Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1912-12-12
PRESIDENT SENDS ANOTHER MESSAGE
Tells Congress About the Fiscal, Military, nsuIar
and Judicial Affairs Of the Nation, Including
Panama Canal and Tolls Established.

ceivad fys,Ea President Taft the second of
tas messages to the short session. 1T
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 be better.
While the four years of the administra-
fion now drawing to a close have not de-
veloped great speculative expansion or a
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
now on solid basis. Credits are not
unduly extended and every phase of the
situation seems In a state of prepared
ness for period of unexampled prosper
ity 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 1900. 600 900. while the
balance in our favor-that of the excess
OF exports over iniports-will exceed $780,
100000. More than half our exports are
manufactures or partly manufactured
material. while our exports of farm pro-
ducts do not show the same increase OF
domestic consumption. 1t is year Of
bumper crops; the total money value Of
farm products will exceed 50, 800, 900 900. 1t
is year when the bushei or unit price
OF agricultural products has gradually
fallen. and yet the total value of the en-
tire crop is greater by over $1,000. 100000
than we have known in our history.
Condition Of the Treasury.
The condition of the treasury is very
satisfactory. The total interest-bearing
debt is 1868 IT, TO. of which 1884 ssi. $50 con-
stiute the Panama canal loan. The non
interest bearing debt is SITS. 301 2S4. 80, in
Guiding $346, 81, 016 of greenbacks. We have
in the treasury $50. 100000 in gold coin as
reserve against the outstanding green
backs: and In addition we have cash
balance in the treasury as general fund
of $167. 152 1889, or an increase Of S26975,-
552 over the general fund last year.
Receipts and Expenditures.
For three years the expenditures of the
government have decreased under the in
huence OF an 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
3d. 1914, indicates that they will amount
TO s17o, 600, 900. 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 $7s2. 100000. indicating a
deficit OF $22, 100000. For the year ending
June 80, 1918. similarly estimated receipts
were S667 .0o0 while the total corre-
spending estimate of expenditures for that
the treasury to congress, amounted to
$685. 600 000 This shows increase of
S76.OO0000 in the estimates for 1914 over
the total estimates of 1913. This is due to
an increase of SIS. 900 in the estimate
for rivers and harbors for the next year
on projects and surveys authorized by
congress; to an increase under the new
pension bill of $32,50o0oo; and TO an In
crease in the estimates for expenses OF
the navy department of $24, 000, 600. The
estimate for the navy department for the
year 1913 included two battleships. Con-
gress made provision for only one battle
ship, and therefore the navy department
has deemed 1t necessary and proper to
make ar estimate which includes the first
years expenditure for three battieships
in addition to the amount required for
work on the uncompleted ships now under
construction In addition to the natural
increase in the expenditures for the I'M
completed ships. and the additional bat
tleship estimated for, the other increases
are due to the pay required for 1900 or
more additional enlisted men In the navy
and to this must be added the additional
cost of construction imposed by the
change In the eight-hour law which
makes it applicable to ships built In pri-
vate shipyards.
The president then explained at some
length the national reserve association
system recommended by the monetary
anime the plan impartially from all
standpoints and then to adopt some
plan which will secure the benefits de-
kired.
Concerning the tariff he had little to
say in view OF the fact that new con-
gress has been elected on platform
of tariff for revenue only
Army Reorganization.
Our small army now consists of SO 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 fnsular
possessions, we have today within the
continental United States a mobile army
OF only about IS, 600 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
Earbor, In the Hawaiian islands, and to
protect the locks. now rapidly approaching
completion at Panama. The forces re-
muining in the United States are now
scattered in nearly fifty posts, situated
for a variety of historical reasons in
twcnty-four states. These posts contain
only fractions of regiments, averaging
less than 700 men each. In time of peace
It has been our historical policy to ad-
minister these units separately by a geo
graphical organization. In other words.
our army In time of peace has never been
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 an army fit for effective team
work and cooperation.
TO the task of meeting these patent
defects, the war department has been adj
dressing itself during the past year. A
comprehensive plan of reorganization was
prepared by the war college division OF
the general staff. This plan was thor
oughly discussed last summer at series
OF open conferences held by the secretary
Of war and attended by representatives
from all branches OF the army and from
congress- In printed form it has been
distributed to members of congress and
throughout the army and the national
guard ard widely through institutions OF
learning and elsewhere in the United
States. In it, for the first time. we have
tentative chart for future progress.
The National Guard.
Under existing law the national guard
> constitutes, after the regular army. the
frat Aiine of national defense. Its or