add to the diff
culties and complicate the problems
that must he faced. With the organi-
zation Of the Federal Reserve system
many uncertainties Of our hnanclai
system have been removed, and the
Treasury has been relieved OF certain
occurring embarrassments. Revenues
and expenditures should now be care
fully calculated. a definite fiscal pohcy
established and ample provision made
for present and future necessities
The working capital, or the available
cash. for the transaction of the public
business is the money in tho general
fund" Of the Treasury. When that
fund Is exhausted or is so depleted that
the ordinary daily Obligations OF the
Government cannot be promptly met
the fund must be replcnished.
sl33.OOO.00O Deficit Likely.
Should the excess Of ordinary dis
bur.omcnts over ordinary receipts con-
,iruo at the rate OF only 100000 a
month for the remaining four months
of the present fiscal year, exclusive OF
The Panama Canal expenditures, the
deficit will be S1O3.229, 54l6O, and in
Guiding such expenditures, about Sl33,-
100000. These figures do not include
arv expenditures from the general
fund" of the Treasury on account OF
the postal service. ,
II was estimated that for the fiscal
wear ended June 80, 1914. the Gus
ioms rcccipts would be S270OOO.OOO
and the income tax receipts S95,OOO,-
600. the total estimated revenues un-
der the act. S365.000,000. The actual
roceiDts were: From customs, S292,-
32O.Oi451: from the income tax pro
visions S11.3Sl.275; the total, 1868 =
$50 81. q difference between the estl-
mated and actual receipts Of only ST.
29S,710.49. .,
A most casual examination Of the
Treasury Department statistics as
closes that prior TO the outbreak OF thc
Tresent almost universal Utr the n
dervood tariff act was pro7lng as Ell
fective a revenue producer as had oeeh
expected. o.-.
For the current fiscal year 1919
the total estimates submitted 20 Con
-ress AGGREGATED Sl.152 ,6S1. 1T7.02. The
Concentrations fer the current hScai
YEAR, based upon those estimates.
amouted to S1.ll6,ll8,l3o.55. The total
estimates submitted 70 congress, m
Tho REGULAR Book Of Estimates Mt the
BEGINNING Of. and supplemental est
laates during. the session, amounted 70
el1&51S7. 98431. On the face OF the
arures the estimates were 81 .49",-
.92.7l less than for the current tsca.
year.
The appropriations made at THIS SEES
ION of Congress amount to 81 0,l-I,-
;Os.6s. Contracts involving additional
concentrations we're authorized in the
nm of $31.400,000. The sum stated OF
The appropriations includes the Indian
md postoifice acts at the amounts car
ricd bv them for the current dscai
+ year-19l5.
The Indian and postoflice bills failed
. oF enactment. Had the conference re
mort on these been adopted. the total
appropriations Of the session would
have been S1I27.7ll, 1876, an increase
over the appropriations for the current
wear Of 81, j93G38.2l, reduction uH-
der the strictly technical estimates OF
2 S-.4-6. 2O7. 80 and a reduction under the
estimates properly considered OF 500
-50,657jJ. ,
If the comparison be made between
the estimates submitted in street com
pliance with the law, the approprIa-
lions actually made are S2O.O66,o 6.o5
less than the estimates; II comparison
be made with the estimates lormaIIy
and informally submitted. but "nlch
.hould have been submitted under the
law, the appropriations actually mace
arc S31.S4l. O25.63 less than the est
mates.
axpavers Watching Tax Eaters.
Public interest Is kcenly aroused 70
governmental expenditures. Inc ch'ei
tonic in many state capita.S ana III
most Of the large municipalities IS me
constantly increasing cost Of Cover II
mont with corresponding increase III
burdens OF taxation. The knowledge
that the cost Of government increases
out Of all proportion to increase o.
population Is attracting UNIVERSAL az
tention. The taxpayers are giving
much closer attention 10 me laN en-
ers. who are not the employees OF '"'
government, but arc those employees Oh
policy framing officials who eNpehu
+ with most lavish hand the none! :
attained by taxation. The question IS
moro frequently asked whether pro
Dosed expenditures are properly WIN
IN the true functions Of the govern
mont. and closer attention IS gwen ds
10 whether certain expenditures are
no, URGED or made chiefly TO fciieNe
communities OF individuals Of burdens
which belong to them.
The direct representatives o. me
,aple. clothed under the Constitution
with control of the public purse II
rroncrly organized. can and must cur
tan federal expenditures. In the read
r,stnant Of the finances OF the fedora
agreement heed should be given to
Cynenditures. The country Should be
a,,akeped 20 the fact that burdens are
not eyaded by shifting them from state
ar municipal treasures 20 the federal
treasury. and that the government
shouId not assume every service, how
,,.er desirable. At the hehcst OF enthu-
.;a.tic persons. merely because It IS
J;qcult TO obtain from private sources
tho means to accomplish good.
The activities Of the government
sbould he restrained 70 fields which are
distinctively governmental. II such
~oIicv i not TO be advocated and
,donted II is idle to attempt 10 pre-
Vent a corsinuing disproportionate In
crease IN the cost OF governments