The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-12-05


all dishonesty, whether in rich man OF
In poor man, whether it takes the shape
Of bribery or of blackmail., But much
| can be done by legislation which is not
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 ma
tional in character.
l repeat my previous recommends
ton 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 in
adequate is generally conceded.
The ReveRues.
There Is more need Of stability than
| Of the attempt to attain an ideal per-
| lection in the methods of raising rev.
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. It is not possible to lay
! down any general rule by which to de-
| termine the moment when the reasons
| for will outweigh the reasons against
such a 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
whole, and there should then be sin
cere, intelligent and disinterested eff
fort to make it in such shape as will
! combine, so far as possible. the maxi
| mum of good to the people at large
! with the minimum of necessary diSre-
| gard for the special interests Of locali-
| ties or classes, but i'll time of peace
| the revenue must. on the average,
| taking a series of years together equal
| the expenditures or else the revenues
| must lie increased. Last year there
was a deficit. Unless our expenditures
! can be kept within the revenues then
| our revenue laws must be readjusted.
It is impossible to outline what shape
such a REIMBURSEMENT should take, for
| it is as yet too early to say whether
| there will be need for it. It 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 a certain reciprocity of
treatment between other nations and
ourselves.
Economy In Expenditures.
| I earnestly recommend to the con-
| gress the need of economy and, to this
| end, of a. rigid scrutiny Of appropria-
tons. All unnecessary Offices should
also large saving Of money can be
made. There is a 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 a crime against
the nation. TO fail to push forward all
work on the Panama canal would be
as great a folly.
| Currency.
| Every consideration of prudence de-
| tho Of fho ~
elasticity to our currency system. The
evil does not consist in an inadequate
volume of money, but in the rigidity
Of this volume, which does not respond
as it should to the varying needs Of
communities and of seasons. Imitation
must be avoided, but some provision
should be made that will insure
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 specula-
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
| IIC Hull CSlS VI luc tAlutIlCdu
to try to avert financial crises by pro-
viding remedy which should be pro-
vided by congressional action.
Business Methods In Department..
| At various times have instituted in
vestigations 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-
| phasized the general impression that
the organization of the departments is
often faulty in principle and wasteful
in results, while many of their business
methods are antiquated and inefficient.
recommend that the congress consider
! this subject.
Federal Elections.
In my last annual message said:
| "The power Of the government to
protect the integrity Of the elections of
| its own officials is inherent and has
been recognized and affirmed by re-
| peated declarations of the supreme
Sc, of g.