Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-12-03
President s Message Is
Delivered to Congress
tBy Morning journal special Leased wlre)

! (By Morning Journa
! Washington, Dee. 2. - Presiden
Wilson's message 10 The regular ses
sion Of the siXty-siXth congress wa,
read separately at noon today to tht
senate and house The president wa.
/ compelled by illness 10 depart from
his custom of delivering his messag,
| in person to Joint session. The mes
sage follows
The Message.
ITO the Senate and House of Repre-.
! sentatives:
/ sincerely regret that I cannot be
present al the opening Of this session
/ of the congress. am thus prevented
/ from presenting in as direct a way as
/ could wish the many questjons that
are pressing for solution at this time
| Happily, have had the advantage OF
j the advice of the heads ~ the several
/ executive departments, WHO have kept
] in close touch with affairs in their de-
/ tail, end whose thoughtful recon-
mendations | earnestly second
In the matter of the railroads and
the readjustment of their affairs.
growing out OF federal control ] shall
take the liberty at later day of adj
dressing you.
Wants Budget System.
II hope that congress viii bring to a
conclusion at this session legislation
looking to the establishment OF a
budget system, That there should be
one single authority responsible for
the making of all appropriations and
that appropriations should be made,
not independently of each other, but
with reference TO one single CON pre-
hensive plan OF expenditure properly
related to the nations income there
can be no doubt. | believe the burden
of preparing the budget must. in the
nature OF the case. If the work is to
be properly done and responsibility
concentrated instead OF divided rest
upon the executive. The budget 50
prepared should be submitted to and
approved or amended by a single
committee of each house of congress,
and no single appropriation should
be made by the congress- except such
as may have been included in the
budget prepared by the executive or
added by the particular committee of
congress charged with the budget leg
islation,
Urges Economics.
Another and not less important
aspect of the problem is the ascer-
tainment oi the economy and eff
cheney with which the moneys appro-
pTiated are expended Under existing
law the only audit is for the purpose
Of ascertaining whethel expenditures
have been lawfully made within the
appropriations. No ono is authorized
or equipped to ascertain whether the
money has been spent wisely, econom-
l. 4 s. \ o..
should be highly trained officials with
permanent tenure in the treasury de-
pertinent Gree OF nl EatioSs to or
motives Of consideration for this OF
any subsequent administration, and
authorized and empowered TO examine
into and make report upon the meth
DDS employed and the results obtained
by the executive departments of the
government Their reports should be
made to the congress and to the sec
retary of the treasury.
Problem of Taxation.
Il trust that the congress will give
it's immediate consideration to the
problem Of future taxation. Simplifi-
cation of the income and profits taxes
has become an immediate necessity.
These taxes performed Indispensable
service during the war. They must,
however, be simplified, not only to
save the taxpayer Inconvenience and
expense, but in order that his liability |
may be made certain and definite.
with reference to the details of |
the revenue law. the secretary of the !
and the commissioner of in |
ernal revenue will lay before you for |
Four consideration certain amend
nents necessary or desirable in con-
lection with the administration of the
recommendation which have
NY approval and support. 1t is of the
Utmost Importance thai in dealing
With this matter the present law
should not be disturbed. so far as re-
yards taxes for the calendar year
920, payable in the calendar year
921. The congress might well con-
ider whether the higher rates of in
ONE and profits taxes can in peace
ines be effectively productive of rev.
niue and whether they may not, on
he contrary, be destructive of busl-
less activity and productive of waste
nd inefficiency. There is a point at
which in peace times high rates of
ncome and profits taxes discourage
mercy, remove the incentive to new
Enterprise, encourage extravagant ex-
'enditures and produces industrial
tagnation with consequent unemploy-
nent and other attendant evils.
Not Easy Problem.
Tho problem is not an easy one.
fundamental change has taken
lace with reference to the position
f America in the worlds affairs. The
rejudice and passions engendered by
ecades of controversy between two
chools Of political and economic
hought--the one believers In protec-
ion of American industries. the other
in tariff for revenue only
lust be subordinated to the single !
consideration of the public interest in
ne light of utterly changed condi-
ons Before the war America was 9
eavily the debtor Of the rest of the {
'orld and the interest payments she
ad to make to foreign countries on J
merican securities held abroad, the
Expenditures of American travellers
broad. and the ocean freight charges |,
le had to pay to others, about bal
need the value of her pre-war IA
orable balance of trade. During the
ar Americas exports have been
realty stimulated, and increased
rices have increased their value. On :,