Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-12-06

the budget message, and a proposed
plan has been presented in detail in
a statement by the secretary of the
treasury which has my unqualified
approval. l especially commend a
decrease on earned incomes, and
further abolition of admission, mes
sage, and nuisance taxes. The
amusement and educational value of
moving pictures ought not to be tax
ed. Diminishing charges against
moderate Incomes from investment
viii afford immense relief, while a
revision of the s~urtaxes will not
only provide additional money for
capital investment, thus stimulating
Industry and employing more labor,
but will not greatly reduce the reve-
u from that source and may in the
future actually increase it.
Being opposed to war taxes in
time of peace, l am not in favor of
eXcess-profts taxes. A very great
service could be rendered through
immediate enactment of legislation
relieving the people of some of the
burden of taxation. To reduce war
taxes is to give every home a better
chance.
For seven years the people have
borne with accomplishing courage
the tremendous burden of national
and local taxation. These must
both be reduced. The taxes of the
nation must be reduced now as
much as prudence will permit, and
expenditures must be reduced ac-
cordingly. High taxes reach every
where and burden everybody. They
bear most heavily upon the poor.
They diminish industry and COM
merce. They make agriculture un-
profitable. They increase the RACES
of transportation. They are a charge
on every necessary of life. OF all
services which the congress can rem
der to the country, l have no hest
tation in declaring this one to be
paramount. To neglect it, to post
pone it. to obstruct it by unsound
proposals, is to become unworthy of
public confidence and untrue to pub
lie trust. The country wants this
measure to have the right of way
oven all others.
Another reform which is urgent in
our fiscal system is the abolition of
the right to issue taX-exempt securi-
ties. The existing system not only
permits a large amount of the
wealth of the nation to escape it's
just burden but acts as a continual
stimulant to municipal extravaganza.
This should be prohibited by consti-
tutional amendment. All the wealth
of the nation ought to contribute its
fair share to the expenses of the
nation.
Tariff Law
The present tariff law has
plished its two main objects. 1t has
secured an abundant revenue and
been productive of an Astounding
prosperity. Under it the country has
had a very large export and import
trade. A constant revision of the
tariff by the congress is disturbing
and harmful. The present law con
tains an elastic provision authorizing
the President to increase or decrease
present schedules not in excess of SO
per centum to meet the difference in
cost of production at home and
abroad. This does not, to my mind,
warrant a rewriting of the whole
law, but does mean, and will be so
administered, that whenever the re-
quired investigation shows that in
equalities of sufficient importance
exist in any schedule, the power to
change them should and will be ap-
piled.
The settlement of railroad labor
disputes is a matter of grave public
concern. The labor board was es-
tablished to protect the public in the
enjoyment of continuous service by
attempting to insure justice between
the companies and their employees.
1t has been a great help, but is not
altogether satisfactory to the public,
the employees, or the companies. If
a substantial agreement can be
reached among the groups interested
there should be no hesitation in
enacting such agreement into law
If it is not reached, the labor board
may very well be left for the pres
ent to protect the public welfare.
The law for consultations is not
sufficiently effective to be expeditions
Additional legislation is needed Civ
ing authority for voluntary consol-
idations, both regional and route,
and providing government machin-
cry to aid and stimulate such action,
always subject to the approval of the
Interstate Commerce Commission.
This should authorize the commits
sion to appoint committees for each
proposed group, representing the
public and the component roads,
with power to negotiate with indi-
Vidual security holders for an eX-
change of their securities for those
of the consolidation on such terms
conditions as the commission
may prescribe for avoiding any con-
fiscation and preserving fair values.
Should this permissive consolidation
proTe ineffective after a limited pc
riod, the authority of the govern
m ont "i11 haua r. hn dtrapt1,, In
Voked.
Consolidation appears to be the
only feasible method for the main
tenance of an adequate system of
transportation with an opportunity
to adjust freight rates as to meet
such temporary conditions as now
prevail in some agricultural sections.
authorities agree that an
reorganization of the ate
for freight is necessary.
This should be ordered at once by
the congress.
Department of Justice
AS no revision of the laws of the
United States has been made since
1878, a commission or committee
should be created to undertake this
work The judicial council reports
that two more district judges are
needed in southern district of New
York, one in the northern district
of Georgia, and two more circuit
Judges in the circuit court of appeals
of the Eighth circuit. Legislation
should be considered for this pur-
pose.
1t is desirable to expedite the
hearing and disposal of cases. A
commission of Federal judges and
lawyers should be created to recon-
mend legislation by which the pro-
cedure in the Federal trial courts
may be simpliied and regulated by