The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-01-19

rear 20 oppose tnat ne began
President when he was s
into extraordinary session last March.
Then, through circumstances resulting
from the distressed condition of the
country at the moment, the President
was able to formulate a program for
relief only In piecemeal fashion. Con-
gress did his bidding. He submitted
recommendation one day, and few
days later it was enacted into law.
He and his advisers wrote most Of the
legislation before it ever was submit
ted formally TO the house or the senate.
Now, the President is doing to same
thing. He saw the advantages of the
system that he was forced to use once,
and is capitalizing again on the per-
sonal popularity which he has through
out the country. Consequently, his
speech, his message on the state of the
Union, was in the form of generalities.
He made not a single specific recon-
mendation. But they are forthcoming
now in numbers. One by one, the
projects of his plan move from the
White House to the Capitol, there to
be accorded support by the tremendous
majority which the Democratic party
holds. Few. If any, Of them will be
rejected. The reason Is the Demo-
cratic majority is afraid to oppose the
President.
Politicians, even in the Presidents
own party, are mystified by his wide
popularity. And when a politician is
mystified, he doesn't know what to do
about it! The result is that the Presi-
dent is going to get on as he desires
with consolidation or expansion or ex-
tension of his recovery plans about
as he desires. Republican leaders
in congress are not going to raise
much of fuss. Their policy is to let
the Democrats take all Of the rope
they can use, and hope they will trip
themselves. Democrats count on the
personal popularity of the President to
carry them along to reelection, for
they don't see anything else to do.
And while the subject under dis
custom Is the personal popularity Of
the President. Washington observers
attached great Importance to his per-
sonal visit to the halls Of congress for
/ delivery of his message on the state of
the Union You will remember, the
message was broadcast Numerous
writer's and other observers here main
tain that Mr.. Roosevelt was hardly
niv RI
though he stood before its member
ship in person. He was concerned
then, he had been concerned before,
only with making his position clear
with the folks back home. In that
manner he succeeded In getting pres
sure exerted on congress for the
things he wanted done.
Present indications are that there
will be little meddling with the tax
laws this session.
Avoid NeU The program of the
Tar LeDies administration, as
thus far unfolded,
is read by many as avoiding new tax
levies until congress returns In JAM
uary, 1885. In the meantime, the con-
gressional elections will have been
held and the average person is not
going TO get excited about future taxes;
the Democrats will be able to cam
paign without having to fight Repub-
lican argument calling attention to
increased burdens of taxes.
But more taxes will have to be
levied in another year. The Presi-
dent has proposed to congress the
greatest peacetime budget in history,
budget that proposes the appropria-
ton of 100000 100000. That is almost
two times as much money actually as
there Is in the United States, for the
money stock of the government ranges
only slightly more than $1,000, 100000.
So 1t means that government credit,
government debt will be boosted to
new heights. Unless our government
wants to do the dishonorable thing Of
defaulting on its obligations, the notes
and bonds it sells on which the money
is borrowed for budget use will have
to be repaid. The taxpayers will pay
and pay and pay!
For instance, when the public debt
reached its hitherto high point, about
S26, 500, 100000, the interest on It
amounted to S96O,OOOOO0 annually, or
about SS0,OO0,OOO a month, more than
S2,5OOOO0 a day. The figures are
stupendous, but they can be larger. If
the present average rate of interest
paid by the treasury is continued; that
is, If the government does not have to
pay a higher rate than the 31a per
cent now paid, the interest bill on the
debt of about S31 SOC, 100000 will ap-
proach s1,1O0,OO0,O00 a year. Mr..
Roosevelt said in his budget message
that the debt ought not be allowed to
go higher than S31, 500. 100000. cat a
later date, when the detailed figures
have been made available, shall at
tempt to show in these columns how
the money is going to be spent this
year,
The recent White House reception
to the members of the judiciary
brought forth a humorous Story about
a naval aide to the President and a
southern girl whose identity remains
undisclosed. Lieutenant Commander
Pease Powell was approached by a
young woman who inquired In drawl
of the South whether there were "any
dahk caawnahs around the White
House" Commander Powell was said
to have been struck with the beauty
Of the young woman while at the same
time observing that she was accom-