Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-12
TAFT'S ECONOMY
PLEASES NATION
Hilles Asserts Business Men Are
for President Reelection
on That Point.

.-------.
Beverly. Mass, Sept S-Charles D.
Hilles, chairman of the republican ma
tional committee, is optimistic over the
prospect for the reelection OF President
Taft in November. Mr.. Hilles and
George II. Sheldon, treasurer OF the com
mittee. were guests on board the Presi-
dents yacht Mavhower, which arrived
here yesterday from New London
Mr.. Hilles declared that he had found
the business men Of the country in favor
Of the Presidents recollection because they
regarded his administration Of the last
three years as combining both progress
and safety in governmental affairs Mr..
Hlles declined to comment on the selec-
ton of Oscar s. Strnus rs the progressive
candidate for governor of New York
State
IT find that conservative business men
look with favor on the candidacy of
President taft for reelection because
they know he has been a conscientious
and successful administrator Of the
finances of the government" Mr.. Hilles
said.
| Usually public official who imposes
check on the increase Of expenditures
iinds that he has performed a thankless
task IT is not a sufficiently spectacular
stunt to lay hold Of the Imagination.
tine situation in the treasury with which
| President Taft was confronted was very
different from that which confronted Mr.
| Roosevelt when he became president
DEFICIT UNDER ROOSEVELT.
"Mr Roosevelt In 1902 assumed charge
of government whose ordinary dis
| bursements for that fiscal year were
| SAL. 100, S57 The receipts for that year
| were 100000 in excess of the disburse-
ments. The aggregate of public expen-
diture increased steadily for seven years
| under Mr.. Roosevelt During the last
year of his administration the total Of
| the current operating expenses had at
tanned the unprecedented figure Of $685.
324.4 IA; and during that year there was
| a deficit Of $5S,O0O.oOc.
| Thus, by ignoring opportunities for
| effectng economies and introducing ef-
| ficiency. President Roosevelt had per-
| mitted surplus of s9o,0p0OtD in 1902 to
| become deficit of S5S, co. coo IN l91o and
| during that period OF seven years the
| ordinary expenses of the government
| had increased 1891, CO., Hence the In
| crease in the cost of conducting the ordi-
nary governmental operations during
the Roosevelt regime was almost six per
cent. annually; it was four per cent dur
| ing the preceding period Of 10 years
and approximately three per cent. per
| annum in the decade of 1882 to 1892
"Mr Taft might have looked with COM
placence upon this phase of govern
| mental operations and defended an an
| nual increase in disbursements of five or
SIX per cent. by pointing to the practice
of the past % years." Mr.. Hilles added.
| But he chose to dedicate himself to
the task of setting a great business house
| in order SO that instead OF increasing
the burden of expenditure $35 yOoo,oD0 a
year during each of three years Presi-
dent Tafts administration has reduced
the ordinary disbursements from $685.
| co., 900 per annum to s6b4, 900 per an
| mum, and the deficit of 5000 600 for the
| last year of the Roosevelt administra-
ton has been turned into a surplus of
$50. 10000 in the last year of the Taft
administration.
| GIVES A POLITICAL LUNCHEON.
President Taft gave political luncheon
at his residence at Parramatta yesterday.
In addition to Mr.. Hlles and Mr. Sheldon
the guest list included Charles NJ. Clark
| Of Hartford. Charles F.. Brooker, republ-
| can national committeeman. and j. Henry
| Rerabook, State chairman, all of Connect
| lieut.. Congressman Sheffield and General
| Wilson of Rhode Island and Samuel Pow
ers of Mass chusetts. a member Of the
| advisory board of the national committee.
They reported that the republican senti-
rlent in southern New England is strongly
in favor of the recollection Of the Presi-
dent. Plans for the coming campaign in
| these States were also discussed.
| The officials OF the White House were
amused over the reports from Washington
that Secretary of the Interior Waiver l..
| Fisher intended to resign to join the Pro-
gressve party movement. Mr.. Fisher rs
now on his way to Honolulu to investigate
charge against Governor Frear OF Ha-
| wall. Mr.. Fisher was closely associated
with Clifford Pinchot. ]. r. Garfield and
other prominent members of the Progress
sve party in the conservative movement
and his selection by President Taft as a
successor to Secretary Ballinger was gen.
orally approved by the so-called progress
sives
The President is confident of Mr.. Fish
ers loyalty to the Taft administration and
is not worrying over the reports Of his
| alleged detection.