The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-03-10

30 be proposed are JUST as necessary IN
the protection of legitimate business as
In the clinching of the reforms which
bear the name Of my prede-
cessor.
Revision Of the Tariff.
A matter Of most pressing impor-
tance Is the revision Of the tariff. In
with the promises Of the
platform upon which was elected, l
shall call congress into extra session,
to meet on the 10Th day Of March, in
order that consideration may be at
once given to a bill revising the Ding
ley act. This should secure an ade-
quate revenue and adjust the duties In
such a manner as to afford to labor
and to all industries In this country,
whether Of the farm, mine or factory,
protection by tariff equal to the differ
ence between the cost Of production
abroad and the cost Of production here
and have a provision which shall put
into force, upon executive determina-
ton Of certain facts, higher or maxi
mum tariff against those countries
whose trade policy toward us equitably
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 a
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. It is imperatively nee.
essary, therefore, that tariff bill be
drawn in good faith in accordance
with promises made before the elec.
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 fol
the current fiscal year will exceed the
receipts by $1OOO0O,O0O. 1t Is impera.
tive that such deficit shall not con-
tinue, and the trainers Of the tarlH
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
ed, and among these recommend a
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 III
every declaration Of government pol
icy. This is especially true when we
are face to face with a heavy deficit.
But when the desire to win the popu
lar approval leads to the cutting off of
expenditures 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
unnecessary 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
on.
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-
sary tax upon government which did
not exist half 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
ernment, including the most important
work Of saving and restoring our for
ests, and the great Improvement of wa
terways are all proper government
functions which must involve large
If properly performed.
While some Of them, like the reclama-
ton of arid lands, are made to pay
for themselves, others are of such an
indirect benefit that this cannot be ex-
pected Of them. A permanent i'm
provement, 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
win distribute its cost between the
present and future generations in ac-
with the benefits derived. 1t
may well be submitted to the serious