The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1919-12-10
DIVERSIFIED LAWS
URGED IN MESSAGE
pREelDENT WILSON RAPs PRO.
M0TgRe OF VIOLENCE IN
THE NATION.

.
Tells Members o. Congress That step
Should b Taken to Rectify Labor
Conditions, Cut Cost Of Living
and Revise Taxation.
Washingt0n.Th presidents mes
sage to congress, read in the senat,
and the house on Tuesday, December
3 follows: s.o.
10 the senate and house Of represen
tatives:
] sincerely regret that cannot be
present at the opening Of this session
OF the congress. / am thus prevented
from presenting In as direct q way
~ could wish the many questions
That are pressing for solution Mt this
dime. Happily, ! have had the advan-
Sage Of the advice Of the heads OF
the several executive departments,
who have kept In close touch with af-
9Air1 In their detail and whose thought
9ul Recommendations ! earnestly Sec
end.
In the matter of the railroads and
the readjustment of their affairs grow
ing out Of federal control shall take
the liberty at q later day Of address
ing you.
i hope that congress will bring to a
conclusion ut this session legislation
looking to the establishment Of a bud
get system. That there should be one
single authority Responsible for the
making Of all appropriations and that
appropriations should be made not in
dependently of each oIner, but with
reference to one single comprehensive
plan Of expenditure properly related
to the nations income, there can be
no doubt. believe the burden of pre-
pairing the budget must, in the nature
Of the case, II the work Is to be prop
erly done and responsibility cOncen-
trated instead Of divided, rest upon
the executive. The budget SO prepared
should be submitted to and approved
or amended by 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 legislation.
Efficiency Sought
Another and not less important as
pect of the problem Is the ascertain
ment Of the economy and efficiency
with which the moneys appropriated
are expend. Under existing law the
only audit is for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether expenditures have
been lawfully made within the appro-
priatiOns. No one Is authorized or
equipped to ascertain whether the
money has been spent wisely, ecOnom-
1cally and effectively. The auditors
should be highly trained officials, with
permanent tenure In the treasury de-
partment. free Of obligations to or mo-
tives OF consideration for this or any
subsequent administration, and author
ICED and empowered to examine into
and to make report upon the methods
employed and the results obtained by
the executive departments Of the gov
eminent. Their reports should be made
to the congress and to the secretary
Of the treasury.
trust that the congress will give
IT. 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 treas
ury and the commissioner Of internal
revenue will lay before you for your
consideration certain amendments nec-
sssary or desirable In connection with
the administration of the law-recOm-
nendatiOns which have my approval
and support. II IL Of the utmost i'm
portance that In dealing with this mat
ter the present law should not be dis
euFhed 30 far as regards taxes for the |
calendar year 1920 payable In the cal
endar year 1921. The congress might |
we'll consider whether the higher rates
q income and profits taxes can In |
peace times be effectively productive |
of revenue and whether they may not,
- the contrary. be destructive of busl- |
ness activity and productive of waste |
and lnefdciency. There II q point at |
which 10 peace times high rates of In |
rome and profits taxes discourage en-
my. remove the incentive to new en-
lerprise. encourage extravagant ex-
penditures and produce industrial stag
natiOn. with consequent unemployment |
md other attendant evils.
cendltiens Changed.
The problem b not an easy one. A
change has taken place
with reference to the position of Amer
|ca in the worlds affairs. The preju-
lice and passions engendered by dec
ldes Of controversy between two
Dchools of political and economic
one believers In pr0tec-
Hon Of American Industries, the other
believers In tariff for revenue only
must be subordinated to the single |
OF the public interest in |
he Hight Of utterly changed conditions.
Beeore the war, America was heavily
he debtor Of the rest Of the world. and |
he interest payments she had to make |
% foreign countries on American Sc
.urities held abroad, the expenditures |
e American travellers abroad and the |
Deean freight charges she had to pay |
n hfh0rN Aho1ff h010ncod tho vA1van NJ L