Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-12-14
CONGRESS HEARS
SECOND MESSAGE
President Tells of Treasury and
Army Affairs.
PHILIPPINES ARE INCLUDED
Bill for Natives Independence De-
nounced as Observation-Disclosures
of Panama Canal.

Washington, Dec 6.-Congress today re-
ceived from President Taft the second of
deals with fiscal, military, insular and
judicial affairs and in part is as follows:
The condition of the country with ref
erence to business could hardly De better
While the four years of the administra-
ton now drawing to a close have not de-
veloped great speculative expansion or
wide field of new investment, the recov-
cry and progress made from the depress-
Ing conditions following the panic of 1907
have been steady and the Improvement
has been clear and easily traced in the
statistics. The business of the country Is
on a solid basis. Credits not
unduly extended and every phase of the
Situation seems in state of prepared
ness for period of unexampled prosper
lty- Manufacturing concerns are running
at their full capacity and the demand for
labor was never so constant and growing
The foreign trade of the country for this
year will exceed "a. 200. 900. 000 while the
balance in our favor-that of the excess
OF exports over imports-will exceed $780,
000, coo. More than half our exports are
manufactures partly manufactured
material, while exports of farm pro-
ducts do not show the same increase of
domestic consumption. 1t is a year of
bumper crops; the total money value of
farm products will exceed $9,500, 600 goo. 1t
is year when the bushel unit price
of agricultural products has gradually
fallen, and yet the total value of the en-
tire crop is greater by over s.. 900 100000
than we have known in our history
COnOItIOn OF the reaSury.
The condition of the treasury is very
satisfactory. The total interest-bearing
debt is 1868 III, 10. OF which s134 631 $50
stiute the Panama canal loan The nom
Understanding debt is sS7S. 301. 2S4 80, in
GLIDING 1916, GIL, Ole of greenbacks- We have
in the treasury $50. 0OO, 900 in gold coin as
reserve against the outstanding green
backs; and in addition have a cash
balance in the treasury general fund
of s167. 152. SO. increase of $26975,
652 the general fund last year.
Receipts and Expenditures.
For three years the expenditures of the
government have decreased under the in
f1uence of effort to economize- This
year presents apparent exception. The
estimate by the secretary of the treasury
of the ordinary receipts, exclusive of pos
tai revenues. for the year ending June
30. 1914. indicates that they will amount
to $40. 1000 The sum of the estimates
of the expenditures for that same year,
exclusive of Panama canal disbursements
and postal disbursements payable from
postal revenues is $732. 1000. indicating a
deficit of $22. 0O0. Goo For the year ending
June so. 1913. similarly estimated receipts
were s667. 900. while the total CORE
spending estimate of expenditures for that
year. submitted through the secretary of
the treasury to congress. amounted to
s65s, 600. 900. This shows increase of
SIG, 600. COO in the estimates for 1914 over
the total estimates of 1913 This is due to
an increase of 81. 600 600 in the estimate
for rivers and harbors for the next year
projects and surveys authorized by
pension bill of So. 5000 and to an in
crease in the estimates for expenses of
the navy department of S24OOO,OOO- The
estimate for the navy department for the
year 1913 included two battleships- Con-
gross made provision for only one battle
ship and therefore the navy department.
has deemed it necessary and proper TO
make an estimate which includes the first
years expenditure for three battleshipS
in addition to the amount required for
work on the uncompleted ships now under
f,.5,,, Tor, 70 46sa
increase in the expenditures for the u1--
completed ships. and the additional bat
tleship estimated for, the other increases
are due to the pay required for 1000 or
more additional enlisted men in the navy.
and to this must be added the additional
cost of construction imposed by tho
change in the eight-hour law which
makes it applicable to ships built In Prf-
vate shipydrds.
With the exceptions of these three
Items. the estimates show a reduction
this year below the total estimates for
1913 of more than 100000
The estimates for Panama canal con-
struction for 1914 ST, 900 600 less than
for 1919
The president then explained at some
length the national reserve association
system recommended by the monetary
commission and urged congress to
anime the plan impartiany from all
standpoints and then to adopt some
sired.
Concerning the tariff he had little to
say in view of the fact that new con-
gress has been elected a platform
of tarin for revenue only.
Army Reorganization
Our small army now consists of S. 500
men. excluding the 5000 Philippine scouts
Leaving out of consideration the coast
artillery force. whose position is fixed in
our various seacoast defenses. and the
present garrisons of our various insular
possessions. have today within the
continental United States a mobile army
of only about $4,000 men This little force
must be still further drawn upon to sup
ply the new garrisons for the great naval
base which is being established at Pearl
Harbor, in the Hawaiian islands. and to
protect the locks now rapidly approaching
completion at Panama. The forces re-
manning in the United States are now
scattered in nearly fifty posts, situated
for variety of historical reasons in
twenty-four states These posts contain
only fractions of regiments. averaging
less than 100 men each In time of peace
IT has been historical policy to adj
minister these units separately by a geo
graphical organization In other words
our army in time of peace has never been
united organization but merely scat
tered groups of companies. battalions and
regiments. and the first task in time of
war has been to create out of these scat
tered units army fit for effective team
work and cooperation.