The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1935-08-29
Observations from
Washington
by
Congressman Harold Knutson

flnOSe Oh my readers VINO nave
passed the half century mark will
recall the furore that was created
the first time that the operating
expenses Of the Federal Govern
ment reached the billion dollar
mark. The Republicans were in
control at that time and they were
abused from Dan to Bersheba.
They were charged with wastefull-
ness, corruption and everything
else that the opposition could think
Of.
The appropriations made by the
session Of Congress that came to
an inglorious end on Saturday last
,totaled $10,350, 000, 900 bringing the
grand total appropriated by the
present administration, during its
first three years, to the staggering
sum Of $26,035 10000. This amount
is greater by several million dol
lars than the sum expended by this
government from April 6, 1917,
when we entered the war, to July 2,
1921, during which time we were
providing clothing, subsistence,
military equipment Of every kind
and character for an army Of f.
100000 men, paying all other ex-
penses incidental to conducting a
war $500 miles away, and at the
same time loaning eleven billion
dollars to our allies, not much Of
which will ever be repaid.
For the fiscal year ending June
80, 1894, this administration ap-
propriated $7,105, 050O00; for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1885
there were appropriated $751;
O69,O00 and this, together with the
sums appropriated by this session
Of Congress represents a sum
greater by $1,514, 274,OOO than was
expended by the United States dur
ing the entire period of 124 years
from Washington's Inauguration
to the fiscal year ending June 80,
1918, when President Wilson as
sumed executive authority over
the expenditures Of the United
States Government.
During this 124 year period the
people paid in part for the ex-
pense of waging the Revolutionary
War, and in full for the War Of
1872, The Mexican War, the many
Indian Wars, the Civil War, and
Spanish American War, in addi-
ton to the usual civil expenses Of
the government.
During the fiscal year just clos
ed, there was collected from every
source, including the processing
taxes upon food stuffs and cloth
ing less than $4,000, 100000. The
late and unlamented session of
Congress has appropriated S.
9OO, 900 900 more than we took in,
which means that the debt heaped
upon the people Of the country has
been increased in this amount. In
short we have saddled an addition
al burden Of 1896 on each family
of four in America.
! There has been a lot Of ballyhoo-
ing about the Presidents soak
the Rich" tax bill, which will pro-
vide not to exceed $3.50, 1000, 900 per
year. That Is hardly enough to run
the government for ten days at
the rate we are spending. That
amount is the absolute limit that
we can collect from the rich, so it
means that the poor will have to
carry the major part Of the bur-
den and that their taxes, both dir
ect and indirect, will be greatly in
creased as result Of this insane
spending. Even as a redistribution
of-wealth measure which the peo-
pie have been lead to believe 1t to
be, 1t would provide but sos on
a per capita distribution.
In the many years that I have
been in Congress, have never
seen such shameful raids on the
public treasury as this Congress
has been guilty of. The Flood Con-
troll bill which passed the House
carried approximately $500, 1000, 900
and the Senate Finance Committee
saddled another $20O,0O0,00 on to
it. Fortunately for the country it
was killed in a filibuster. Another
slaughter Of pork.
The net result Of this criminal
spending is going to be lowering
Of the American standard Of living
to a point where it will be compar-
able to that found in the nations
Of the old world.
This debt burden is going to be
with us many generations, probab-
ly six or seven, and I am wondering
what form Of insanity they will
conclude that we suffered from.
As I see it the only hope for the
future lies in the American people
arising in their might at the next
election and turn the spenders out.
It is either that or national bank
ruptcy which, Of course, would beg
gar the American people individ-
ually and collectively.