Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1919-05-30


THE TEN
which we were associated IN the war,
and those loans will. of course, cOnsti-
tute assets not liabilities. and will not
have to be taken care of by our tax
payers.
THE main thing we shall have 70
care for is that our taxation shall
rest as lightly as possible on the pro-
duct:ve resources of the country. that
its rates shall be stable. and that II
shall -, constant Ia its revenue-yieid-
ing power.
MANY Of the minor taxes provided
for i'm the federal legislation OF 1917
and 1918, though no doubt made neces-
sary by the pressing necessities OF the
war time. can hardly find sufficient
justification under the easier circum-
stances of peace. and can now happily
be got rid Of. Among these. | hope you
will agree. are the excuses upon vari-
Gus manufactures and the taxes upon
retail sales. They are unequal in the
incidence ~ different industries ana
on different individuals. Their coliec-
ton is difficult and expensive. those
which are levied upon articles SOLO AT
retail are largely evaded by the read
justment Of retail prices. On the other
hand. l should assume that it Is eS-
pedient to maintain a considerabie
range Of indirect taxes; and the fact
that alcoholic liquors will presently
no longer afford a source OF revenue
by taxation makes 1t the more neces-
sary that the field should be carefully
restudied in order that equivalent
sources of revenue may be founu
which OF will be legitimate and NOT
burdensOme to draw upon.
Import Duties Correct.
There Is, fortunately, no occasion
for undertaking in the immediate fu-
ture, any general revision of our sys'
tenn Of import duties. No serious DAN
ger of foreign competition now threat
ems American industries. Our country
has emerged from the war less dis
turbed and less weakened than any or
the European countries which are our
competitors In manufacture. SO tar
from there being any danger or need
Of accentuated foreign competition. II
il fikely that the conditions OF the
next few years will greatly facilitate
the marketing Of American manufac-
81, 4 nf nj Shnnld
depart from the policy adopted In the
tariff act Of 1913 Of permitting the
| free entry into the United States OF
| the raw materials needed to supple
ment and enrich our own abundant
| supplies.
Asks Woman Suffrage.
Twill you not permit me. turning
| from these matters. to speak once
| more. and very earnestly. of the pro-
| posed amendment to the Constitution
which would extend the suffrage to
women and which passed the house
| Of representatives at the last session
| of the congress? 1t seems to me that
every consideration Of justice and of
| public advantage calls for the imme-
date adoption of that amendment and
| its submission forthwith to the legis-
latures of the several states. Through
| out all the world this lOng-delayed ex-
tension of the suffrage is looked for.
1.-The telegraph and telephone lines
will. of course. be returned to their
| owners so soon as the retransfer can
be effected without administrative
confusion; so soon that is. as the
change can be made with least pos
sible inconvenience to the public and
to the owners themselves. The rail
roads will be handed over to theiI
owners at tine end Of the calendar
year; If were In immediate contact
with the administrative questions
which must govern the retransfer OF
the telegraph and telephone lines,
could name the exact date for their re
turn also. Until l am in direct con
tact with the practical questions in
volved l can only suggest I'm the cas'
of the telegraphs and telephones, a!
|
clearly desirable in the public inter
est that some legislation should b.
considered which may tend to maxi
of these Indispensable instrumental
! tiles of our modern life a uniform an,
co-Ordinated system which will affort
those who use them u complete an,
certain means of communication.
"The rehabilitation of the militar
forces OF the country has prOgresse'
to such point that it seems to me en-
tirely safe now to remove the ban up
on the manufacture and sale Of win
and beers, but am advised that with
out further legislation I have not tn
legal authority to remove the presen
restrictions. therefore recOmmen
that the act approved No ember q
1918, entitled. An act to entitle tn
secretary of agriculture to carry on
during the fiscal year ending June 81
1919. the purposes of the act entities
ian act to provide further for the ma
tionnl security and defense by stimu
lating and facilitating the distribution
OF agricultural products" and TO
other purposes be amended or re
pealed in so far as IT applies to wine
and beers.
81 sincerely trust that shall yer
soon be at my post in Washingto
again to report upon the matter
which made my presence at the peac