Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-09
Members Of the Congress:

In meeting the constitutional re-
Quirement of informing the Congress
upon the state of the Union, it is
exceedingly gratifying to report that
the general condition is one of prog
ress and prosperity. Here and there
are comparatively small and appar-
emily temporary difficulties needing
adjustment and improved admins
trative methods, such as are always
to be expected, but in the funda-
mentals of government and business
the results demonstrate that we are
going in the right direction. The
country does not appear to require
radical departures from the policies
already adopted so much as it needs
a further extension of these policies
and the Improvement of details.
The age of perfection is still in the
somewhat distant future, but it is
more in danger of being retarded
by mistaken Government activity
than it is from lack of legislation.
We are by far the most likely to
accomplish permanent good If we
proceed with moderation.
In our country the people are SOW
ereign and independent, and must
accept the resulting responsibilities.
1t is their duty to support them
selves and support the Government.
That Is the business of the Nation,
whatever the charity of the Nation
may require. The functions which
the Congress are to discharge are
not those of local government but
of National Government. The great
est solicitude should be exercised to
prevent any encroachment upon the
rights of the States or their various
political subdivisions. Local sell
government is one of our most
precious possessions. 1t is the great
est contributing factor to the sta-
bility, strength, liberty, and progress
of the Nation. 1t ought not to be
infringed by assault or undermined
by purchase. 1t ought not TO abdl-
cate it's power through weakness or
resign its authority through favof.
1t does hot at all follow that be-
cause abuses exist it is the concern
of the Federal Government to at
tempt their reform.
Society is in much more danger
fro.1 encumbering the National Gov
ernment beyond its wisdom to COM
prehend, or it's ability to administer,
than from leaving the local COM
lnunltleS TO pear tllSii O"h peA - -,
and remedy their own evils. Our
local habit and custom is SO strong'
our variety of race and creed is so
great. the Federal authority is so
tenuous, that the area within which
Il can func. lCn successfully is very
limited. The wiser policy is to leave
the localities, SO far as we can. pos
sessed of their own sources of rev.
enue and charged with their own
obligations.
Government Economy
IT Is a fundamental principle of
our country that the people are SOW
ereign. While they recognize the
Indeniable authority of the state,
thew have established as it's instru-
ment Government of limited pow
ers. They hold inviolate in their
own hands the jurisdiction over their
own freedom and the ownership of
their own property. Neither of these
can be impaired except by due pro-
cess of law. The wealth of our coun-
try is not public wealth, but private
wealth. 1t does not belong to the
Government, it belongs to the people.
The Government has no justification
in taking private property except
for a public purpose. 1t is always
necessary to keep these principles in
mind in the laying of taxes and III
the making of appropriations. 80
right exists to levy on dollar, or
to order the expenditure of a dollar,
of the money of the people, except
for a necessary public purpose duly
authorized by the Constitution. The
power over the purse is the power
over liberty.
That is the legal limitation within
which the Congress can act. How
it will proceed within this limitation
is always q question of policy. When
the country is prosperous and free
from debt, when the rate of taxa
ton is low, opportunity exists Tor
assuming new burdens and under
taking new enterprises. Such a con-
dition now prevails only to limited
extent. All proposals for assuming
new obligations ought to be post
poned, unless they are reproductive
capital investments or are such as
are absolutely necessary at this time.
We still have an enormous debt OF
over $4,000, 100000, on which the
interest and sinking-fund require
ments are 81. 320,O00,00O. Our ap-
preparations for the Pension Ofiice
and the Veterans Bureau are $500,
100000. The War and Navy Depart
ments call for $642, 100000 Other
requirements, exclusive of the Post
once, which is virtually self-sus-
tanning, brought the appropriations
for the current year up to almost
So, 100, 100000. This shows an ex-
penditure of close to $50 for every
inhabitant of our country. For the
average family of five it means a
tax, directly or indirectly paid, OF
about $50 for national purposes
alone. The local tax adds much
more. These enormous expenditures
ought not to be increased, but
through every possible effort they
ought to be reduced.
Only one of these great items can
be ultimately extinguished. That is
the item of our war debt. Already
this has been reduced by about
$4,000, OOO, 900. which means an an
nual saving in interest of close to
$3.50, 100000 The present interest
charge is about $S20.000000 yearly.
1t would seem to be obvious that the
sooner this debt can be retired the
more the taxpayers will save in in
terest and the easier it will be to
secure funds with which to prosecute
needed running expenses, construc-
tons. and improvements. This item
of $4,000, 900 for interest is a heavy
charge on all the people of the coun-
try. and 1t seems to me that we
might well consider whether 1t is
not greatly worth while to dispense
with 1t as early as possible by re-
firing the principal debt which it is
required to serve.
1t has always been our policy to
retire our debts. That of the Revo-
lutionary War period. notwithstand-
ing the additions made in 1872, was