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Show CONGRESS EIVEN GODLIDGEJUIESSAGE Condition of Country Is One of Progress and Prosperity Approves Revenue Bill. Washington. In his message to the Sixty-ninth congress, President Coolidge Cool-idge said that the general condition of the nation Is one of progress and prosperity. The President stated that he approved of the new revenue bill as framed by the house ways and means committee. The President's message In part is as follows:' Members of the Congress: In meeting the constitutional requirements re-quirements of Informing the congress upon the state of the Union, It Is exceedingly ex-ceedingly gratifying to report thut the general condition Is one of progress and prosperity. For Government Economy. It Is a fundamental principle of our country that the people are sovereign. They hold inviolate In their own hands the Jurisdiction over their own freedom free-dom and the ownership of their own property. The wealth of our country Is not public wealth, but private wealth. It does not belong to the government, gov-ernment, it belongs to the people. It Is always necessary to keep these principles lu mind In the laying of taxes and In the making of appropriations. appro-priations. All proposals for assuming new obligations ought to be postponed, unless they are reproductive capital Investments In-vestments or are such as nre nhsrv- lutely necessary at this time. It has always been our policy to retire our debts. The taxpayer will be required to produce nearly twice the amount of commodities to pay his debt if the 6oU lar returns to the 1913 value. The more we pay while prices are high, the easier it will be. There Is room for further economy in the cost of the federal government, hut a comparison of current expenditures expendi-tures with pre-war expenditures is not unfavorable to the efficiency with which government business is now being be-ing done. I believe that present federal expenses ex-penses are not far out of line with pre-war expenses. We have nearly accomplished the deflation. Budget. The congress has wisely set up the bureau of budget. This gives a centralized authority where a general and comprehensive understanding can be reached of the sources of Income and the most equitable equi-table distribution of expenditures. How well it has worked is indicated by the fact that the departmental estimates for 1922, before the budget law, were $4,06S,000,000 while the budget estimates esti-mates for 1927 are $3,156,000,000. This latter figure shows the reductions In departmental estimates for the coming com-ing year made possible by the operation opera-tion of the budget system that the .vmtn-oca Vino nrnvlrlpfi Taxation. The purpose of reducing expenditures expendi-tures is to seGure a reduction in taxes. That purpose Is about to be realized. With commendable promptness prompt-ness the ways and means committee -of the house has undertaken In advance ad-vance of the meeting of the congress to frame a revenue act. In its present form it should provide sufficient rev-enue rev-enue for the government I approve of the bill in principle. I am advised that the bill will be through the house by Christmas. The bill should reach me prior to March" 15. Foreign Relations. The policy of our foreign relations, casting aside any suggestion of force, rests solely on the foundation of peace, good will, and good works. It seems clear that it la the reduction reduc-tion of armies rather than of navies that is of the first Importance to the world at the present time: Court of International Justice. Pending before the senate for nearly near-ly three years is the proposal to adhere ad-here to the protocol establishing the Permanent Court of International Justice. A well-established line of precedents mark America's effort to effect the establishment of a court of this nature. Foreign Debts. Gradually, settlements have been made which provide for the liquidation of debts due to our government from foreign governments. Immigration. While not enough time has elapsed to afford a conclusive demonstration, such results as have been secured indicate in-dicate thut our immigration law is on the whole beneficial. It Is undoubtedly undoubted-ly a protection to the wage earners of this country. National Defense. Never before in time of peace has our country maintained so large and effective a military force as it now has. The army, navy, marinet corps, National Guard, and organized re- serve represent a strength of ubout o58,400 men. These forces are well trained, well- equipped, and high in morale. Aviation is of great Importance both for national defense and commercial development We ought to proceed in Its improvement by the necessary experiment ex-periment and investigation. Our country coun-try Is not behind In this art Veterans. If anyone desires to estimate the esteem in which the veterans of America are held by their fellow citizens, citi-zens, it is but necessary to remember thnt the current budget calis for an expenditure of about $050,000,000 In their behalf. Agriculture. No doubt the position of agriculture as a whole has very much Improved since the depression of three and four years ago. But there are many localities local-ities nnd many groups of individuals, apparently through no fault of their own, sometimes due to climatic conditions con-ditions and sometimes to the prevailing prevail-ing price of a certain crop, 6tlll in a distressing condition. This Is probably prob-ably temporary, but It Is none the less nntita Vn(lnnnl 1 the Departments of Agriculture and Commerce, the farm loan board, the intermediate credit banks, and the federal reserve board are all co-operating to be of assistance and relief. On the other hand, there are localities locali-ties and individuals who have had one of their most prosperous years. Muscle Shoals. The problem of Muscle Shoals seems to me to have assumed a place all out of proportion with Its real Importance. Impor-tance. This property ought to be transferred to private management under un-der conditions which will dedicate it to the public purpose for which it was couceiveu. Reclamation. The national government is committed commit-ted to a policy of reclamation and Irrigation Ir-rigation which It desires to establish on a sound basis and continue In the Interest of the localities concerned. Shipping. The maintenance of a merchant marine ma-rine is of the utmost Importance for national defense and the service of our commerce. We have a large number num-ber of ships engaged in that service. We also have a surplus supply, costly to care for, which ought to be sold. Coal. The perennial conflict in the coal Industry In-dustry Is still going on to the great detriment of the wage earners, the owners, and especially to the public. The Industry could serve the public mueh better and become subject to a much more effective method of control If regional consolidations and .more freedom in the formation of marketing market-ing associations, under the supervision of the Department of Commerce, were permitted. Prohibition. Under the orderly processes of our fundamental Institutions the Constitution Consti-tution was lately amended providing for national prohibition. The congress passed an act for its enforcement, and similar acts have been provided by most of the states. It Is the law of the land. It Is the duty of all who come under Its jurisdiction to observe the spirit of that law, ann it is me duty of the Department of Justice and the Treasury department to enforce it. Waterway Development. For many years our country has been employed in plans and operations opera-tions for the development of our ln-tracoastal ln-tracoastal and inland waterways. This work along our coast is an Important adjunct to our commerce. It will be carried on, together with the further opening up of our harbors, as our resources permit. Along with the development of navigation navi-gation should go every possible encouragement en-couragement for the development of our water power. Railroads. The railroads throughout the conn-try conn-try are in a fair state of prosperity. Their service Is good and their supply, of cars Is .abundant. Their condition would be Improved and the public better bet-ter served by a system of consolidations consolida-tions I recommend that the congress authorize such consolidations. Civil Servioe. In 18S3 the congress passed the civil service act, which from a modest beginning of 14,000 employes ha. grown until there are now 425,000 In the classified service. This ha. removed re-moved the clerical force of the n at on from the wasteful effects of the polls system and made it more , .tab e and efficient. The time has come to consider classifying all postmasters, electors of customs, collectors of in-te in-te ntl "venue and prohibition agents by an act covering those at present office, except when otherwise provided pro-vided bv executive order. It Is apparent that we are reaching ,to an era of great general prosper-" prosper-" jt will continue only so long as Keshan use It properly. If the peer . elTKnS .na'thrit- era e,.nm the development of our natural -es, our prosperity will extend itself '"oOOLIDGE. |