South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-07-22
-hIeh amounted % ss3.Is5.596.


report brings out the somewhat
surprising fact that. although the
per capita expenditures for net gov
ernmental costs ia individual cities
vary greatly. there is little difference
in the averages for the several size
groups OF cities having fewer than
500, 900 inhabitants. The average
for the 81 cities having from 10000
20 $4,000 inhabitants was S25.11;
for the So cities Of $4,000 20 100. 900
S24.75. and for the 4 > cities Of 10O.-
600 20 800, 900, S26.39. For the lar
ger cities. however. considerably
higher figures are shown-S37.50
for the 300. O0O-5OO. 900 group. and
$3S.71 for the group having more
than 500, 600 inhabitants each; but
the differences between these fig
ures and those for the other three
groups are due in part 10 the fact
that per capita county expenditures
are included in the figures for such
Of the larger cities are as situated
in counties This has been done in
order 10 provide a fair basis Of com
parability In the case Of the larger
cities. In some Of which the
functions usually pertaining 10 coun-
ties are discharged by the munich
palities. while others are situated
in counties and are dependent up
on county organizations in this re-
spect The report shows. under
principal heads. the amounts Of
county revenues and costs so in
GUIDED
A comparison of the figures for
\ the I46 cities in regard 90 which
data are availble for earlier years
as far back as 1903. shows that the
per capita governmental cost pay
ments increased from $24.O4 in that
year to $685. i'm 1917, or about 80
per cent This increase appears
mainly in the item for expenses Of
general departments and interest,
\ the former having advanced from
IS13.25 to 1888, and the latter
Y from $206 20 1856. The per cap
/ tia expenditures for OUTLAWS for per
manent improvements were only
slightly greater in 1917 than in 1903
-SS.6S in the later year as against
1923 in the earlier; and the 1917
/ figure shows "A decline from $1,000
/ in 1915 TO $891 in 1916. The per-
\ capita expenses Of public service en-
/ terprises increased moderately from
IS1.10 in 1908 10 $1.39 in 1917. These
I expenses. however, are less than
\ half as great as the net revenues
from such enterprises which in
I creased from SAP per capita in
/ 1903 to Sab in 1917.
/ Since the humble OF cities cover
I d. o.
\ from year to year, comparisons with
earlier periods are most reliable
when limited to those cities for
which figures for the earlier as well
as the later years are available. A
comparison of this kind. embracing
146 cities and covering the period
/ 19O3-1917. shows a continual in
crease in the expenditures for gov
I ernmental costs, including OUTLAWS
the total for the later year. $1.007,-
29O,346, being nearly double that
for the earlier. S514. 1S9. POS. The
true significance Of the increase.
however. is better measured by the
per capita expenditures. which in
creased from S24.64 in 1908 to
S33.26 in 1917. the latter figure eN-
ceeding the former by nearly 35 per
cent. The 1917 figure. it may be
noted although slightly exceeding
that for 1916. S33.13. was somewhat
less than the corresponding one for
l1915. S34.53. During the same time
the corresponding per capita for the
nation as a whole increased from
IS7.91 10 $3.50. The figure for the
fiscal year 1917, during a part Of
which the country was engaged in
the war, was. of course. much
greater than during normal times.
During the preceding years. the per
capita expenditures Of the cities
were roughly three times as great as
those of the nation.
The per capita expenditures OF the
las cities increased during the
period OF 1903-1916 by 34.5 per cent
a rate somewhat greater than the
corresponding one for the federal
government, 81 per cent.
indebtedness.
The aggregate net indebtedness
that is. funded and floating debt
less assets in general sinking funds
for the entire 219 cities amounted
to S2.5ST.OS2,5O7, or $77.7S ner cap
tia The corresponding figure for
the federal government was $1.90S,-
635,224. or 1855 per capita. The
federal Indebtedness. although
greatly increased during the hsca
year 1917 as a result of Americas
entrance into the war. was thus on
! July 1. 1917. less than one-fourth as
great per capita as the Indebtedness
OF the cities Of over $4,000; and ev-
en- as late as March 81. 1918. a lit
tie more than a month before the
issue Of the Third Liberty loan
il was slightly greater than sec per
capita. or about one-siXth greater
than the per capita net Indebtedness
OF the cities. a comparison for the
latest normal year 1916 shows the
net Indebtedness Of the cities hav-
fur more than 90 600 i'm IN bif1 MS a