The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-12-06

the growth Of a spirit which condemn
all dishonesty, whether In rich man o
in poor man, whether 1t takes the shap
Of bribery or Of blackmail. But muc1
can be done by legislation which is no
only drastic. but practical. There 1
need Of q far. stricter and more uni
form regulation of the vast insuranc,
interests Of this country. The Unitet
States should in this respect follow tn
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 ha:
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 Revenues.
There Is more need Of stability than
OF the attempt to attain an ideal per
fection In the methods Of raising rev.
SAuCt UAA SAC CAO(A 04V 0IEdIA W u1G
business world certain to attend any
serious change In these methods rem
der such change inadvisable unless for
grave reason. It 10 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 n section or one state only. There
must be something like a 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 ef-
fort to make It in such shape as will
combine, 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 n series of years together, equal
the expenditures or else tho revenues
must be increased. Last year there
was a deficit. Unless our expenditures
can be kept within the revenues then
our revenu laws must be r%eadjusted.
1t Is impossible to outline what shape
such a readjustment should take, for
1t 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 OF In favor of any
other nation maximum and minimum
tariff rates established by the congress,
90 rs 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 a%ppropria.
lions. All unnecessary offices should
be abolished. In the public printing
also a 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 yer looks.
Yet, in speaking of economy. I 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.
Evowvv nnc1Hn,nt ton 80 nrsNAnrno A.
mands the addition Of the element Of
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 a
larger volume Of money during the fall
and winter months than In tho less nc
tive seasons Of the year. 30 that the
currency will contract against specula-
ton and will expand for the needs OF
legitimate business. At present the
treasury department Is Mt 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 Il remedy which should be pro-
vided by congressional action.
Dusiness Methods I'm Departments.
At various times I have instituted In
vestigations into the organization and
conduct Of the business Of the execu'
tive departments. While none Of these
inquiries have vet progressed fal
enough to warrant final conclusions
they have already confirmed and en-
phasized the general impression that
the organization Of the departments IL
often faulty in principle and wastefu'
In results. while many Of their business
methods are Anticipated and inefficient
l recommend that the congress conside,
this subject.
Federal Elections.
In my last annual message l said:
1.-THE power Of the government t.
protect the integrity Of the elections Of