The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-08-17

Washington, Aug. 16.-Municipa
government is costing the American
people considerable more than doe:
state government. This is one of the
facts brought out by preliminary re.
port issued today by the Bureau of the
Census on states finances during the
fiscal year, 1915.
In 20 of the 48 states the excess OF
expenditures for governmental costs
including interest and OUTLAWS for per-
manent improvements, over revenues
during the year was $50, 283, 404, OF
sc cents per capita. In the remaining
| - states the excess of revenues over
expenditures was s1S,6OS,917 or 81
cents per capita.
The aggregate revenues of all the
states during the year were S458, 232,-
597; the aggregate expenditures for
current governmental costs, including
interest, $399,714,2 S5, and the aggre-
gate OUTLAWS for permanent improve
ments, $95,192,799.
For all the states taken as a group
the percapita receipts from property
taxes were $2.73; from other taxes, 9S
cents; from earnings of general de-
partments, 81 cents, and from all other
sources combined, 43 cents.
The highest per capita property tax
es, $7.2S, are shown for Arizona, and
the lowest, 81 cents, for Missouri.
The expenditures during the year
for governmental costs, which aggre-
gated $494 ,9O7 ,O84, were, in the order
of their Importance: For expenses Of
general departments, $379,030,094; for
OUTLAWS, $95, 1872, 799; for interest, $751;
545 ,955; for expenses of public service
enterprises railroads toll bridges, fer
ries, canals, docks and warves, etc,
maintained by nine states only, ST.
1926. Expenses of general depart
ments comprised payments for educa-
ton schools and libraries), $147, 1884,
247; for charities, hospitals and cor
rections, $50, 500; for general gov
eminent" Legislative, executive and
judicial branches) $44, 508,417; for
protection to person and property (po-
lice and fire departments; militia and
armories; regulation of corporations,
professional, occupations, labor, liquor
traffic, sale of certain commodities, and
weights and measures; protection of
fish and game, etc., S26, 294 SOL; for
highways, 22,767, 766; for general and
miscellaneous items, including pen
sons and gratituities, $22,214, $50; for
development and conservation of natu-
raj resources, $16,55S,6S5; for conser-
walton of health, and sanitation, &c.
453, 673; and for educational and gen
eral recreation, parks and reservations
and monuments, SS7S,646.
The average per capita expenditures
form all governmental costs, including
an doutlays, in the AZ states
were $500. The highest figure shown
under this head for any one state,
SPIT, is that for California; and the
lowest, $1.S7, for South Carolina. The
average per capita expenditures for all
governmental costs, including interest
but excluding OUTLAWS, were S4.06. The
highest figures appearing under this
head for any state is that for Nevada,
SOTO; and the lowest is shown for
South Carolina, $1.81.
That the cost of maintaining the
state governments imposes relative
Iy light burden on the shoulders of the
taxpayers is brought out clearly by
comparison of state and municipal tax
alton and governmental costs. For the
204 American cities of over 10000 pop
Ilation the average per capita expen-
litures for all governmental costs, in
Guiding interest and OUTLAWS, during
the fiscal year 1915, amounted to S34.-
S.; the corresponding figure of the
states is but $500. For the cities the