Evening star., 1934-11-13

sound thinking John O, Tilson,
persons that until
the resumption of longtime produc-
ton of durable goods there can be no
permanent improvement in the en-
ployment situation and that until
there is employment all efforts on
the part of Government are in Valn'
so far as complete recovery Is con-
cerned.
1T is also Just as clearly recog-
nized," he added, that the one great
est hindrance of all to the realiza-
ton of such condition is the bur-
den Of taxation looming up in front
of us. Sensible men know that these
expenditures must be paid in one
way or another. If they are paid
through taxation, as they should be,
then all business enterprise for years
to come will be proportionately I'M
peded by the magnitude of the tax
burden it must carry.
Reviews Mounting Costs.
Some 10 years ago l devoted con-
siderable time and energy to study
of the increasing cost of government
including within that study the cost
of all Government, national, State
and local" Mr.. Jilson said. My
study at that time covered a period
of 80 years and as I now recall, in
dicated that during the period cov-
cred by the study the total cost OF
government in the United States had
increased ten-fold. while the increase
OF population during the same period
was about double; so that while the
population had been multiplied by
two, the total cost of government had
been multiplied by ten. You will
realize that study made 10 years ago
for a period covering 80 years, neces-
sarily covered the World War and all
its tremendous boost in the cost Of
government and extends back to the
early COS.
In 1923, the last year included in
the study to which I have referred,
the total cost of government was Sl0,-
263,00O, 900, divided as follows: Fed
eral, $685., ,00O 900: State, $l,242,-
o00,O0O; local $780, 100000, or an
aggregate per capita cost of S92 oil,
or an increase of a little more than
500 per cent during the decade.
District Outlays Soar.
"By 1928 the per capita cost rose
to S10520 and in 1888 the aggregate
per capita cost stood at S1l967, di-
vided as follows: Federal, s42.25;
State, $2008; local, S5734. Since
that date we have no complete fig
ures of State and local expenditures,
but the Federal expenditures up to
the end of the fiscal year 1884, end
ing June 80 last. had risen from the
1888 figure of s5,3O7 100000 to ST.
los, 100000, or an increase per capita
from S4222 to S56.19 for Federal
expenditures alone.
Although I have disclaimed any
special knowledge of District fiscal
affairs, let me say in passing that
while the District is only a little
sinner, as compared with the States
and other municipalities, neverthe-
less from 1918 to 1923 District ex-
penditures doubled, jumping from
S12,80O,OOO in 1913 to S24,OOO,OOO in
1923, and doubled again in the eight
years ending with 1881, so that the
last figures I have examined, the
total cost of government in the Dis
trict of Columbia, is $48,3O0,000, or
about 500 per capita, and, like all
the rest of the country, the cost of
government here is still going up"
Mr.. Tilson said.
AT no time during the last 20
years has the amount of tax collec-
tions kept pace with governmental
disbursements. Even in 1918, when
the total per capita tax cost was
S30.24, the per capita tax collections
were s2266
While have endeavored to show
that the burden of taxation is rap
idly increasing, have also shown by
the cost of government that even this
increase is not sufficient and that al
though we think we are being heavily
taxed today, we are piling up indebt-
edness which will need greater taxes
tomorrow"
Today's Trading on Exchange.
Three 10-share sales of American
Security & Trust Co. stock were re-
corded on the Washington Stock EX-
change today, all made at 200. The
days second sale was in Bank of
Bethesda stock which moved at 25
Riggs National Bank common stock
also appeared on the board, six shares
selling at 205.
Bonds we're in good demand today.
Capital Traction SIS came out at 80,
Washington Gas SIS, 1858, sold at SO,
and Washington Railway & Electric
Is changed hands at 98&. Railway g.
Electric preferred stock moved at 1O1
and Potomac Power 5la per cent pre-
ferred at 113.
Norman R. Hamilton, receiver for
five local insolvent banks, with Office
In the District National Building, re-
ceived many kilograms, letters and
huge basket of flowers from employees
today, on the occasion of his birthday
anniversary,
Heard in Financial District.
Building permits in the South At
lantic States in october showed an
Increase of 96.8 per cent over October,
1888, according to Dun & Bradstreet'S
monthly review.
George B. Van Arsdale of the Equit-
able Life Assurance Society, addressed
the District Underwriters Association
at the November luncheon at the Will
lard Hotel this noon. He talked on
Life Insurance as Family Money"
before a very large attendance of
members
New York bank stocks have made
substantial gains in quotations during
the past week Insurance stocks have
;,,et e,orad thar highest MARKS f0r
the present year.