The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1922-02-09
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
BY EDWARD G. LOWRY


vi.
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
l am indebted to the late Dr. e. b.
Rosa, of the United States bureau of
standards, whose analyses of govern
ment expenditures l have already
quoted in these articles, for the fol-
lowing comprehensive survey of how
the taxes you pay to the government
are apportioned in expenditures. 1t
viii give you the elearest and best idea
of where your money goes For his
purpose Doctor Rosa took the actual
appropriations for the fiscal year 1920,
amounting to a total of $5,6S6,005, ,706,
as given in the regular supply bills and
three deficiency bills prior to May 1,
1920. For convenience he divided the
purposes for which this money was
spent into six groups as follows:
Group I.-Obligations arising from
recent and previous wars, including
interest on the public debt, pensions,
war-risk insurance, rehabilitation and
care of soldiers, deficit in the opera
ton Of railways, expenditures of the
shipping board, European food relief
and the bonus to government employ
ees to cover partially the increased
cost of living due to the war, total
of $3,S55, ,4S2,5S6
Group U.-War and Navy depart
ments-expenses somewhat above a
permanent peace-time basis s-$1, ,424,-
1867.
Group III.-Prlmary governmental
functions, including congress, presi-
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 Columble. including ali the
necessary functiolsa of government
other than defense, except the COM
mercial activities of Group V and the
research, educational and develop
mental work of Group VI-$1S1, ,0S7,-
225.
Group IV.-Publlc works, including
rivers and harbors, public buildings,
reclamation service, post roads, ma
tional parks and railway In Alaska
$16S, S,203,557.
Group V.-Commercial or self-sup-
porting activities, including the post
office, land office, Panama canal and
housing corporation, which, taken to-
gether, earn their expenses.
Group VI.-Research, educational
and developmental, including the wide
range of work of the Agricultural de-
mines, coast and geodetic survey, bu-
reau of standards, bureau of fisheries,
bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce, bureau Of labor statistics,
women's and children's bureaus, voca-
tional education colleges for agricul-
ture and mechanic arts, library of
congress, Smithsonian institution and
the public health service-S57 093, ,661.
Total groups l to VI-$5, 5,686,005, FOG.
Summary. Per
Cent
Group = Expenditures
arising from recent
and previous wars. SO, So, ,4S2, ,5S5. so 67S1
Group II--War and Navy
departments ....,.... LAP. 4.1sS.e7s57 %O2
Group III Primary Gov
ernmental functions. ISL, ,OS7 ,225.41 3f9
Group IV-Public works los, ,203, 55746 297
Group VI-Research. ed
ucational and devel-
opmental .............. 5To93, ,660sS 10l
- -
Total ................. IS. CSC oO5, 7O5s7 10000
The first two groups together
amount to 92.S per cent of the total I;
public works amounts to 3 per cent,
primary governmental functions 81
per cent, and research, educational
and developmental work, / per cent.
The population Of the country being
about 110,000,000, the total budget is
about fifty dollars a year per capita,
of which fifty cents a year per cap
ita is 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.
a dollar and half year per capita,
Doctor Rosa went on to point out,
twas spent for what is here called
primary fuActions Of government ;
nearly as much more was put into pub
lie works, and fifty cents year was
put back into research, educational
and developmental work, to promote
scientific research, to increase produc-
tion and efficiency. to develop wealth.
to promote the public health and to
conserve our natural resources. That
is a very small part of the total
hardly enough to be regarded as q
burden on the nation.
'Indeed, one Is led to wonder
whether the total burden Of taxation
would not be lighter If the expendi
ture for scientific and deyelopmenta
work were increased If, for example
It were one dollar year per capita
instead Of fifty cents. In other words
II $110000,000 were expended annu
ally for this creative and productive
work. would 1t not be easier to collec
the I'VE ana half billions for othe.
purposes2'
The big money, Of course, goes fol
war, pnst, present and future, and
chat IS where the saving must be made