Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-07

that certain OF the men nt the Aead OF
these large corporations take but small
note of the ethical distinction between
honesty and dishonesty. They draw
the line only this side Of what may b
called law honesty, the kind Of honesty
necessary in order to avoid falling into
the clutches Of the Inv. OF course the
only complete remedy for this condi.
tion must be found In an aroused pub.
lie conscience. a higher sense Of ethical
conduct In the community Mt large and
especially among business men and In
the great profession Of the law, and In
the growth Of spirit which condemns
all dishonesty. whether in rich man OF
IN poor man. whether 1t takes the shape
Of bribery or Of blackmail. But much
can be done by Legislation which is no,
only drastic. but practical. There Is
need of far stricter and more uni.
form regulation Of the vast insurance
interests of this country. The United
States should in this respect follow the
policy Of other nations by providing
adequate national supervision of com.
mercial interests which are clearly na.
tonal In character.
repeat my previous recommends
tion that the congress should consider
whether the federal government has
any power or owes any duty with re.
spect to domestic transactions IN In
surance OF an interstate character.
That state supervision has proved ill.,
adequate is generally conceded.
The Revenues.
There Is more need of stability than
OF the attempt to attain an ideal per
lection In the methods Of raising row
enue. and the shock and strain TO the
business world certain 10 attend any
serious change in these methods rem
der such change inadvisable unless for
grave reason. 1t is not possible to lay
down any general rule by which to de-
ternine the moment when the reasons
for will outweigh the reasons against
such change. No change can be
made on lines beneficial TO or desired
by one section or one state only. There
must be something like general agree
ment among the citizens Of the several
states that the change Is needed and
desired in the interest Of the people as a
whole. and there should then be q sim
cere, intelligent and disinterested cf-
fort to make 1t in such shape as will
combiae, SO far as possible the maxi.
mum of good to the people ut large
with the minimum Of necessary disre-
gard for the special interests Of local.
ties or classes, but In time Of peace
the revenue must. on the average,
taking a series Of years together, equal
the expenditures or else the revenues
must he increased. Last year there
WIS deficit. Unless our expenditures
can be kept within the revenues then
our revenue lava must be readjusted.
1t is impossible to outline what shape
such REIMBURSEMENT should take, Cor
it is as yet too early to say whether
there will be need for It. 1t should be
considered whether it is not desirable
that the tariff laws should provide for
applying as against or in favor of any
other nation maximum and minimum
tariff rates established by the congress,
so as to secure certain reciprocity Of
treatment between other nations and
ourselves.
EcOpOEy In Expenditurcs.
I earnestly recommend to the con.
gress the need Of econony aud, to this
end. Of a rigid scrutiny Of appropria-
tons. All unnecessary Offices should
be abolished. In the public printing
also large saving of money can be
made. There is n constantly growing
tendency to publish masses OF unim-
portant information at which no human
being ever looks.
Yet. in speaking Of economy, must
in nowise be understood as advocating
the false economy which Is In the end
the worst extravaganza. To cut down
In the navy would be crime agains.
the nation. To fail to push forward all
work on the Panama canal would be
as great folly.
Currency.
Every consideration Of prudence de-
mands the addition Of the element Of
elasticity to our currency system. Tho
evil does not consist in an Inadequate
volume Of money. but in the rightly
OF this volume, which does not respond
as 1t should to the varying needs Of
communities and of seasons. Imitation
must be avoided. but some provision
should be made that will insure a
larger volume Of money during the fall
and winter months than in the less &C.
tive seasons Of the year. so that the
currency will contract against specuia-
ton and will expand for the needs Of |
legitimate business. At present the !
treasury department Is at irregularly
recurring intervals obliged In the inter.
est Of the business world-that is, in
the interests Of the American public
to try to avert financial crises by pro-
viding remedy which should be pro-
vided by congressional action.
Business Methods In Departments.
At various times have Instituted in
vestigatons into the organization and
conduct Of the business Of the execu.
tive departments. While none of these
Inquiries have yet progressed far
enough to warrant final conclusions,
they have already confirmed and EN-.
phaslzed the general impression that
the organization OF the departments Ia
often faulty In principle and wasteful
In results. while many of their business
are Anticipated and inefficient.
recommend that the congress consider
this subject.