| Show A CHANGE OR OB RUIN BUIN every now and then it behooves individuals divi duals as it does corporations to try to strike a balance showing their condition financially and the change and the he causes thereof that may have ensued since the last previous examination comparisons furnished by such a study are nearly always beneficial if not always satisfactory it is sometimes as profitable to know where and how and what we lost as it is pleasurable to know how much we gained uncle sam is an individual who with all his might and energy and resources can still not afford to neglect the occasional balance sheet which private persons and even large business concerns find necessary in the intelligent management of their business his accounts run into large figures but that is only a greater reason why he should study them carefully on the last day of last month for instance his interest bearing debt amounted to the snug sum of pour four years ago the first of last march it was so that during these last fifty seven months of peace with no unusual reason for extravagant trava gant outlay he has increased his bonded indebtedness or at an average of a little over per month worse than that he is running behind right now nearly linearly twice that amount each month his outlay every thirty days being about more than his income this policy long continued will naturally ruin any kind of a business and our venerable uncle can expect no othel fate unless he can institute a change but his wise men came together in washington this week and he ought to insist on their knowing exactly his condition with a view to helping him find a remedy there are two plans which the commonest intellect will be able to suggest one is to increase the revenue the receipts the income the other is to reduce the d disbursements the outlay the expenses an increase of revenue means increase of taxes increase of tariff on imports or increase in some of the various indirect ways in which the peoples money pass to the government government coffers in an th the e present condition of things is anyone going to have the hardihood to offer a resolution and enact a law to do that to almost every citizen of the republic it must be evident that the people are already taxed nearly to death the only alternative then is to cut down the outlay and surely this is possible expenses can be reduced all along the line millions are squandered needlessly every year political friends must be sumptuously provided for at public expense trades and jobs are planned and carried out by which the treasury is almost looted and if perchance a small economy is introduced in one branch of government it appears to be only a tiny saving il at the spigot to make more abundant the waste at the fhe bunghole incidentally too it may as well be known as it doubtless is to the wise men referred to that under our impolitic and selfish laws a great deal of money that the people pay as cheerfully as possible blia in the expectation that it Is needed for and Is going to the legitimate expenses of government Is cleverly diverted into the strong boxes of the pets of legis lation la alon and thus keeps not only uncle sam but also the great majority of his progeny with their much worn noses close to the hard unyielding grind stone not soothsayers but firm truth speaking honest and clearheaded clear headed advisers are needed in the present moment of nati business trouble the congress which has just convened has opportunity for the display of all its wisdom |
