National Spending and Militarism
Financial.— The Springfield Republican of March 11 points out that there will be a probable deficit in the national treasury of $200,000,000 next year, and quotes Chairman Tawney as saying that the tremendous expenditures of the government have been greatly reduced, and that if the past administration had had its way altogether the government would now be selling bonds to meet current outgoes. Militarism is the secret of it. From 1891 to 1898 army appropriations were about $24,000,000 a year, but since 1906, in a time of profound peace, they have been increased from about $70,000,000 to the $101,000,000 now appropriated. Naval appropriations increased only from about $24,000,000 in 1891 to $30,000,000 in 1897, but since the Spanish war, or even since 1903 they have increased from $78,800,000 to $136,900,000. The present appropriation, “on account of past wars and wars that may come and need not come,” as the Republican puts it, are as follows: Army, $101,197,470; fortifications, $8,170,111; military academy, $2,531,521; navy, $136,935,199; pensions, $160,908,000; and in addition to these are other appropriations chargeable to military expenditures aggregating $116,000,000, making a total yearly cost on account of militarism of $525,700,000, or more than one half of the total costs of the American Government.