Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1915-12-10

national efficiency and development that
we should have a great merchant ma
| rine The great merchant fleet we once
used 20 make us rich, that great body OF
sturdy sailors who used TO carry our flag
into every sea. and who were the pride
and often the buwark OF the nation. we
| have almost driven out OF existence by
| inexcusable neglect and indifference and
! by a hopelessly blind and provincial pol
| icy Of so-called economic protection. II
| Is high time we repaired our mistake and
resumed our commercial independence on
| the seas
For IL Is a question OF Independence.
! IL other nations go TO war or seek to
| hamper each others commerce. our mer-
! chants, II seems, are at their mercy,
| TO do with as they please. We must use
| their ships. and use them as they deter
mine. We have not ships enough OF our
| own. We cannot handle our own COM
| merce on the sens. our independence Is
| provincial. and is only on land and with
/ In our own borders. We are not likely
| to be permitted to use even the ships OF
| other nations In rivalry OF their own
trade, and are without means to extend
| our commerce even where the doors are
! wide open and our goods desired. Such
| a situation Is not TO be endured. IL Is
| OF capital Importance not only that the
| United States should be its own carrier
| dependence which only an adequate mer-
chant marine would give II, but also that
| the American hemisphere as a whole
should enjoy a like independence and self
suniciency, III II In not to be drawn into
the tangle of European affairs. without
such independence the whole question of
our political unity and self-determination
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.
| With n 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 II we miss II now, proposals will
| be made to the present congress for the
| purchase or construction of ships tc be
| owned and directed by the government
| similar to those made to the last con-
gress. but modified in some essential par
| ticulars. l 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
testify imperative.
Question Of Finance.
4 he nla TAr o kn ,a1 Nf In
nation which I have outlined. and for
| the general policy of adequate prepare
| ton for mobilization and defense, in
! volve of course very large additional ex-
| pendtures of money-expenditures which
| will considerably exceed the estimated
| revenues of the government II 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 II may be
| wise or possible for me to suggest. ! am
ready to believe that 1t would be my duty
to do so In any case; and | feel particu-
larly bound to speak OF the matter when
IL appears that the deficiency will arise
| directly out of the adoption by the con-
| gress of measures which ! myself urge
| II to adopt. Allow me. therefore, to
speak briefly of the present state OF the
| treasury and of the fiscal problems
close.
On the thirtleth OF June last there was
an available balance in the general fund
| of the treasury OF $l04 no. 1878. 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 its
present limit. the thirty-hrst OF Decom-
| Der, 1915. and that the present duty OF
one cent per pound on sugar will be dis
continued after the first OF May, 1915.
will be 500. 1865, 500 The balance of June
last and these estimated revenues come.
therefore, TO n grand total OF STA, 5S5. 6O5. rs.
The total estimated disbursements for the
| present fiscal year, including S25. 900 900
for the Panama canal. $4,000 900 for prob
able deficiency appropriations and $780,
600 for miscellaneous debt redemptions.
| will be 1858 S91 900: and the balance In the
| general fund of the treasury will be re-
duced to s2o,644. sO5.7s. The emergency
revenue act II 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 5000, 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 s76644, 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. 93,S00O00 Those
figures. taken with the figures for the
present fiscal year which ! have already
given, disclose our financial problem for
the year 1917.
How shall we obtain the new revenue
II seems to me clear dictate of pru-
dent craftsmanship and frank finance
that in what we are now. hope, about
to undertake we should pay as we go.
The people OF the country are entitled 20
know just what burdens OF taxation they
are to carry, and TO know from the outset,
now. The new bills should be paid by in
ternal taxation.
To what sources. then. shall we turn
We would be following an almost uni.
versal example OF modern governments
II we were To draw the greater part or
even the whole OF the revenues we need
from the income taxes. BY somewhat
lowering the present limits OF exemption
and the figure at which the surtAx shall
| begin to he imposed. and by Increasing.
step by step throughout the present grad
uation. the surtaX itself the income taxes