The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-06-29
UNCLE SAM GREATEST
SPENDER OF WORLD
MANY BILLIONS "HANDED OUT"
BY HIM. TEN MILLION
IN A MINUTE.

WASHINGTON, d. C.-The most
prodigious spender in the world, the
United States government, represent
ed by the congress, has just shut up
shop for the summer and fall with
four billion dollars distributed to the
agencies of the government.
AS an evidence of the record
breaking speed with which the con-
gress appropriated money during the
session Just closed it need only be
said that the senate on one day APP
propriated funds at the rate of ten
million dollars a minute. 1t took
about two hours to approve the army
bill, carrying $395,O0o,OOO; the navy
bill, appropriating $433, 100000, and
the sundry civil bill, authorizing an
expenditure of $442,000,0O0, total
of 100000.
The appropriations of more than
four billion dollars to pay the ex-
pense of the federal government for
the fiscal year starting July l are
four times greater than the annual
requirements in years before the
war. The interest on the public debt
: alone during the ensuing year will be
greater than all the expenses of the
government in pre-war years.
How Millions ssre Spent.
Here is the way the money was ap
, propriated:
Thirteen annual supply bills, ST.,
construction of roads
100000; permanent and indefi
mite appropriations, $1,40O,00O,0 900
redemption of war savings certifi
Gates, S10O,000,000; payment of bo
nus to clerks, S3O,760, 900; defcien
cies payable in 1921, $50,000,000
settlements of war contracts, $115,
100000: railroads, $6O0,000,000.
The total is 81, 400,000,000 less
than the departments of the govern
ment estimated they would need fol
the year. Congress made heavy cuts
in the amounts asked for in an eff
fort to practice economy and bring
the executive branches back more
nearly to their pre-war size.
! To meet the outlay for the new
fiscal year, the government will have
revenue estimated at $5,481, 100000
under existing tax laws, although the
actual income may be greater or
smaller than this. in sympathy with
business conditions. Thus a sur
plus of $1,394,89 1853 for June 1,
1921, is indicated, or an amount just
about equal to the reductions con-
gress made in the estimates of the
government departments.
The government expects to get its
revenue during the coming fiscal
year from these sources:
T Customs, $34O,000,0 income
and profits tax, s3,2O9,00O,O00; mis-
cellaneous internal revenue, $780,
IO0O,O00; public lands, $1,000,OOO;
Panama canal tolls, S8,000,000; mis-
cellaneous revenues, 100000.
~ The new fiscal year will begin with
all current bills paid, a billion dol
lars of national securities retired
and a surplus of SIS, 100000, ac-
cording to best estimates obtainable.
Expenditures for the year will total
S6,48O, 100000 compared with re-
ceipts of s6,5O6,203,762, it is figured
at the treasury department.
The public debt at the beginning
of the new fiscal year will be S24,-
I744, 677,796, compared with $25,,-
584, 5O6,16O a year ago, it is estima-
ted. The retirement of government
obligations was made possible be-
cause the treasury received in Sep
TENDER more than a billion dollars in
deferred payments on the victory
loan, which was used in retiring lib
erty bonds. Actually, the treasury
retired about S6O,OO0,0O0 more of
national securities than it received
from the sale of securities during
the year.