The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-03-06

drawn ii god faith in accordance
with promises made before the cleo
ton by the party in power, and as
| promptly passed as due consideration
will permit. It is not that the tariff
is more important in the long run
than the perfecting of the reforms in
respect to antitrust legislation and
interstate commerce regulation, but
the need for action when the revision
of the tariff has been determined
upon is more immediate to avoid en-
barrassment of business. To secure
the needed speed in the passage of
the tariff bill it would seem wise to
attempt no other legislation at the
extra session. I venture this as a
suggestion only, for the course to be
taken by congress, upon the call of
the executive, is wholly within it's
| discretion.
| In the making of a tariff bill the
prime motive is taxation, and the Sc
curing thereby of a revenue. Due
largely to the business depression
which followed the financial panic of
1907, the revenue from customs and
other sources has decreased to such
an extent that the expenditures for
the current fiscal year will exceed re-
ceipts by $100,000,000. 1t is imperative
that such deficit shall not continue,
and the trainers of the tariff bill must
OF course have in mind the total
revenues likely to be produced by it,
and so arrange the duties as to secure
an adequate income. Should it be
| impossible to do so by import duties,
new kinds of taxation must be adopt
| ed, and among these I recommend a
graduated inheritance tax as correct
! in principle and as certain and easy
of collection.
The obligation on the part of those
responsible for the expenditures made
to carry on the government to be as
economical as possible, and to make
| the burden of taxation as light as
possible, is plain and should be af.
firmed in every declaration of gov.
eminent policy. This is especially
true when we are face to face with
a heavy deficit.
| In the department of agriculture
the use Of scientific experiments on a
| large scale and the spread of informa-
ton derived from them for the i'm.
provement of general agriculture,
must go on.
The Importance of supervising bust.
ness OF great railways and industrial
| combinations, and the necessary in.
| vesttgation and prosecution of unlaw-
full business methods, are another
necessary tax upon government which
did not exist half century ago.
The putting into force of laws
uyhi oh h. -
our resources, so far as they may be
| within the jurisdiction of the federal
government, including the most i'm.
portant work of saving and restoring
! our forests, and the great improve,
| ment of waterways, are all proper
| government functions which must in.
volve large expenditure if properly
| performed.
Then, too, there are expenditures of
government absolutely necessary If
our country is to maintain it's proper
place among the nations of the world
and is to exercise it's proper influence
in defense of it's own trade interests
in the maintenance of traditional
American policy against the colonial
ton of European monarchies in this
hemisphere, and in the promotion OF
peace and international morality.
refer to. the cost of maintaining a
proper army, a proper navy and suit
able Notifications upon the mainland
of the United States and in it's de-
tendencies.
/ One of the reforms to be carried
out during the incoming administra
ton is a change of our monetary and
banking laws, SO as to secure greater
| elasticity in the forms of currency
available for trade, and to prevent
the limitations of law from operating
to increase the embarrassments of q
financial panic. The monetary com
mission lately appointed is giving full
consideration to existing conditions
and to all proposed remedies, and viii
doubtless suggest one that will NEE
the requirements of business and o.
public interest.
The incoming congress should
promptly fulfill the promise of tho
Republican platform and pass a prop
er postal savings bank bill. It will
not be unwise or excessive paternal
ism.
I sincerely hope that the incoming
congress will be alive, as it should
be, to the Importance of our foreign
trade and of encouraging it in its
every way feasible.
The Importance which the depart
ment of agriculture and of commerce
and labor may play in Kidding the
markets of Europe of prohibitions anC
determinations against the importa
ton OF our products is fully under
stood, and it is hoped that the use
of the maximum and minimum feature
Of our tariff law to be soon passed
will be effective to remove many O.
those restrictions.
The Panama canal will have mos
important bearing upon the trade he
tween the eastern and the far western
sections of our country, and will great
| ly increase the facilities for trans
portation between the eastern an(
the western seaboard, and may pos
sibly revolutionize the transcontinent
al rates with respect to bulky mer
chandise. 1t will also have a mos
beneficial effect to increase the trad.
between the eastern seaboard of tn,
United States and the western coas
of South America, and, indeed, will
some of the important ports on tn,
east coast of South America reached
by rail from the west coast The wor]
on the canal is making most satisfac
tory progress. The type of the cana
as lock canal was fixed by congress
after full consideration of the con
flicting reports of the majority an
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