The age-herald., 1901-12-04

tablishment of a wider market for Amer ican products and would provide an auxiliary force for the navy. Ships work for their own countries just railroads work for their terminal points. Shipping lines, if established to the principal coun- tries with which we have dealings, would be of political as well as commercial benefit. From every standpoint it Is un- wise for the United States to continue to rely upon the ships of competing nations for the distribution of our goods. It should be made advantageous to carry American goods in American-built ships. At present American shipping Is under certain great disadvantages when put in competition with the shipping of for-Sgn countries. Many of the fast forCgn steamships, at a speed of fourteen knots or above. are subsidized; and all our ships, sailing vessels and steamers alike cargo carriers of low speed and mail car riers of high speed-have to meet the fact that the original cost of building American ships Is greater than Is the case abroad; that the wages paid Ameri- can officers ard seamen are very much higher than those paid che officers and seamen of foreign competing countries, and that the standard of living on our ships is far superior to the standard of living on the ships of our commercial rivals.
 Our government should take such ac- tion as will remedy these inequalities. The American merchant marine should be restored to the ocean.
 Income and outgo.
 The act of March IA 1900, intended un- eouivocally to establish gold as the standard money and to maintain at . parity herewith all forms of money medium in use with us, has been shown to be timely and judicious. The price or our government bonds in the world's market when compared with the price of similar obligations issued by other na- tions. is fiattering tribute to our pub
 lie credit. This condition it is evidently desirable to maintain.
 In many respects the national banking law furnishes sufficient liberty for the proper exercise of the banking function, but there seems to be need of better safe guards against thes deranging influence of commercial crises and financial panies. Moreover, the currency of the country should be made responsive to the de- mands of our domestic trade and com merce.
 The collections from duties on imports and internal taxes continue to exceed the ordinary expenses of the government, thanks mainly to the reduced army ex- penditures. The utmost care should be taken not to reduce the revenues so that there will be any possibility of deficit: but after providing against any such contingency, means should be adopted which will bring the revenues more nearly within the limits of our actual needs. In his report to the Congress the Secretary of the Treasury considers all these ques- tions at length, and I ask you attention tc the report and recommendations.
 I call special attention to the need of strict economy in expenditures. The fact that our national needs forbid us to be niggardly in providing whatever is actu- ally necessary to our well-being should make us doubly careful to husband our national resources, as each of us hus- bands his private resources by scrupu- lous avoidance of anything like wasteful or reckless expenditure. Only by avoid ance of spending money on what is need less or unjustifiable can we legitimately keep our income to the point required to meet our needs that are genuine.
 Railroad Rates.
 In 1887 a measure was enacted for the regulation of interstate railways, com monly known as the interstate commerce act The cardinal provisions of that act were that railway rates should be just and reasonable, and that all shippers localities and commodities should be &C., corded equal treatment. A commission was created and endowed with what were supposed to be the necessary powers to execute the provisions of this act. That law was largely an experiment. Experience has shown the wisdom of it's purposes, but has also shown, possibly, that some of its requirements are wrong; certainly that the means devised for the enforcement of its provisions are defec- tive. Those who complain of the man. agement of the railways allege that es- tablished rates are not maintained; that rebates and similar devices are habitu- ally resorted to- that these preferences are usually in favor of!ethe large ship per; that they drive out of business the smaller competitors that while many rates are too low, many others are ex- oessivc snd that gross preferences are made, affecting both localities and com modities. Upon the other hand, the rail- ways assert that the law, by its very terms, tends to produce many of these illegal practices by depriv1ng carriers of that right of concerted action which they claim is necessary to establish and maintain on-discriminating rates. The act should be amended The rail- way is a public servant. It's rates should be just to and open to all shippers alike. The government should see to it that ! within its Jurisdiction this is sc, and should provide speedy, inexpensive and l effective remedy to that end. At the same | times 1t must not be forgotten that our railways are the arteries through which the commercial lifeblood of this nation 1 flows. Nothing could be more foolish than the enactment of legislation which would unnecessarily interfere with. the development and operation of these com mercial agencies. The subject is one of great importance and calls for the earnest attention of the Congress
 Department of Agriculture. | The Department of Agriculture during the past fifteen years has steadily broad ened It's work on economic lines and has accomplished results of real value in up- building domestic and foreign trade It has gone into new fields until it is now Tn touch with all sections of our country and with two of the island groups that l have lately come under our Jurisdiction whose people must look to agriculture as l a livelihood. It is searching the world 1 for grains, grasses, fruits and vegetables | specially fitted for introduction into To- calities in the several states and terri 1 tories where they may add materially to our resources. By scientific attention to soil survey and possible new crops. to breeding of new varieties of plants. to l experimental shipments, to animal indus try and applied chemistry, very practical aid has been given our farming and stock growing interests The products of the farm have taken an unprecedented place in our export trade during the year that has just closed s., The American Forest. 5 Public opinion throughout the United States has moved steadily toward a just appreciation of the value of forests. | whether planted or of natural growth.