Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1921-06-24
ENORMOUS COST
OF GOVERNMENT,


the basis of a total population OFF
100000 this means that every
ones share of the expenditure is
slightly more than S72. In other
words the daily expense of main
| tanning national and subordinate
administrations was over $23,2S7.-
900. The federal government alone
expended more than $4,000, ,000,-
| 900, while to this must be added
$500, 100000 spent by the states
and their municipalities. The
country has never before known
such a tremendous expenditure in
peace time. President Harding
has a majority of opinion behind
him when he proposes that all APP
propriations be pared to the bone.
The problem now Is to cut these
expenses down to correspond with
the decline in the cost of living.
The largest slice of federal ey-
penses was eaten up by obligations
arising from the World War. amour
ting to about s1,635, 100000. OF
this amount government operation
OF railroads cost s1,O3s, 900. 900 and
shipping board expenses were s47O.-
10000 The policy of building
la larger navy and maintaining a
bigger army took $1,35O.O00.000 OF
which the major share-s735,0o0.-
l0O0-went to the war department
The surplus applied to national debt
reduction was s1.OsO,00o, 900. The
interest item alone amounted to
$930. .O00.0 900 more. Pensions. etc,
ate up 100000. Legislative,
executive and judicial costs repre-
sented a total of s224,oQ0.000. Pub
lie works charged ss5 100000 and
research activities. added $4,000
900 more.
Municipal expenditures have al
so mounted enormously. The cost
of governing 227 leading cities with
total population of 81, 100000 is
nlaced at $1,000, 100000. State 'ex-
penditures likewise took a big jump
The As states spent about seoo,ooo'-
900 during the year.
Wage earners in this country
number about 100000. Their
| Total income is placed at $4,000
600 600. an average of $500 to
every man, woman and child VINO
works. 1t is figured that out oil
every dollar earned IL IL cents
goes in taxes in one form or another
which is an excessively high hg-
ure. Figuring the government
cost in averages, the contribution
of every wage Garner toward Tue
government was s21o.
Though the consensus OF opinion
fayors reducing expenses to mini
mum the cry is raised that congress
should be more rational in cutting
down as we'll as in making appro-
nriations. It is pointed out tnat
proeress in certain directions CT
pecially in agriculture, may pc sor-
iously hampered. Funds avaiiaoie
for scientific Investigations nave
been greatly cut and it will be nee
asearv to abandon much important
work of this character
An example is given in the ae-
partment of agriculture, when WIZ
have to discontinue more than %
lines of experimentation In lace Oh
the fact that agriculture is tne
most important industry; year's
farm and animal products being
valued at s25,000.ooo,oo0- Last
year the bureau of standard wal
allowed only 15 cents for every 81
looo of manufactured products WITH
which to promote development d
manufacturing enterprises H. II
argued by pacifsts that army ane
navy appropriations are better ani'
, tn stand further slicing than lne
more vital and necessary Items
On the other hand experience asi
shown that countries which .negiec'
to have an ample army and navy
NAV wake up some day and hnd
, that they have no agriculture anf
|, no industries of any kind. Diner
:, ent people look at things dihereh'
! ways. and so when 1t comes TO ap
plying the economy rule each on
wants 1t applied SO as to favor tn'
things he is interested in. Al
government expenses, in every
1 country, have been boosted tire
S mepdously. And 1t is much easie
=. to increase outlays than to lowe
them