Morris tribune., 1909-03-06
to meet on the 10Th day Of March, !.


once given to a bill revising the Ding
ley act. This should secure an ade-
quate revenue and adjust the duties in
such manner as to afford to labor
and to all industries in this country,
whether of the farm, mine or factory,
ence between the cost of production
abroad and the cost Of production here
and have provision which shall put
into force, upon executive determina-
ton of certain facts, higher or maxi
mum tariff against those countries
requires such discrimination. It is
thought that there has been such a
change in conditions since the enact
ment of the Dingley act, drafted on
similarly protective principle, that the
measure of the tariff above stated will
permit the reduction of rates in certain
schedules and will require the ad
vancement of few, if any.
The proposal to revise the tariff
made in such an authoritative way as
to lead the business community to
count upon it necessarily halts all
those branches of business directly
affected, and as these are most i'm
portant it disturbs the whole business
of the country 1t is imperatively nee
essary, therefore, that tariff bill be
drawn in good faith in accordance
with promises made before the cleo
tion by the party in power and as
promptly passed as due consideration
will permit.
Inheritance Tax Advocated.
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 the
receipts by $1OO,O00,000. 1t is impera-
tive that such deficit shall not con-
tinue, 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 Sc
cure 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
graduated inheritance tax as correc'
in principle and as certain and easy Of
collection.
Government Economy Urged.
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 pos
sible is plain and should be affirmed in
every declaration of government pol
Icy. This is especially true when we
are face to face with heavy deficit
But when the desire to win the popu-
lar approval leads to the cutting off Of
really needed to make
the government effective and to en-
able it to accomplish its proper objects
the result is as much to be condemned
as the waste of government funds in
expenditure.
In the department of agriculture the
use Of scientific experiments on a large
scale and the spread of information
derived from them for the improve
ment of general agriculture must go
IN.
The Importance of supervising busi-
ness of great railways and industrial
combinations and the necessary inves-
tigation and prosecution of unlawful
business methods are another neces
,ary tax upon government which did
lot exist half a century ago.
Proper Forms of Expenditure.
The putting into force of laws which
shall secure the conservation of our
resources so far as they may be with
IN the jurisdiction of the federal gov
including the most important |
work of saving and restoring our for
ests, and the great improvement of wa |
:erways are all proper government |
functions which must involve large |
If properly performed.
While some of them, like the reclama-
lion of arid lands, are made to pay |
'or themselves, others are Of such an |
Indirect benefit that this cannot be ex-
oected of them. A permanent i'm
like the Panama canal,
should be treated as distinct enter |
Prise and should be paid for by the
proceeds Of bonds, the issue of which
will distribute it's cost between the
present and future generations in ac-
'ordance with the benefits derived. 1t |
nay we'll be submitted to the serious
of congress whether the
and control of the channel
# great river system like that of the
ohio or of the Mississippi when def
lite and practical plans for the enter
rise have been approved and deter
mined upon should not be provided for
n the same way.
Then, too, there are expenditures of
government absolutely necessary if our
ountry is to maintain its proper place
mong the nations of the world and is
o exercise it's proper influence in de-