The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-03-12

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 1t would seem wise to
attempt no other legislation at the
extra session. I venture this as q
suggestion only, for the course to be
taken by congress, upon the call of
the executive, is wholly within its
discretion.
In the making Of tariff bill the
prime motive is taxation. and the Sc
curing thereby of 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 500, 100000. 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 1t,
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 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-
f1rmed 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
vestigation 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
| which shall secure the conservation Of
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 its own trade interests,
in the maintenance of traditional
American policy against the COLOMBIA
tion of European monarchies in this
hemisphere, and in the promotion of
peace and international morality.
refer to the cost of maintaining a
proper army, proper navy and suit
able Notifications upon the mainland
of the United States and in its de-
| tendencies.
One of the reforms to be carried
out during the incoming administra-
ton is 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 a
financial panic. The monetary COM
mission lately appointed is giving full
consideration to existing conditions
and to all proposed remedies, and will
doubtless suggest one that will meet
the requirements of business and of
public interest.
The incoming congress should
promptly fulfill the promise of the
Republican platform and pass a prop.
er postal savings bank bill. 1t will
not be unwise or excessive paternal-
ism.
1 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 and
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 OF
those restrictions.
The Panama canal will have a most
important bearing upon the trade be
tween the eastern and the far western
sections of our country, and will great
ly increase the facilities for trans
portation between the eastern and
the western seaboard, and may pos
sibly revolutionize the transcontinent
al rates with respect to bulky mer
chandise. It will also have a mos1
beneficial effect to increase the trade
between the eastern seaboard of the
United States and the western coast
of South America, and, indeed, will
some of the important ports on the
east coast of South America reached