The Daily Missoulian., 1914-09-05
A SPECIAL MESSAGE
on SPECIAL
/ TAXES
s~
PRESIDENT ADDRESSES HOUSE
WHICH STARTS AT ONCE TO
FRAME MEASURE


Washington, Sept. i.--"We shall
pay the bill. though we did not delih-
erately inctr it," said President Viii
son today, Spresenting before a join
session Of congress his appeal for all
emergency sinternal revenue measure
to raise $100,000,000, the government S
probable loss in customs receipts be-
action was. necessary, the president
said, 'in otder to keep the treasury
strong" His only suggestion as to
the method for levying the tax was
that sources be chosen that would
"begin to yield at once and yield with
a certain and constant flow"
Prompt Response.
The appeal met with quick action.
AS soon assthe president had left the
house chamber amidst an outburst of
message to the ways and means COM
mittee. Democratic members of the
committee met tonight at the call of
the chairman, Representative Under
wood. and began consideration of plans
to raise the additional revenue.
On the list suggested We're: Case
line, a tax of / or . cents a gallon;
railroad and amusement tickets. per
cent to 10 per cent: beer. an increase
of so cents a barrel; domestic wines.
ok ai,,c Of
Ion; proprietary articles. tobacco and
tobacco products, chewing gum. soft
drinks, playing cards, etc.
Chairman Underwood said early
next week the bill will be completed
in committee and be brought into the
house under special rule and hurried
through.
Tho Message.
Following is the full text of Presi-
dent Wilson'S address to congress on
the need of emergency revenue legis-
lation:
Gentlemen of the Congress: Il
come to you today to discharge Il duty
which l wish with all my heart I
might have been spared but it is a
duty which is very clear and, there
fore, / perform it without hesitation
estly that additional revenue be pro-
vided for the government.
August Lean.
During the month of August there
was, as compared with the CORE
spending month of last year, a falling
off of $1U629,53s i'll the revenues col
lected for customs. continuation of
this decrease in the same proportion
throughout the current fiscal wear
would probably mean a loss of Gus
toms revenues from 80 to 100 millions
| need not tell you to what this fall
ing off is due. 1t is due in chief part,
not to the reduction recently made in
the customs duties, but to the great
decrease in importations; ana that
is due to the extraordinary extent of
the industrial area affected by the
have arisen which no man foresaW;
they affect the whole world of com
merce and economic production. and
they must be faced and dealt with.
UnWise.
TT would be very unwisa TO post
pone dealing with them. Delay in
such matter and in the particular
circumstances in which we now find
ourselves as a nation might involve
consequences of the most embarrass-
ing and deplorable sort, for which l.
for one, would not care TO be re-
sponsible. 1t would be very danger
Gus in the present circumstances to
create a moments doubt as to the
strength and sufficiency Of the treas
ury of the United States; it's ability to
assist, to steady and sustain the fl
nancial operations of the country's
business. If the treasury is known,
or even thought, to be weak, where
will be our peace of mind? The whole
industrial activity of the country
would be chilled and demoralized.
Just now the peculiarly difficult
LIiidhSldl pIOUfttllS Ol sft1l6 lllOulGuI are
being successfully dealt with, with
great self possession and good sense
and very sound judgment; but they
are only i'll process of being worked
out. If the process of solution is to
be complete noeone must be given rea-
son to doubt the. solidity and adequacy
of the treasury of the government,
which stands behind the whole meth
cd by which our difficulties are being
met and handled.
THE Treasury itself could get along
for considerable period, no doubt,
without immediate resort to new
sources of taxation. But at what cost
to the business of the community?
Approximately $75,o0o,ooo, Il large
part of ting present treasury balance,
is now on deposit with national banks
distributed Throughout the country. 1t
is deposited, of course. OH call.
Il need not point out to you what
the probable consequences Of incon.