The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-24
In Doubt Whether or Not He
Can Make Good.
HIS FUTURE COURSE.
Will Include an Avoidance of
the Newspapers.
Talks on Governmental Economy
at Newark, N. j.

| raced his prepared address before the
Newark board of trade here with a pas
slonate statement of his feelings after
being year in the White House which
brought the audience to its feet with
| cheers He took occasion 20 pay his
| respects to the newspapers, saying he
| was going home to Washins,on and
| avoid them.
Former Governor Franklin Murphy in
introducing Mr.. Taft predicted the Tres
| ident would make good and took a fling
n1mself at the new -lapers.
Il had not intended to say anything
on the subject of my frs. year in the
| White e." said the president.
alter Wnat Governor Murphy has so
graclously said, can not refrain from
| trsonal word or two.
1T is true I told him 1 wanted to
make good year ago. am not certain
| OF doins it now. He said something
aocut the newspapers. When the news
papers and prone to criticise and some
| times unite in hammering your ad-
mlnlstration, re" ting it Sc metim. with
contemptuous disdain and sometimes
| with patronizing friendship it is hard
to overcome the feeling that perhaps
| you oas;ht to begin all over again.
In view of all that. to have received
| the welcome which greeted ME today
gives little hope hat perhaps the
newspapers don carry in :he-r packets
the American people are able 20 see
through something of hyperc-iticiSm
something of hysteria and something of
| hypocrisy and to h I'VE a real sympathy
with the man who under considerable
responsibility is doing the best he can.
They say. that ometi.nes demonstra-
tloDS are misleading. but am goi e to
believe, as 1 said. that your reception
| IS sincere and am going to take that
| fattering JUNCTION to my soul as I go
back to Washington and avoid the
newspapers.
You see. therefore, that when came
here I was in a frame of mind which
made your welcome as balm to my soul
e nd carry away a sense of gratitude
i that will never depart from my menu
cry
Talks ON Economy.
Mr.. Taft took for his theme the home
| told of the efforts being made by his
| administration to cut down appropria-
tioLs wherever possible. In addition to
| this the president lee ara.' he shared
| to be appointed to revise the business
Liethods CT the big departments a.
Washington, r1ay effect a saving ap-
| proximating $10c .000.0 900 a year.
The president said:
II should like to direct your atten-
ton to the question of government ex-
penses and government revenue, and
the possible economies, and what ex-
renditures are essential at whatever
burden of taxation.
I'm the first place, It should he said
that we have been SO far from ex-
| hausting the resources of national tax
alton and federal revenues have been
objected SO easily, and in such an
| amount, that we have failed in the past
to adopt a budget system which is
practiced in every other civilized coun-
try. By a budget system mean a ref
erence of proposed expenditures and re-
nsa aivafC tn a Cr tTffrr1-
nal, which, after determining what tho
revenues will be, must also determine
what the expenditures can be, and
make a budget without deficit
I'm our legisla: I'VE body, which pro-
vides the revenue and authorizes the
expenditures. the time was when the
committee on ways and means, on the
| one hand determined the revenues OF
| for raising them. and on the other hand
determined the appropriations and
easured the expenditures. but for
many years in our congress these func-
tions have been divided. The revenues
are provided by the ways and means
committee OF the house and the fin: nee
| committee OF the senate and submitted
| to the respective houses. white the ap-
| preparations are made by the appro-
priation committee of the house and
senate and, in too many instances.
| without apparent reference to the reve-
nues which are to be available to meet
| the appropriations.
Surpluses and Deficits.
| "It has so happened that in many
years of the past, the revenues have
| increased more rapidly than the ex-
penditures, and there has been sur
plus. During the life of the Dingley
| bill, which carried us from 1895 to
/ 1908, the revenues exceeded the ex-
penditures by about $250,000,000, but
| the surplus took place in the early
years, SO that in 1908 we had a deficit
| and in 1909 we had a deficit.
1.-The calculations of the secretary Of
the treasury for the present year
showed the deficit was likely to be
$34,OOO,0O0 in respect to ordinary re-
ceipts and expenditures. am glad to
say that the operation of the new tar
/ iff bill has been SO much more produc-
tive of income that this deficit for the
current year is likely to be consider
ably reduced.
nary deficit, we have to add the PAN
| anna canal expenditure for immediate
provision of $38,000.o00 or what was
estimated to be a total deficit of $72,-
! 100000, is now reduced considerably
| by the better rates under the present
| tariff bill.
Panama canal with the proceeds or
| bond issues we have enough cash in
the treasury to meet the deficit in our
| ordinary expenses for the current year,
and il we meet the expenditures on the
Panama canal for the following year
we shall have surplus of $4,000, 900:
| or If the revenue producing capacity of
the new tariff keeps up to it's present
indications, this surplus may be in
creased to $50,000,000. On the other
hand. if congress proposes to add to
1.-THE expenditures of the government