The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-12-21
sv gibson GARDNER.

= eY gibson GARDNER.
Special 0orrsspoudsnoe TO The Press
WASHINGTON. D. c., Dec. 21.-
bA question SO big that 1t may divide
the nation on new party lines is
that brought startlingly to the front
by the announcement by President
Roosevelt and President-elect Taft
that they are in favor Of issuing
federal government bonds to carry
out the great undertakings involved
In the conservation and internal inn
provements programs.
The departure is radical. The use
OF the credit of the national govern
ment to pay for internal improve
ments, which become part OF the
permanent property Of the respec-
tive states. is something the gov
eminent never has done. Current
revenues are used for river and
harbor works and for the construc-
ton of lighthouses, whose title vest
In the federal government. But the
building of roads or the carrying on
of a great system of internal i'm
provements, by money borrowed on
federal credit, is departure which,
when 1t is taken, will be noted by
historians as one of the most rad
zeal since constitution was adopted.
1t may be wise; or 1t may not.
Opinion on this is bound to be d.
Nided. Much will be said on both
sides. The purpose of this dis.
patch is to call attention to the
Importance of the fact that the
president-elect announces his inten-
ton to pust the conservation pro-
gram even to this extent.
Up to 1860 this question was one
of the great party issues. Presi-
dents jefferson, Madison. Monroe
and Jackson opposed such policy
as unconstitutional. John Quincy
Adams was a warm advocate OF
such a program In 1906 a construc-
ton of the Cumberland road was
actually begun, in pursuit of a fed
eral road building program.
In 1S41 President Tyler vetoed a
law to distribute the federal sur
plus among the states. That was
the end of that particular scheme.
The Introduction Of railroads led
to a modification of the idea lin the
grant of land subsidies to new
western roads.
The whole internal Improvement
i program-which includes conserva'
ton of natural resources-really
hinges on the question of revenue.
Today the government faces a
decreasing revenue and an increas-
! ing budget The ordinary normal
government outlay is rapidly out
stripping the ordinary normal reve-
nue.. To carry on any such great
undertakings as that involved in
the internal waterways improve
ments and the conservation legisla
ton, means an enormously increas
ang expense.
How to raise 1t? The president
elect says: Borrow. Mortgage
the future. AS the benefits will
be shared by coming generations
let them share the expense.
: Members of congress are much
stirred up. A lot of the newer
members are not yet thinking
about It, but the old heads-the
members of the appropriations and
ways and means committees-are
getting into corners and saying a
lot. Speaker Cannon is deeply
stirred.
A typical opinion on Capitol Hill
1s that by Representative f. G.
Stevens of Minnesota:
- 81 believe that the issue of bonds
FOR these improvements would be
destructive and extremely injurious
to the welfare of the country. In
the first place 1t would impair the
splendid credit of the nation---a
credit which should be preserved
for emergencies. Bond issues for
purposes named would necessarily
be progressive and continuous and
would increase the burden of taxa
ton. These burdens would In.
crease year after year and would
rest most heavily on the poor con-
sumer, not on the rich property
owner. | therefore oppose their
creation.
'ln the second place believe
such an issue OF bonds would lead
to the utmost recklessness, waste
and extravaganza. 1t Is more than
we can do under present conditions
to prevent great waste and much
unwise use of federal money.
Finally there will be a great In.
crease of the present tendency to
have internal improvements which
ought to be done locally and car.
ried on at somebody else's expense.
The states now try to get the fed
eral government to do things the
states ought to do.
} Besides, posterity will have
~.f,ianses and burdens of its own.
ore OF this generation will be the
~