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Show rEC0IVI0NY IS URGED IN TAFMHESSA6E PRESIDENT POINTS OUT NECESSITY NECES-SITY OF CURTAILING EXPENSES EXPEN-SES TO LAWMAKERS. ANNUAL DOCUMENT IS READ Conservation, Ship Subsidy and Fortification For-tification of Panama Canal Leading Lead-ing Topics Discussed Hae Little to Say About Tariff. 'Washington, Dec. 6. -Economy in government affairs Is tho keynote of President Taft's annual mossago read boforo both houses of congress today. Tho nicssogo approximates 40,000 words and Is ono of tho longest over submitted by a prcshlont. Conservation of tho public domain, ship Mibfildy, fortification of tho Panama Pana-ma 'anal and tho continuation of tho prct nt tnriff board nro tho leading subjects touched upon. Ho also re-vlows re-vlows tho work of the various government gov-ernment departments and concurs in recommendation, tending toward tho bettering of tho service, mndo by several sev-eral of tho members of his cabinet. Economy Is Urged. In dwelling on tho urgent need for economy In government expenditures, the president Bays: "Every effort has been made by each department chief to reduce tho estimated cost of his department for thi onsulng fiscal year ending Juno 30, 1912. I say this In order that congress may understand that these estimates thus mado present the smallest sum which will mnlntnln tho departments, bureaus a nil ofllccs of tho government nnd meet Its other obligations under existing law, nnd that n cut of these estimates would ro-etilt ro-etilt In embarrassing tho executive branch of tho government In tho performance of Its duties. This remark docs not apply to tho river nnd harbor estimates, except to those for expenses of maintenance nnd the meeting of obligations under authorized author-ized contracts, nor docs It apply to the public building bill nor to tho navy building' build-ing' program. Of course, as to these congress con-gress could withhold any part or nil of tho estimates for them without Interfering Interfer-ing with tho dlschnrgo of tho ordlnnry obligations ob-ligations of these functions of Its departments, depart-ments, bureaus and oftlccs. "Against tho estimates of expenditures $0,404,013.12, wo havo estimated receipts for next year JGSO.000,000, making a proba-blo proba-blo surplus of ordinary receipts over ordlnnry or-dlnnry expenditures of about $.'0,000,000, or taking Into account tho estimates for tho Panama cnnnl, which nro $56,920,817.f.9, nnd which will ultimately bo paid In bonds. It will leave a deficit for tho next yenr of about $7,000,000, If congress shall conclude to fortify tho cnnnl." Wants Forest Limitation Removed. On tho subject of conservation he do-votes do-votes considerable space to forest, coal, oil and gas, phosphate lands nnd water power sites. As to the reservation of forest lands ho snys: "Tho law now prohibits pro-hibits tho reservation of nny moro forest Innds In Oregont Washington, Idaho, Montana. Colorado and Wyoming, except by net of congress. I am Informed by tho depnrtment of ngrleulturo that tho gov- j ernment owns other tracts of timber land ' In these stntes which should bo Included In tho forest reserves. I recommend to ! congress that tho limitation herein im- pocpd bo repealed. "Congress ought to trust tho executive to uso tho power of reservation only with respect to land most vnltinblo for forest purposes. During tho prrseut administration. administra-tion. fi2.250.000 ncres of land largely non-timbered non-timbered havo been excluded from forest reserves, nnd 3,500.000 acres of land principally prin-cipally valuable for forest purposes havo been Included In forest reserves, making n reduction In forest reserves of non-timbered non-timbered land nmountlng to 2,750.000 ncres." Wants Canal Fortified. Regarding tho Pnnnmn cnnnl. the president presi-dent nsserts that unless unexpected obstacles ob-stacles nrlso the waterway will bo completed com-pleted well within time limit of .lanu-nrv .lanu-nrv 1. 