Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Without constructive economy in Government expenditures we should not now
be enjoying these results or these prospects. Because we are not now
physically at war, some people are disposed to forget that our war debt
still remains. The Nation must make financial sacrifices, accompanied by a
stern self-denial in public expenditures, until we have conquered the
disabilities of our public finance. While our obligation to veterans and
dependents is large and continuing, the heavier burden of the national debt
is being steadily eliminated. At the end of this fiscal year it will be
reduced from about $26,600,000,000 to about $17,975,000,000. Annual
interest, including war savings, will have been reduced from $1,055,000,000
to $670,0001,000. The sacrifices of the people, the economy of the
Government, are showing remarkable results. They should be continued for
the purpose of relieving the Nation of the burden of interest and debt and
releasing revenue for internal improvements and national development.
Not only the amount, but the rate, of Government interest has been reduced.
Callable bonds have been refunded and paid, so that during this year the
average rate of interest on the present public debt for the first time fell
below 4 per cent. Keeping the credit of the Nation high is a tremendously
profitable operation.
TAX REDUCTION
The immediate fruit of economy and the retirement of the public debt is tax
reduction. The annual saving in interest between 1925 and 1929 is
$212,000,000. Without this no bill to relieve the taxpayers would be worth
proposing. The three measures already enacted leave our Government revenues
where they are not oppressive. Exemptions, have been increased until
115,000,000 people make but 2,500,000 individual taxable returns, so that
further reduction should be mainly for the purpose of removing
inequalities. The Secretary of the Treasury has recommended a measure which
would give us a much better balanced system of taxation and without
oppression produce sufficient revenue. It has my complete support.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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