The Oskaloosa herald., 1909-12-09

\ animation OF the law and an understand
| ing of the nature of the facts which
/ should be considered in discharg e
| ing the functions imposed upon the execu-
tive show that have the power to direct
| the tariff board to make a comprehensive
| glossary and encyclopedias of the terms
used and articles embraced In the tariff
4 law, and to secure information as to the
/ cost of production of such goods in this
1 country and the cost of their production
| in foreign countries have therefore ep-
| pointed tariff board consisting of three
! members and have directed them TO per-
! form all the duties above described. This
work will perhaps take two or thrs
years. and ask from congress a continu-
ing annual appropriation equal to that al
ready made for its prosecution. I believe
| that the work of this board will be OF
prime utility and Importance whenever
| congress shall deem II wise again to re-
adjust the Customs duties II the facts
secured by the tariff board are of such a
| character as to show generally that the
rates of duties imposed by the present
| tariff law are excessive under the prin-
ciples of protection as described In the
platform of the successful party at the
late election, shall not hesitate to I'm
vite the attention of congress to this fact
and to the necessity for action predicated
| thereon. Nothing, however, halts bust
ness and interferes with the course of
prosperity so much as the threatened re-
vision of the tariff, and until the facts are
at hand, after careful and deliberate in
| vestigation, upon which such revision can
properly be undertaken, 1t seems to me
unwise to attempt 1t. The amount of mis-
| information that creeps into arguments
pro and con in respect to tariff rates is
| such as to require the kind of investiga-
| ton that have directed the tariff board
to make. an investigation undertaken by
haII ,.yith TO . aefa
which the facts may have in calling for a
readjustment of the rates of duty.
War Department.
In the interest of immediate economy
| and because Of the prospect of a deficit,
| / have required a reduction in the esti-
| mates of the war department for the
coming fiscal year. which brings the to-
tai estimates down to an amount forty
| five millions less than the corresponding
| estimates for last year. This could only
be accomplished by cutting off new
| projects and suspending for the period
of one year all progress in military mat
! tiers. For the same reason have direct
| ed that the army shall not be recruited
up to its present authorized strength.
| These measures can hardly be more than
| temporary-to last until our revenues are
| in better condition and until the whole
| question OF the expectancy OF adopting
definite military policy can be submitted
| to congress, for I am sure that the inter-
ests of the military establishment are Sc
! riously in need of careful consideration by
congress. The laws regulating the organ
| iZatton of our armed forces in the event
! of war need to be revised in order that
| the organization can be modified so as
to produce force which would be more
consistently apportioned throughout it's
numerous branches. To explain the cir
| wi is
based would necessitate lengthy discus
sion, and postpone II until the first con-
venient opportunity shall arise to send to
congress special message upon this sub
| ject
OF the changes recommended by
the secretary of war, the president
especially urges the passage of bill
that will permit the elimination of the
less efficient officers. He concurs in
the opinion Of the military and naval
joint board In favor of making an ex-
tensive naval base at Pearl Harbor,
near Honolulu, and not in the Philip
pines.
The Navy.
The return of the battleship feet from
| its voyage around the world, in more eff
| ficlent condition than when 1t started was
a noteworthy event of interest alike to
our citizens and the naval authorities of
| the world. Besides the beneficial and far
reaching effect on our personal and dip
lomatic relations in the countries
which the fleet visited the marked sue
] cess of the ships in steaming around the
world in all weathers on schedule time
has increased respect for our navy and
has added to our national prestige.
Early in the coming session a compre-
| hensive plan for the reorganization OF the
officers of all corps of the navy will be
| presented to congress, and hope it will
meet with action suited to its urgency.
Owing to the necessity for economy in
| expenditures, have directed the curtail-
ment of recommendations for naval ap-
preparations so that they are thirty-eight
millions less than the corresponding es-
| Inmates Of last year, and the request for
new naval construction is limited to two
first-class battleships and one repair YES
sci.
Mr.. Taft urges upon congress that
the naval observatory be dedicated to
science under control of some emf
nent astronomer.
Expedition In Legal Procedure.
The deplorable delays in the admins
tration of civil and criminal law have re-
!
American Bar association and of many
state bar associations, as well as the con-
sidered thought of judges and jurists. In
my judgment change in judicial pro-
| cedure, with view to reducing it's ex-
| pense to private litigants in civil cases
and facilitating the dispatch OF business
4 and final decision in both civil and Grim
| inal cases constitutes the greatest need
| in our American institutions. l do not
| doubt for one moment that much of the
| lawless violence and cruelty exhibited
! in lynchings is directly due to the uncer-
families and injustice growing out of the
delays in trials, judgments and the exc
cutions thereof by our courts. OF course
these remarks apply quite as well to the
administration of justice in state courts
| as to that in federal courts, and without
making invidious distinction 1t is per-
haps not too much to say that, speaking
| generally, the defects are less in the
| federal courts than in the state courts.
| But they are very great in the federal
courts. The expedition with which bust
ness is disposed of both on the civil and
the criminal side of English courts under
modern rules of procedure makes the
| delays in our courts seem archaic and
barbarous. The procedure in the federal
| courts should furnish an example for the
| state courts. l presume II is impossible,
without an amendment to the constitu-
| ton, to unite under one form of action
! the proceedings at common law and pro-
| ceedings in equity in the federal courts,
but 1t is certainly not impossible by a