The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1922-03-17

WIENG AOSAN "s
| am indebted To the late Dr. Il. ID.
Rosa. OF the United States bureau VI
standards, whose analyses VI govern
ment expenditures have ALREADY
ouoted in these articles, for the 1oi-
lowing comprehensive survey Oh no"
The taxes you pay 10 The government
are apportioned In expenditures.
will give you the clearest ana Dest iuea
of where your money goes. FOR MS
purpose Doctor Rosa took the actuai
concentrations for the fiscal year ls2o.
amounting to total OF $o,0So,Ooo''VO,
as given In the regular supply bills ana
three deficiency bills prior TO May l,
1920. For convenience he divided the
purposes for which this money was
spent into six groups as follows:
Group I.-Obliga ions arising from
recent and previous wars, Including
interest ON the public debt, pensions,
war-rsk insurance. rehabilitation anu
care Of soldiers, deficit In the opera
ton Of railways. expenditures OF the
shipping board, European food reliel
and the bonus to government employ
ees TO cover partially the Increased
cost Of living due to the war, total
OF So, 1855, 4S2, $3.50.
Group LI.-War and Navy depart.
uients-expenses somewhat above
permanent peace-time basis-Sl "a
1851
Group III.-prmary governmental
functions. including congress. Presl-
dent and White House staff. courts
and penal establishments. departments
of justice. state, Treasury, interior,
commerce, labor. Interstate commerce.
and other commissions. one-half the
District Of Columbia, including all the
necessary functions Of government
other than defense, except the com
mercial activities of Group and the
research, educational aud develop
mental work of Group VI-SlSl ,0S7,
225.
Group IV-public works, including
rivers aud harbors, public buildings.
reclamation service. post roads, ma
tIOnal parks and railway In Alaska
$168, 2O3,55
Group Monumental or selfSup-
porting activities. including the post
office, land office, Panama canal and
housing corporation, which, taken to-
gether, earn their expenses.
Group VI.-Kesearch. educational
and developmental. including the wide
range Of work OF the Agricultural de-
partment, geological survey. bureau Of
mines. coast and geodetic survey. bu-
reau Of standards, bureau Of fisheries,
bureau Of foreign and domestic com
merce, bureau Of labor statistics,
womens and children's bureaus, voca-
tfOnal education. colleges for agricul-
ture and mechanic arts, library Of
congress, Smithsonian institution and
the public health service-S57 ,093, 66l .
Total groups l to WIS.,, $3.50, OO5. 7O6
Summary. Per
Cent
Group L Expenditures
arising from recent
and previous wars. SO. S65, 4s2. SIS 90 81 81
Group II-War and Navy
departments .......... .424. f3s. 1861 Is o2
Group III-PTimary gov
ernmental functions. ISL .0s7 .226.A 3ls
Group lV-Public works los. aO3 5o7 10 297
Group VI-Research, ed
vocational and devel-
opmental .............. 67.Os3. go SO 1Oi
Total ............... e. eS6, OO5. EOS 81 100 90
The first two groups together
amount to 92.S per cent of the total !:
public works amounts to per cent,
primary governmental functions 81
per cent, and research, educational
and develOpmental work, l per cent
rhe population of the country being
about 11O,OO0.OOO, the total budget Is
about fifty dollars year per capita,
# which fifty cents year per cap
ita 10 expended for the wide range Of
research, educational and develop
mental work Included In Group vi.
THAT is, of the fifty dollars year
per capita collected for all purposes,
q dollar and half year per capita y
Doctor Rosa went on to point out,
was spent for what Is here called
primary functions OF government !;
nearly as much more was put into pub
lie works. and fifty cents u year was
put back into research, educational
and developmental work, to promote
scientific research. to increase prOduc-
ton and efficiency. to develop wealth,
to promote the public health and to
conserve our natural resources. That
Is very small part Of the total
hardly. enough to be regarded AS u
burden on the nation.
Indeed, one is led to wonder
whether the total burden Of taxation
would not be lighter II the expendl-
ture for scientific and develOpmental
work were Increased If, for example.
II were one dollar year per capita
Instead OF fifty cents. In other words
II $1lO,OOO.OOO were expended annu
ally for this creative and productive
work, would it not be easier to collect
the Ave and n half billions for other
purposesi"
The big money. Of course, goes for
war. past, present and future. and
that Is where the saving must be made
Thirty thousand persons are killed
or injured In the United States eyery