The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-07

said that the additional revenue re-
CURED to carry out the program OF
military and naval preparation would
be S93, 100000 for the fiscal year 1917;
that if the present taxes were contin-
ued throughout this year and the next
there would be a balance in the Treas
ury of about SIG, 100000 at the end of
the present fiscal year and a deficit
at the end of the next year of some
SIP, 100000, reckoning in 100000
for deficiency appropriations.
Proposing that the new bills should
be paid by internal taxation, the Pres
ident suggested that by lowering the
present limits of income exemption
and the figure at which the Surtax is
imposed, and by increasing step by
step throughout the present gradua-
ton, the SurtaX itself, income taxes as
at present apportioned would yield
sums sufficient to balance the books of
the treasury at the end of the fiscal
year 1917 without anywhere making
the burden unreasonably heavy. He
added that there were many addition
al sources of revenue which justly
could be reSorted to without hamper
ing the Industries of the country or
putting any too great charge upon in
dividual expenditure. He estimated
that a tax of one cent per gallon on
gasoline and naphtha would yield
100000; tax of so cents per
horsepower on automobiles and inter-
nal explosion engines, SIS, 000,O00;
stamp tax on bank checks, probably
per ton on fabricated iron and steel,
probably 100000.
The president said there was reason
to hope that no question in contro-
verSy between this and other govern
mentS would lead to any serious
breach of amicable relations, and that
he was sorry to say that the graveSt
threats against national peace and
safety had been uttered within the
country's own borders.
Cause for Shame
There are citizens OF the United
States, blush to admit he declared,
born under other flags but welcomed
under our generous naturalization
laws to the full freedom and oppor-
tunity of America, who have poured
the poison of 'disloyalty into the very
arteries of our national life; who have
sought to bring the authority and
good name of our government into
contempt, to destroy our industries
wherever they thought it effective for
their VindictiVe purposes, to strike at
them and TO debase our politics to the
uses of foreign intrigue
No federal laws exist to meet this
said Mr.. Wilson, because
such a thing would have seemed in
credible in the past. such creatures
of passion, diSloyalty and anarchy" he
added, must be crushed out They
are not many but they are infinitely
and the hand of our pow
er should close over them at once"
tions, the president said he might find
it advisa BILE to call into systematic
consultation with the directing Off /
GERS of the army and navy, men of re- |
cognized ability who are familiar for
example, with the tranSpOrta ton ia !
cilities of the country and therefore /
to advise how they may be /
co-ordinated when the need arises, |
those who can suggest the best way |
to bring about prompt cooperation |
g, -
who could assist to bring the techni- |
cal skill of the country to the aid of |
the government in the solution of |
problems of defense. He said he !
might later ask congress for an ap-
to defray the expenses of !
such work
The president told the members he i
might address them again later on |
commercial conditions about which /
much legislation has been passed, and |
which are likely to change rapidly af- |
ter the war when the nations of Eu- |
rope again take up their task of conn |
merce and industry The most that !
can be done now, he said, is to make !
sure that the necessary Instrumental |
tiles are at hand for securing ade- I
Quate information.
Regarding the railroads, the preSi- |
dent said there had been reason to
fear that they could not cope much /
longer with the transportation prob |
lem, and suggested it would be wise to
provide for a commission of inquiry
to ascertain whether the laws as at /
present framed and administered were
as serviceable as they might he in /
the solution of the problem. He said
that the regulation of the railroad
by federal commission has had ad- !
rnirable results and that the question
was whether there was anything else
to be done to better, the conditions
under, which the railroads are oper-
ating.