Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-07
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

I InII I-ItcSlDENl - MEoSASTh
TINE message of President Wilson,
read before Congress to-day, is
not alone the longest he has pre-
sented during his nearly three years
of office, but by far the most impor-
tant. 1t is. even to a greater extent
than usual, a masterpiece of English
writing. 1t IS clear-cut and forceful.
In the main it reflects the sentiments
of the nation in a general way. Be
yond question, a majority of the people
believe the country must be prepared
to resist any such force as devastated
helpless Belgium. Beyond doubt, also,
the Presidents views with respect to
Pan-Americanism coincide with those
of all good Americans who have given
the matter any thought. The Presi-
dent goes after the hyphenated Ameri-
can in language every word of which
is like a whiplash to bare flesh, and in
this again he is in full accord with
popular opinion. There is balm also
in the thought that the White House
has concluded the railroads have suf-
| fered quite enough and are entitled to
whatsoever relief may be accorded
| them.
But the President cannot expect
either Congress or the country at large
to concur unanimously in his assertion
that our course in Mexico has been
! justified and that we have been tried
and have stood the test Neither
| will he be able to command Repub-
| lican support for the perilous and fool
hardy ship purchase bill upon which
he has set his heart He is ready to
make some concessions to opponents
of this measure, but it is doubtful if
| he will be able to get through bill
that a large majority of businessmen,
through Chambers of Commerce and
similar bodies all over the country,
have voted a failure even before it is
| inaugurated. The same may be said
of the Porto Rican and Philippine
| bills, defeated last year and brought
| forth again as a part of the White
House program of legislation for the
session.
The President adopts without a
change the naval and military plans
of Secretaries Daniels and Garrison,
respectively, regardless of the fact that
they do not coincide in many respects
with the ideas of experts in the navy
and army who have given years to
study of the problems involved. There
are evidences already that the Presi-
dent and his followers will be asked to
| change these programs in many re-
spects and it is very doubtful if the
Presidents ideas will get beyond conn.,
mittee before they are amended by
those who do not believe they are
adequate. This is especially true with
respect to the army increases and
departures recommended.
Another bone of contention will be
the manner in which the necessary
additional revenues are to be raised.
| The President recommends that the
present so-called war taXes"-im-
posed really to make up for Demo-
cratic eXtrayagances in appropriations
be continued and that they be sup
plemented by laws calling for taxes on
| gasoline, automobiles, bank checks and
| fabricated iron and steel In taxing
| gasoline and automobiles at the same
| time he would assess the same class
| of people twice, since the great ma
! iority of automobiles are driven by
gasoline, and this is sure to bring forth
vigorous protest, especially from the
Middle West, where the prepared
ness" spirit is not so rampant as along
the two coasts and where motor driven
vehicles are becoming more and more
numerous.
The proposed retention of the tariff
on sugar doubtless will have wide
spread support and is an argument in
favor of a protective tariff which at
one and the same time would stand as
u bar to the invasion of cheap foreign
made goods and provide very ready
method of raising revenues by means
| far more indirect and less burdensome
| than by the methods proposed by the
| President. If a protective tariff on
sugar. why not on other commodities?
This question will be raised not only in
Congress, but in next years presiden-
tial campaign.
Lowering the exemption limit of the
income tax was to be expected. In all
| DrODdDlllly II Will meet Win less ODDO-
sition than any of the other revenue
raisers proposed. The advocate of
preparedness must expect to pay for
his peace insurance.
But the most striking feature of the
whole message is the utter absence of
recommendations as to economy. APP
parently Democratic extravaganza is to
be permitted to run riot, as last ses-
sion. The President does not in a
single instance urge that care be taken
to prune expenditures. This is the
great weak point of the document.
If we are going in for a program OF
preparedness" that is to cost many
millions of dollars a year, it is but
mete that we save along other lines
wherever possible. The pork barrel
should be conspicuous by its absence.
If the President desires his revenue
raisers to receive the support of Con-
gress as whole he must not permit
his party members to play fast and
loose with the revenues already avail
able. This is good time to put the
brake down hard on needless appro-
priations.