Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1909-03-10

AIT, II QlSCufDS Inc WuOl0 UuSluSSS
of the country. 1t is imperatively
necessary, therefore, that a tariff bill
be drawn in good faith in accordance
with promises made before the cleo
ton by the party in power, and as
promptly passed as due consideration
will permit. 1t is not that the tar
if 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 up
on, 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 at
tempt no other legislation at the ex-
ira session. Mr.. Taft, however, ven-
lures 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.
Inheritance Tax
In the making of 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 $100,000,000 1t is i'm
perative that such a deficit should
| 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
come. Should it be impossible to
do so by import duties, new kinds
of taxation must be adopted, and
among these the president recon-
mends a graduated Inheritance tax, as
correct in principle and as certain
and easy of collection.
Natural Resources.
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 fed
eral government, including the most
important work of saving and restor-
| ing our forests, and the great i'm
provement of waterways, are all
proper government functions which
must involve large expenditure if
properly performed. While some OF
them, like the reclamation of arid
lands, are made to pay for themselves,
others are of such an indirect benefit
that this cannot be expected of them.
A permanent improvement, like the
Panama canal should be treated as
a distinct enterprise, and should be
paid for by the proceeds of bonds, the
issue of which will distribute it's cost
between the present and future gen.
erations in accordance with the bene-
fits derived. 1t may well be sub
mitted to the serious consideration of
congress whether the deepening and
control of the channel of great
river system, ike that of the Ohio or
of the Mississippi, when definite and
practical plans for the enterprise
have been approved and determined
upon, should not be provided for in
the same way.
The Militant Spirit.
We should have an army so organ
lied, and so Differed, as to be cap
able in time of emergency, in coop
GRAFTON with the national militia, to
expand into force sufficient to re-
sist all probable invasion from abroad
and to furnish a respectable expedit-
ionary force, if necessary, in the main
tenance of our traditional American
policy which bears the name of Presi-
dent Monroe.
In a few years the usual annual ap-
preparations for our coast defenses
both on the mainland and in
the dependencies will make
them sufficient to resist all
direct attack, and by that time we
may hope that the men to man them
will be provided as a necessary adj
junct. The distance of our shores
from Europe and Asia of course re-
duces the necessity for maintaining
under arms a great army, but it does
mere prudence that we should have
an army sufficiently large and so
constituted as to form a nucleus out
of which suitable force can quickly
grow.
What has been said of the army
may be affirmed in even a more en-
phatic way of the navy. A modern
navy cannot be improvised 1t must
be built and in existence when the
emergency arises which calls for it's
use and operation. Our internation-
al policy is always to promote peace.
We shall enter into any war with a
full consciousness of the awful con-
sequences that it always entails.
whether successful or not, and we, of
1 cOurSp shall mal.a avorxy offort 90,