Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-02-09
ECONOMY
THROUGH BUDGET 7
SYSTEM NEEDED
Increase in Cost of Running
the Government Since the
Days of Jefferson VividIy
Shown By Statistics.
Especial Correspondence TO The JOurnai.)
washington. Feb. S.-In an ef-

Nri'' lu
Washington, Feb. SIN an er-
fort to impress upon the people of
the country the necessity of strict
national economy through the me-
dunn of modern system of budge-
.tary procedure in determining fed
eral expenditures annually, those
leading the reform movement in
congress have unearthed volumes
of figures to show the compare
tive cost of running the govern
ment as far back as the time If
jefferson. representative James
w, Good, chairman of the house
committee on appropriations. also
chairman of the house select COM
mittee on the budget and author of
the budget bill adopted by the
house last October, has a great
many of these figures compiled for
use in his advocacy of an executive
budget system.
Rasing his figures on estimates
received from the various executive
department for the next fiscal
year, representative Good says
that the per capita tax for the next
fiscal year will be SAT, which con-
gress may reduce in part by cut
ting estimates to the bone. This
amount is nearly five times as
much per man, woman and child
in the United States as it was in
1916 when congress reached its
high water mark in appropriations
Starting with the administration
of Thomas jefferson. comparative
figures of Mr.. Good show that the
annual expense of the war depart
ment averaged twenty cents per
capital; the annual expenses for the
navy department twenty three
cents per capital; the average ex-
penses of the postoffice department
averages five cents per capital. and
the total annual expenditures for
the federal government during the
four years of the Administrations
averaged only $1.52 per capita.
Expenses jumped during the four
year period covered by the civil
war. The annual expense of the
war department during the civil
war averaged $19.99 per capita:
the annual expense of the navy de-
partment averaged $2.3t per cap
tia; the expense of the postoffice
department averaged 4 cents per
capita, while the total annual eX-
pense of the government was $25.01
per capita.
Following the civil war expendi-
lures decreased substantially for
four years. During this period the
annual average expense of the war
department fell from $19.99 to|
1894 per capita; the expense of
the navy department decreased
from $2.31 to so cents per capita,
and the total expenditures of tn
national government were reduced
from $25.01 to $1102 per capita.
Annual expenditures never
reached the billion dollar marx
until 1916, when the total appro-
priations for the year aggregated
81, 16, S,l3S.55. Expenditures for
the years of 1914 and 1915 were so
close to the billion dollar mark.
however. that the average annual
expenditure for the three year
period 19l4-16 inclusive, was ST.,
62,930,372.76, or $1O.6S per cap
ita.
1t was during this period when
expenditures were soaring Mr..
Good and Joseph G. Cannon point
ed out, that the present multi
headed spending committee system
became a part of the house, appro-
priating power being taken first
from the committee on ways and
means and given to the committee
on appropriations and then later
distributed among the committed |
on appropriations and seven other |
committees that report out the |
thirteen regular annual appropri- |
alton bills at present. Six other |
committees, however, have the |
power of recommending legislation |
that may call for appropriations |
During the fiscal years 1918 and |
1919 the total expenses of the war |
department while we were engaged |
in the world war amounted to $14,-
S54, ,109, ,211.22, the expenditure of |
this department during these two |
years amounting to an average an !
nual per capita charge of STOPS |
on the people of the nation. The
expenditures for the navy depart |
ment for these two years aggregat-
ed s3,377,915,1S2.S7, or an annual |
average naval expenditure of |
$15.9S per capita. For the fiscal |
year 1919 the per capita cost of |
operating the postoffice depart
ment alone was $40 or more than
twice the per capita cost of all the |
of the national gov
ernment during Jefferson's adj
The navy department for the
next fiscal year has requested an
appropriation of $573,131,25
which amounts to a per capita cost
of $5.2S. The war department
wants $1,l2S,S75,497,S7 to pay the
cost of its administration for the
year starting July /, which is
equivalent to charge of $10.42 on
every man, woman and child In the |
country. The estimates of the war
for the next fiscal wear
amount to more than the total re-
quirement of the whole government
for any year since the civil war
and prior to 1917, not excepting
the period of the Spanish -Ameri-
can war. 1t is also ten times more
than the requirement of the war
department for any year since the
civil war down to 1917. 1t is mora
per capita and larger in the aggre-
gate than the total expenses for the
national government for the year
of 1916, when congress became q
billion dollar appropriating body.