1!U5, nnd within estimate of cost. $375,000,000. Suggestions for levying of tolls nnd management are made, nnd regarding re-garding fortification of tho canal, ho snys: "Among questions nrlslng for present solution Is tho decision whether tho cnnnl ihnll be fortified. I havo nlready stated to tho congress thnt I strongly favor fortification for-tification and I now reltornto this opinion opin-ion and nsk your consideration of tho subject In the light of tho report nlready boforo you mndo by a competent board. "Falluro to fortify tho canal would leave tho attainment of both these alms In the position of rights and obligations which wo should bo powerless to enforce nnd which could never In any way bo absolutely ab-solutely safeguarded ngnlnst a desporato and Irrcsponslblo onemy." Ship 8ubsldy. The president urges hucIi action ns ho believes will Increaso American trade broad, and says:: "Anotlfer Instrumentality Indispensable to the unhampered and natural develop-mnt develop-mnt of American rommerco Is merchant marine. All maritime nnd commercial nations na-tions rtfognlzo tho Importance of this factor The greatest commercial nations, our competitors, Jealously foster their merchant marine. I'erliapa nowhero Is the need for rapid and direct mall, passenger pas-senger and freight communication quite so urgent ns between tho United Stntes and Latin America. We can secure In no other quarter of the world such Immediate Imme-diate benefits In friendship and commerce com-merce as would flow from the establishment establish-ment of direct lines of communication with the countries of Latin America ado-quato ado-quato to meet tho requirements of a rnp-Idly rnp-Idly Increasing appreciation of tho reciprocal reci-procal dependence of tho countrlas of the western hcrplsphero upon ench other's products, sympathies and assistance. "I alluded to this most Important subject sub-ject In my last annual message; It has often been before you and I need not recapitulate re-capitulate tho reasons for Its recommendation. recommen-dation. Unless prompt action be taken tho completion of the Panama canal will find this the only great commercial na- iHMMLBBlBHl i Hon unable to avail In International maritime mari-time business of this great contribution to tho means of the world's commercial Intercourse." In-tercourse." Criticism of the Tariff. In tho spaco devoted- to tho tariff Mi president snys: "Tho schedules of tho rates of duty In the l'nyno tariff net have been subjected to a great deal of criticism, some of It Just, more of It unfounded, and too much misrepresentation. Tho act was adopted In pursuance of a declaration by tho party par-ty which Is responsible for It that cus. toms bill should bo n tnrlff for the pre tcctlon of homo Industries, tho measure of tho protection to bo tho difference between be-tween the cost of producing the Imported artlclo abroad and tho cost of producing It nt homo, together with such addition to thnt dlfforonco as might glvo n rousonnblo profit to the homo producer. The basis for the criticism of this tnrlff Is that In respect to a number of tho schedules tho declared measure was not followed, but a higher difference retained or Inserted by way of undue discrimination In favor of certain Industries and manufactures. I.lt-tlo, I.lt-tlo, If any, of tho criticism of the tnrlff has been directed ngnlnst tho protective prlnclplo nbove stated: but the main body of tho criticism has been based on the attempt at-tempt to conform to the menfiuro of protection pro-tection wns not honestly nnd sincerely adhered to." The president also refers to the appointment appoint-ment of a board of experts to Investigate the cost of production of vnrlous nrtlclen Included In tho schedules of tho tariff, and concludes: "Whether or not the protective policy Is to he continued, nnd the degree of protection protec-tion to be nccorded to our home Industries, Indus-tries, nro questions which the people must decide through their chosen representatives. representa-tives. Hut whtitever pollry Is ndoptrd. It Is elenr that the necessnry legislation should bo based on an Impartial, thorough thor-ough and continuous study of tho facts." Recommends Parcels Post. Tho adoption of the parcels post Is again ndoptcd. On this subject President Tnft says: "With respect to tho parrels post, I respectfully recommend Its ndop. Hon on nil rural delivery routes, nnd thai 11 pounds tho International limit bo made the limit, of carriage In such post. Tho snmo nrgnmcnt Is made against tho parcels post that was made against tho postal savings bank that It Is Introducing Introduc-ing the government Into n business which should be conducted by private persons and Is patcrnnllsm. Tho posfofllco department depart-ment has a groat plant nnd n grent organization, or-ganization, reaching Into tho most remote hamlet of tho United States, and with this mnchlnery It Is