Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1924-12-11

President Calvin Coolidges mes.
sage to congress which convened
last Monday, at Washington, d. c., is
summarized as follows:
The present state of the Union
upon which it is customary for The
president to report to the congress
under the provisions of the consti-
tuition, is such that it may be re-
garded with encouragement and salts
faction by every American. Qnr
country is almost unique in its aiiil-
ity to discharge fully and promptly
all its obligations at home and "a
broad and provide for all it inhabi-
tants an increase in material resour-
ces, in intellectual vigor and in moral
power. The nation holds a position
unsurpassed in all former human ex-
perience This does not mean that we
do not have any problems. 1t is ele-
mentary that the increasing breadth
of our experience necessarily increas-
es the problems of our national life.
But is does mean that If we will but
apply ourselves industriously and
honestly, we have ample powers with
which to meet our problems and pro
vide for their speedy solution. do
not profess that we can secure an era
of perfection in human existence, but
we can provide an era of peace and
prosperity, attended with freedom
and justice and made more and more
satisfying by the ministrations of the
charities and humanities of life.
In my opinion the government can
do more to remedy the economic ills
of the people by a system of rigid
economy in public expenditure than
can be accomplished through any
other action The cost of our nation
al and local governments combined
now stand at a sum close to 500 for
each inhabitant of the land. A little
less than one-third of this is repre-
sented by national expenditure, and a
little more than two-thirds by local
expenditure 1t is an ominous fact
that only the national government is
reducing it's debt Others are increas-
ing theirs at about $1,000,O0O,OO0 each
year. The depression that overlook
business, the disaster experienced in
agriculture, the lack of employment
and the terrific shrinkage in all val
ues which our country experienced
in most acute form in 1920, result
ed in no small measure from the pro
hibitive taxes which were levied on all
productive effort. The establishment
of a system of drastic economy in
public expenditure, which has enab-
led us to pay off about one-fifth OF
the national debt since 1919, and al
most cut in two the national tax bur-
den since 1921, has been one of the
main causes in reestablishing a pros
perity which has come to include
within its benefits almost every one
of our inhabitants. Economy reaches
everywhere. 1t carries a blessing to
everybody.
Taxes
Everyone desires a reduction OF
taxes. and there is a great prepon-
derance of sentiment in favor of tax
alton reform. When I approved the
present tax law. 1 states publicly that
7 did so in spite of certain provisions
which 1 believed unwise and harm
full. One of the most glaring of these
was the making public of the amounts
assessed against different income-tax
navers Although that damage has
now been done, / believe its contin-
nation TO be detrimental to the pub
lie welfare and bound TO decrease
public revenues, so that 1t ought &c
be repealed.
Waterways
Meantime our internal development
should go on. Provision should pt
made for flood control of such rivers
as the Mississippi and the Colorado
and for the opening up of our in
, land waterways to commerce. Consid
Grafton is due to the project OF Det
fer navigation from the Great Lake
70 the Gulf. Every effort is bein'
made to promote an agreement witt
, Canada to build the st. Lawrenc
waterway There are pending befor
the congress bills for further develop