The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-01-03

Many Millions From the Estimates
Made by the Various Departments
OF the Government.
| WASHINGTON, d. Cumming
the ordinary, every day peace time af-
fairs of the United States government
during the next fiscal year will cost
the taxpayers o81z per cent of what it
is costing them this year, according
to estimates contained in the budget
prepared by Gen. Dawes and transmit
ted to congress by the president.
and at present under the scrutiny of
the house appropriations.
The foregoing analysis, which is
causing considerable thoughts among
members of the committee, does not
| take into consideration the cost of
maintaining the army and navy. 1t
does, however, include every other
peace time department of government
(which is functioning this year and
which will function next. 1t does not
| include payments on the sinking fund.-
interest on the national debt and kin
dred outlays which remain virtually
unchanged.
/ On its face, the budget for next year
contemplates decrease in ordinary
expenses of $447, 704,2 39. Ninety per
cent of that decrease is made up of
three items, as follows:
l. A reduction in the cost Of CON
Quoting the affairs of the railroad adj
ministration. During the present fiscal
year the railroad administration is
costing the taxpayers $337, 679, 23o.
| Next year, the budget contemplates, it
shall cost nothing. The railroad admin
istration, however, is purely a war
| time agency and the cost this year,
incidental to winding up its affairs
/ 2. A proposed reduction in the cost
of maintaining the army, from $780,
| 0o1 400 this year to 10000, 107 next
year, decrease of about $1o,000000.
3. A proposed reduction in the cost
of maintaining the navy to $412,754,
600 from $478 $4,000, a decrease of
about $57,000,000.
Congress Costs 16 Million.
The total decrease in the national
cost of three war agencies-two OF
them conducted as insurance against
future. wars and one incidental to clos
ing the accounts Of the last war, ag-
gregates $403, 964,534 Deducted from
| the total decrease of $447, 704, 239 set
| forth in the budget the result is de-
crease in the cost of conducting the
tmultitudinous peace time activities OF
1.-THE government of only $43,739,705 or
about IL per cent of the total.
/ Some of the permanent branches OF
government show sizeable increases in
the proposed cost OF conducting their
affairs next year; some estimate the
cost at about the same as this year
and few show slight decreases. Con-
gress. for instance, in the conduct OF
its affairs-the payment of salaries,
mileage, printing, etc.-estimates its
| cost to the nation next year at $l6,-
|265,215, an increase of $703000 over
I this years estimated cost. The state
\ department estimates that it can get
lbv next year on virtually the same
Icost to the people as this year, ap-
iproximately $11,000,000, most of which
goes to pay salaries and expenses OF
I the diplomatic and consular services.
In the treasury department, how
ever, the situation is spotted. This
year the treasury is costing the tax
payers about S170,000,000, next year
it estimates the cost will be about
i$169,000,000. The million dollar redue-
ton is brought about by sharp de-
creases in some bureaus, but there are
increases in others.
1t will cost more next year to col
lect taxes and less to collect the tariff
Collecting the taxes is down as $6o,-
100000 item of expense, $8000,000
more than this year; collecting the
tariff will cost an estimated $4,000,
900, nearly $5,000,000 less than this
years cost The public health service
will cost an estimated 81 600,000-l6
per cent more; the coast guard about
ISL 100000 less. A cut of one-third, or
about $4,000,000 is noted in the esti-
mated expense of maintaining the ma
tons public buildings, such as custom
houses, court houses, postofhces- and
quarantine stations.
To Cost More to Be Dry.
Also it will cost the nation one-third
more to be dry next year, an increase
Iof $2,500,000 being allowed for the
enforcement OF prohibition. Estimated
expenditures for the interior depart
Iment show a jump of nearly 20 per
Icent-from $35,000000 to $41 100000.
Taking care of Indians will cost about
$32,000000 or $250,000 less than this
year the decrease being wholly due
Ito a less appropriation for Indian
schools. incidentally, we will spend
$4,000 more next year than this for
Civilization of the Sioux" the respec-
tive estimates being $275,000 and
.$175,0
Pensions drop The pensioners are
dying, but those on the rolls will re-
Iceive an estimated $252,000,000 next
year. as compared with $258,000,000
this year.
And so it goes. The bureau of cen
sus, for instance, will spend 100000
less next year, but the department of
commence, of which the census bureau
lis part, will spend approximately the
same amount next year as this, the
Isl, 100000 saved from the census bu-
reau being wiped out by the increas-
led activities-and expenses-of other
bureaus. The department of labor is
down in the estimates for an increase
of more than 80 per cent, or. from
l$4.800,000 to $6,300,000.
Gen. Dawes has cut the estimates OF
nearly every department as they have
come to him, trimming some of them