nble to do a great many things economically that If a new organization were necessnry It would bo Impossible to do without extravagant expenditures." ex-penditures." Department of Justice. Discussing tho nffnlrs of the department of justice, tho president snys: "I Invito especial attention to the proso-cutlons proso-cutlons under tho federal law of the so-called so-called 'bucket shops,' and of those schemes to defraud In which tho uso of tho mnll Is nn essential part of tho fraudulent conspiracy, prosecutions which havo saved Ignorant nnd weak members of tho public nnd nro saving them hundreds hun-dreds of millions of dotlnrs. Tho violations viola-tions of tho nntl-trust law present per-haps per-haps tho most Important litigation before tho department, nnd tho number of cases filed shows tho activity of the government govern-ment In enforcing thnt stnluto. "In a special messnge last yenr I brought to tho nttentlon of congress tho propriety nnd wisdom of ennptlng a gen-ernl gen-ernl law providing for tho Incorporation of Industrlnl and other companies engaged In Interstnto commerce, nnd I renew my recommendation In that behalf." Tho crying need In the United Stntes of cheapening tho cost of litigation by simplifying Judicial proceduro and expediting ex-pediting final Judgment Is pointed out nnd nctlon looking to correction of theso evils Is urged. Tho president recommends nn Increaso In tho salaries of federal Judges. Postal Affairs. In regard to postal matters tho president presi-dent points with pride to Its present efficient effi-cient management nnd the recent reduction reduc-tion In tho dpflclt. Tho presont unrestricted unre-stricted franking prlvllego comes In for comment with a suggestion for the ndop-tlon ndop-tlon of better methods for Its regulation. Abolish Navy Yards. Tho president calls attention to certnln reforms urged by tho secretary of tho navy which ho recommends for adoption, nnd continues: "Tho secretary of tho navy has given personnl examination to every navy yard, and has studied the uses of the navy yards with reference to the necessities of our fleet. With n fleet considerably less, than half the slzo of that of tho nrltlsh navy, we hnvo shipyards moro than doublo tho numbor, nnd thero are sevornl of these shipyards expensively equipped with modern mchlnery, which, nfter Investigation tho secretary of tho navy believes to bo entirely useless for naval purposes. IIo aBks authority to abandon certnln of them nnd to move their machinery to othor places, where It can bo mado of uso." Speaking of our foreign relations tho president says: "During tho past year the foreign relations of the United 8tntes hnvo continued upon n basis of friendship nnd good understanding. "Tho year has been notnblo as witnessing witness-ing tho pacific settlement of two Important Impor-tant International controversies boforo tho permanent court of Tho 'Hague. "The arbitration of tho fisheries dispute between tho United Stntes nnd Great Britain, which has been the source of nenrly continuous diplomatic correspondence correspond-ence slnco tho fisheries convention of 1818, has glvon nn award which Is satisfactory to both parties. This arbitration Is par-tlntilarly par-tlntilarly noteworthy not only bocnuso of the eminently Just results secured, but also hccauBo It Is the first arbitration hold under the general arbitration treaty of April i, 1903, between tho United States and Grent llrltain, nnd disposes of a controversy con-troversy tho settlement of which hns resisted re-sisted every other resourco of diplomacy and which for nearly ninety years has been the cause of friction between two countries whoso common Interest lies In maintaining tho most friendly and cordial relations with ench other. President Taft makes a few recommendations recommen-dations for changes In tho Interstate commerce com-merce law nnd says: "Hxcept ns abovo, I do not recommend nny nmendmont to tho Interstnto commerce com-merce law as It stands. I do not now recommend any nmendmont to the antitrust anti-trust law. In othor words, It seems to me that the existing legislation with reference to the regulation of corporations corpora-tions and the restraint of their business has reached a point whero wo enn stop for a while nnd witness the effect of the vigorous execution of tho laws of the statute books In restraining tho abuses which certainly did exist and whlah roused the public to demand reform " |
