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Show WHAT IT COSTS TO GOVERN US By PROF. M. II. IIUNTF-R )it. ol lit oiXJIiilt ', University ot lllliiol. ..---.--......-...-"-."--".--"""" "he Expenditures of the Federal Fed-eral Government. "TMIK totni cxpoinlll in e ol the fed oral govcrniiieiil chargeable ugaliisl ordinary receipts for the lis fal year ending June 111) I'.i'J" were Hpproximately j:t, I'.l l.nnn lino Hail Ihe !ovei much! made a pel caplin ills I il lui 1 1 hi ol this huge sum. every iiiiiii, woman, and child In the Culled Slates would have received more than The cost ol Ihe executive otllcc was fr.S7.IKK) while the legislative est ah llshiiii-nt received about JI'.I.IKXMKKI I !f this the somite received J'J.TS) () ' Ihe house $7,.'.li7.lilKi, the arehlteci of Ihe cupltol $ I, I III". I Kill, and Ihe government gov-ernment printing olllce JJ.'.C'.I.IMKI I Many Independent bnreauN and offices of-fices exist, the total expenditure ot which was $."i1L'.(;iil'.Imi. Some of the j iniei Important ol these are: General Recounting olllce. If.'I.NNU noil ; board for I vocational education. $7..'!.VI dim ; lu terstate commerce commission ?7 ' ' t.'l-l.niKi; fulled Slates shipping hoard. I.'t.:!'-".I.IKK ; fnlted Stales vet ' prims' bureau, $r.7i'..n.".XniKI The rx pendliures for the District of Coliim hla were lf.'17.7."i7.lHKI. The expenditures ol the Depart cut of Agriculture were .? l.'n.'.'7'.i.inKI. The most Important Items here were: I Forest M-rvice. J 1 1,-1 1 T. K M ; bureau of entomology. ?(',.''.", t " M I. arid road con Ktriictlr.n. ?'.i''.(i;i7.i'(). The Department of Commerce spent ?:i 1 .1 '-'("..i X I. of which SKI, IIO.IXHI went to the bureau of lighthouses. The Department of In terlor spent $L".r'.i.'il'J.ii(KI, of which f.'M.7'.i".ilO(i went lo the bureau of In dinn affairs, and l"-'(l.:i.".li.i"KI went to army pensions. The total expenditure for Ihe Department of Justice was J-J-I'.'.s.ikki. while that for Ihe Department De-partment of Labor was J!i.7fil."P. The Navy department spent $:!'-''J.-CL'l.iXKi, of which n large pan went to the bureau of supplies. Ihe pay of the nay alone taking jrjl.olli.tVKi. The bureau of aeronautics received Jl.'."7.'l.ixi while It" Increase In the navy cost J.'W.va.floii. There was n cot In the Post OIVhv department of r-'7..T17."i and In the Dopartmcn' of Slate of ? 1 0.r.H.f m mi. The total expenditure of the Treasury Treas-ury department was S'-ii,7!is.ikx) Refunds Re-funds under the Internal revenue service accounted for $1 LITAie xi of Ibis, while refunds under the customs cus-toms service accounted for $-0.11,-(xxi more. The cost of collecting the Internal revenue was S.'l.l.l I'Jxki. ' while the cost of collecting the ens-! ens-! toms was ?17.2c,l.(xxi. I The total expenditure of the War department was ?.'ii;i.!ST.KXl. Of this sum Js.c.cki may be considered for i nontnllliary purposes, such as the ' JCJ.r.iM.ixxi for Improving rivers, (if the military expenditures Jl,j:,..ViH.ixXi ! went for the pay of (he army. S17,-' S17,-' G.'.ixx.! for the subsistence of the j army, and Jlrt.l'-PvtKKi for the air i service. The amount of Interest paid on the public debt was J7S7.7!'-1.IXXJ. The Federal Budget i EFOBE the adoption of the budget, the management of the finances of the federal government could be characterized as extremely unsystematic. unsystem-atic. Appropriation and revenue bills j were drawn and modified In haphazard haphaz-ard ways, with no correlation between be-tween them, and with no one really responsible. Millions of dollars were spent In needless federal buildings and "improving" rivers and harbors where such could scarcely he found Secretary Secre-tary Glass portrayed the condition by saying that "Congress votes with n lavish hand stupendous sums, conceived con-ceived In a magnificent spirit ot a.n erosiiy. with a view- to the enhancement enhance-ment of Ihe prestige of the nation or for the benefit of this or that element in the community." Budget legislation was passed In 11121 which centralizes responsihiiitv In the President. He must transml' the budget to congress on the first day of each regular session. This sets forth an estimate of all money need ed. nnd all receipts for the coming 'year; conditions of debt; and snv j data which will show the financial condition of the government. He mus' make any recommendations which the public interest may require. While the President Is responsible, the budget is origfiially prepared nn der the direction of the director ol the budget. His estimates are based on a careful study of the needs of the departments. No department can request congress for an approprla-! approprla-! tion except at the request of the sen ate or house. In addition to prepar ' Ing the budget, the law authorizes 'hr I President to require the director to make investigation ir order to secure 1 greater economy and efficiency in The public service and In the business i methods of rhe government I As to the future success of rhe ! budget. Vice President Dawes, in his ! first report as director of the budget, places nine! resoonsibility on file President. He said: "It may he safe ly stated that future cabinets urged by human instincts, will coritiim.-illv press for departmental independence upon the President, and the minute he relaxes Ids attention lo his duties as head of the routine business omari.aiioii. ihey will attack the ' present superimposed co-orilinaiiug j machine which alone relegates them to the subordinate position in which they belong." lOS. Western Si'Wsunpn lnlca. |
