The Times of Saturday last contains the figures of the
United States expenditure for the past year. In round numbers it reached a total of £160,000,000, out of which appropriations amounted to 2140,000,000, and the balance was devoted to permanent charges. The estimates for next year are revenue £140,800,000, and expenditure £156,300,000, leaving a deficit of over £15,000,000, which the Secretary of the Treasury hopes to meet partly by increased revenue, and partly by deferred payments. The chief items in the increased expendi- ture are for military and naval development and the adminis- tration of the new countries which the United States has taken in hand. Unfriendly critics of the Roosevelt Govern- ment are perfectly right in attributing the growth of expendi- ture to the new ambition of the United States to play the part of a world-Power. No work can be done without money, and the United States, having put her hand to the task, must be content to pay for it. The country, as we believe, is entirely at one with the President on this matter, and can well afford the cost.
Previous page
