The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-12-12
MESSAGE FROM
COOLIDGE READ
IN CONGRESS-
Cutting Expenditures win Aid Tax
Reduction Next Year, He
Says-Urges Repeal Of Tax
Publicity Law, Which Cuts
Revenues.
REVIEWS HIS PLEA
FOR WORLD COURT

TGCOmlu0UuAt4uW Al GAC0tuCAS NooA-
idge's message read to the second ses-
sion OF the Sixty-eighth Congress was
0 reiteration of that Of his first mes
sage urging a system Of rigid economy
in public expenditure. And the gist
OF his supporting argument was that
only by the exercise Of rigid economy
under existing conditions can taxation
be reduced and prosperity, thereby,
advanced. He promised. IL economy
Ia followed, q moderate tax reduction
next year.
Generally the message follows the
lines Of President Coolidge's first mes
sage d year ago. But two new pro-
nouncements were found, one advo-
eating postponement of American par
ticipation in another conference on re-
duction of world ornaments until the
proposed European conference Is
closed and the other indorsing the
idea Of eutlawing aggressive warfare.
The President deplored publication
Of income tax payments andsrenewed
his recommendation that surfaces on
large incomes be reduced. He said
he expects a. report from the Agri-
cultural Conference upon which he
will base suggestions for legislation
for agricultural relief In special mes.
sage, and renewed his declaration in
favor Of the sale of Muscle Shoals to
private interests.
The President treated the railway
situation at considerable length. ad-
vocating consolidation of lines into
larger systems and legislation clarity
ing the labor sections OF the transpor-
tation act That he Is not In favor
OF Anti-Saloon League insistence that
the Prohibition enforcement unit be
entirely reorganized on civil service
basis is indicated by his suggestion
that the present membership Of the
field force be exempt.
Modification Of the restrictive i'm
migration act to permit greater lati-
tude in the admission Of members OF
the families Of aliens already here
was suggested. The projects to es-
tablish Federal reformatories for
young men and women and first Of
tenders, and to aid in the formation
OF a national police bureau were in
dorsed. He repeated his warning to
European nations that this country
expects to collect the money they owe
us.
The most important subjects treated
in the message are set forth In the
following abridgement:
The present state Of the Union,
upon which it Is customary for the
President to report to the Congress
under the provisions Of the Constitu-
tion, is such that it may be regarded
with encouragement and satisfaction
by every American. Our country is
almost unique in its ability to dis
charge fully and promptly all its obli-
cations at home and abroad and pro-
vide for ali its inhabitants an increase
in material resources, in intellectual
vigor and moral power.
Domestic Problems Economic
Our domestic problems are for the
most part economic. We have our
enormous debt to pay, and we are
paying 1t. We have the high cost Of
government to, diminish, and we are
diminishing it. We have "a heavy
burden OF taxation to reduce, and we
are reducing it. But while remark
able progress has been made in these
directions, the work is yet far from
being accomplished. We still owe
over $21.0O0 900, 900, the cost Of the
National Government is still about
$500. 000. 900, and the national taxes
still amount to about SGT for each one
Of our inhabitants. There yet exists
this enormous field for the application
OF economy.
In my opinion the Government can
do more to remedy the economic ills
OF the people by system of rigid
economy in public expenditure than
can be accomplished through any
other action. The costs of our ma
tional and local Governments com.
bined now stand at sum close to
500 for each inhabitant OF the land.
A little less than one-third Of this Ia
represented by, national expenditure
1t is an ominous fact that only the
National Government is reducing its
debt. Others are increasing theirs at
about $1.00Q,000,000 each year. The
depression that overlook business, the
disaster experienced in agriculture
the lack OF employment and the ter
rife shrinkage In all values which oul
country experienced in most acute
form. In 1890 resulted in no small
measure from the prohibitive taxes
which were then levied on all produc
tive effort.
The. fallacy of the claim that the
costs of government are borne by the
rich and those who make a direct con
tribution to the National Treasury
cannot be too often exposed. No sys
tenn has been devised, ! do not thini
any system could be devised. under
which any person living in this coun
try could escape being affected by this
cost OF our government. 1t has di
rect effect both upon the rate md the
purchasing power of wages. II is fel