628 MISC. PUBLICATION: 218, U. 8. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
are now participating through mothers’ and old-age pensions. The 
county home or almshouse 1s still in wide use, but the average county 
home has so few inmates that they cannot be ‘supported economically. 
In Virginia several counties have united for the support of such homes. 
The custody of most delinquent classes has also been assumed by 
the State; the county jail, while still nearly universal, being used 
mainly for the incarceration of misdemeanants for short periods. 
Some of the more populous counties have institutions for juvenile 
delinquents but most of the institutions of this kind are maintained by 
the State. 
Thus many of the traditional functions of local government are 
being absorbed by larger jurisdictions—county functions by the 
State and township functions by the county or State. This trend is 
in the interest of economy, efficiency, or equity, or perhaps all three. 
Its continuance may be expected, with the probable effect that the 
township government and possibly other minor units of government 
will be abolished. The county, enlarged and strengthened through 
consolidation, will be able to perform many of its present functions 
and those new ones which it takes over from the smaller govern- 
mental units or develops in response to modern needs. 
APPRAISAL, COORDINATION, AND CURTAILMENT OF 
GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES 
For a long period the functions of government have tended to 
increase. This trend may be expected to continue as population 
becomes more dense, industrialization increases, and the whole 
pattern of society becomes more intricate. It is inevitable that as 
civilization becomes more complex the sphere of collective action 
must be extended. This does not necessarily justify an uninterrupted 
expansion of government on every front. For the last decade the 
cost of State and local governments has increased much faster than 
the income of the people. So long as incomes were rising, the fact 
that taxes were rising still faster was not a cause of great concern; it 
was a condition which might conceivably be desirable. But when 
many sources of income have dried up and the national income has 
been cut in half without any appreciable reduction in the expendi- 
tures of State and local governments (as at present, 1932-33), tax- 
payers are demanding a reappraisal of the objects of government. 
Some are demanding a drastic curtailment in governmental services. 
They maintain that some of these services are in the nature of luxu- 
ries, which were all right so long as they could be afforded, but that 
now the people must forego luxuries furnished by government along 
with those which they personally forego. While there is danger of 
mistaking essential services for luxuries and of carrying retrenchment 
too far, there is undoubtedly merit in the suggestion. It is not easy 
however to determine when an object or service, personal or govern- 
mental, becomes a luxury. 
Superfluous governmental services should not only be dispensed 
with, and desirable but nonessential services limited to those which 
the public can afford, but extravagance and waste should also be 
eliminated. These take many forms—pretentious public buildings, 
elaborate furnishings, unnecessary employees, needless equipment. 
Corrupt mismanagement of public affairs has also been a source of 
waste In many Cases. 
