The Washington herald., 1908-04-27
NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE
Must BE Found IL Naval and Other
Expenf5fures Inereasa.
AldHel's sDeech on SATURDAY.

Expenditures Increase.
From Senator Aldriei's Speech on SATURDAY.
Since the Spanish-Amerscan war we
have had an era of extravaganza in ex-
! pendltures. There has been apparently
little limit to appropriations and expendi-
lures. With prosperity. degree Of pros
perity that the world has never before
/ known, our revenues mounted higher and
/ higher every month, and we evidently,
and perhaps naturally. thought there was
no limit and should be no limit TO our
| appropriations for the public service.
But a change has taken place. The
revenues Of the country are falling of.
/ The deficiency In the month Of April Will
be more than sll,000,0OO. The deficiency
for the present fiscal year will be at least
/ $500 600. What is the duty of Congress
IN this emergency? The appropriation
bills now In this chamber or IN the other
provide for an increase Of appropriations
over those made last year OF SlO4. .000,000:
and the end is not yet. There is a public
/ buildings bill. which will probably pass,
which may add S20,0O0oOO TO that. making
an increase Of appropriations In this fiscal
i year over the last Of $124.O00. 600. and this
with a deficiency in revenue this year of
$50, ,0OO,OO0
What do Senators propose 10 do about
this? There is suggestion made, which
] imagine may eyentuate In some results,
that the committees of the two Houses
shall in the near future with view OF
revising our revenue laws. consider the
tariff and the revenues Of the country.
If such a committee is appointed, as
things now stand and with the rapIdity
of increases IN the expenditures the prin-
cipal duty of that committee will be TO
find new sources Of revenue for the gov
ernment. New sources OF taxation must
be found, or the present revenue-p -produc-
ing taxes and custom duties must neees-
sarily be increased.
I cali the attention Of the members OF
this body to that serious situation If
Thought that the peace Of the United
States or It's honor or the welfare Of the
American navy depended upon these ad-
ditional battle ships, would not hesitate
to vote for two or twenty. But there is
no such question here. gentlemen. No
man VIII rise In this body and say and
there is no member Of the executive
branch Of the government who will say,
I
two or three years. or at any other time
IN the near future. ! do not say by that
that war is impossible. II Is not neces-
saTy 10 say that l say II IL very Inn
probable We cannot compete with Grea;
Britain In a navy. There is no reason
why we should. The efficiency Of our
navy is Of more consequence than its size.
Every man who listens TO me knows that
/ Four battle ships will add IS 05G 000 per
aunum 10 the ordinary expenses Of the
navy for their maintenance. Eight mil
lion dollars more per annum at least
should be added for repairs and deprecia-
riOn. This authorization means, then
Sl60)00N added every year 10 the amount
raised by taxes 20 be paid by the people
or the United States, for what purpose
Tc prepare for possible conflicts which,
In my judgment. viii never occur except
in the fancy or imagination OF the Senator
from Indiana.