Mexico Missouri message., 1915-12-16


tri,de and are without means to extend
our commerce even where the doors are
wide open and our goods desired. Such
situation is not TO be endured. 1t is
OF capital Importance not only that the
United States should be its own carrier
on the seas and enjoy the economic In
dependence which only an adequate mer-
chant marine would give 1t, but also that
the American hemisphere as whole
should enjoy a like independence and self
suficiency, If It is not to be drawn into
the tangle of European affairs. Without
such independence the whole question OF
our political unity and self-determnation
is very seriously clouded and complicated
indeed.
Moreover, we can develop no true or eff
fective American policy without ships OF
our own-not ships of war, but ships OF
peace. carrying goods and carrying much
more: creating friendships and render
ing indispensable services to all interests
on this side of the water. They must
move constantly back and forth between
the Americas. They are the only shuttles
that can weave the delicate fabric OF
sympathy, comprehension, confidence and
mutual dependence in which we clothe
our policy OF America for Americans.
Ships Are Needed.
The task Of building up an adequate
merchant marine for America private
capital must ultimately undertake and
achieve as Il has undertaken and
achieved every other like task amongst
US in the past, with admirable enterprise.
intelligence and vigor; and II seems to
me manifest dictate Of wisdom that we
should promptly remove every legal OBJ
stacle that may stand In the way of this
much to be desired revival of our old in
dependence and should facilitate in every
possible way the building, purchase and
American registration of ships. But cap
ital cannot accomplish this great task of
a sudden II must embark upon It by de-
grees, as the opportunities of trade de-
velop. Something must be done at once;
done to open routes and develop oppor-
tunities where they are as yet undevel-
oped; done to open the arteries of trade
where the currents have not yet learned
to run-especially between the two Ameri-
can continents. where they are, singularly
enough, yet to be created and quickened:
and It is evident that only the govern
ment can undertake such beginnings and
assume the initial financial risks. When
the risk has passed and private capital
begins to find its way in sufficient abund-
ance into these new channels, the gov
| ernment may withdraw. But 1t cannot
omit to begin It should take the first
steps and should take them at once. Our
goods must not lie piled up at our ports
and stored upon sidetracks in freight
cars which are daily needed on the roads;
must not be left without means of
transport to any foreign quarter. We
must not await the permission Of foreign
ship owners and foreign governments to
| send them where we will.
With a view to meeting these pressing
necessities of our commerce and availing
ourselves at the earliest possible moment
| of the present unparalleled opportunity of
| linking the two Americas together in
bonds of mutual interest and service, an
] opportunity which may never return
again IL we miss it now, proposals will
be made to the present congress for the
| purchase or construction OF ships to be
| owned and directed by the government
| similar to those made to the last con-
| gress, but modified in some essential par
| ticulars I recommend these proposals
| to you for your prompt acceptance with
| the more confidence because every month
| that has elapsed since the former pro-
posals were made has made the necessity
for such action more and more mani
| festly imperative
Question of Finance.
The plans for the armed forces of the
! nation which I have outlined, and for
the general policy OF adequate prepaTa-
tion for mobilization and defense, in
| Volve of course very large additional ex-
| penditures of money-expenditure which
will considerably exceed the estimated
revenues of the government. 1t is made
| my duty by law, whenever the estimates
| of expenditure exceed the estimates of
| revenue to call the attention of the. con-
gress to the fact and suggest any means
| of meeting the deficiency that 1t may be
| wise or possible for me to suggest. I am
ready to believe that II would be my duty
| to do so in any case; and ] feel particu-
| larly bound to speak of the matter when
| 1t appears that the deficiency will arise
directly out of the adoption by the con-
| gress of measures which l myself urge
| it to adopt Allow me, therefore, to
speak briefly of the present state of the
| treasury and of the fiscal problems
which the next year will probably dis
close.
On the thirtieth of June last there was
| an available balance in the general fund
of the treasury of $104, 40, 105.7S. The to-
| tai estimated receipts for the year 1916.
on the assumption that the emergency
| revenue measure passed by the last con-
| gress will not be extended beyond it's
| present limit, the thirty first of Decem-
ber, 1915. and that the present duty of
one cent per pound on sugar will be dis
continued after the first of May, 1916,
will be 1910, 1861, 500. The balance of June
last and these estimated revenues come.
therefore. to a grand total OF STA. .5S5, rs.
| The total estimated disbursements for the
present fiscal year, including $25.0O00 00O
for the Panama canal. S12,0OO,OOO for prob
| able deficiency appropriations and $780,
| 900 for miscellaneous debt redemptions,
will be S753,S9l. 900; and the balance in the
| general fund of the treasury will be re-
duced to $2O.644 ,6O5.7S. The emergency
revenue act If continued beyond its pres
ent time Limitation, would produce, dur
ing the half year then remaining, about
forty-one millions. The duty of one cent
per pound on sugar, II continued, would
produce during the two months OF the
fiscal year remaining after the first of
May, about fifteen millions. These two
sums. amounting together to $4,000, 900.
II added to the revenues Of the second
half OF the fiscal year. would yield the
treasury at the end of the year an avail
able balance of $76,644, COSTS.
The additional revenues required to
carry out the program Of military and
naval preparation OF which have spok-
en-, would as at present estimated be
for the fiscal year 1917, 500, 100000. Those
figures, taken with the figures for the
present fiscal year which have already
given, disclose our financial problem for
the year 1871.
How shall we obtain the new revenue
It seems to me a clear dictate OF pru-
dent craftsmanship and frank finance