New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-29

ports OF competing foreign products 10 de-
bar the commission from recommending e'tner
of these steps, by cutting down the revenue 50
that no reduction in receipts from CUSTOMS
coud be safely made, would be exceedingly
unwisc.
Assuming that it may be fOnnd eNpedicnt 10
rcduce the revenue from customs SD, Ooo,oUO
or $50 600. 900. half OF the actual sllIpins Is
exhausted. Certainly it would be unwlse 10
leave room for no greater reduction III receipts
frc m customs than is made IN lnternal revenue
But the remaining surplus CT ao' III
500, 900 900 is already disposed q, at leaSt III
the main, by the increased expenditure oil 'ne
Government. The statement has recently Deeh
made by a member of the Committee on APP
preparations that the amount OF expenditures
required for the next fiscal year Will be ABOUT
800, O0O, 900. The main increase Is causeu
by ihe Arrears of Pensions Act, when Demo-
cratic Congress passed it required an eSpeh-
diture for which the Democrats have never 1au
the manhood or the courage To proVlde. M"hy
millions more must be appropriated TINS year
TO meet legitimate and necessary expenses Oh
the Government which the Democrats refused
to pay-dcbts which the Government Is bound
to pay under existing laws, and actually owes
but upon which the party OF reputation chose
70 default. The present House has also voted to
authorize Increased expenditure for river and
harbor Improvements pubic buildings anu
some other PURPOSES. Whether any or all 81
these appropriations are unwlSe, IL Is the u'i'S
of Con ,ress that makes them to provide the
revenue winch they require. Let IL remain 10
the end a Democratic trick to get credit Ior
liberal expenditure by passing bills that can
for large sums, and at the same time 10 seek
credit for economy by refusing to pay inc
money which these bills agree to pay, or 10
provide the revenue thus rendered necessary.
There il one other consideration, of which
Congress and the public should not lose sight
The taxes now in force have yielded NOR"
during the past year than ever before, ana more
than Congress can safely count upon Tor an
other year. 1t was Il yea of extraordinary
business activity and unparalleled imports. II
the laws remain unchanged, the revenue VIII
probably be smaller during the coming than 1t
has been during the past year. In Fact, re-
duction of $4,000, 900 or $50, 600, 600 IN
revenue would not have been surprising. 1t
will not DO to leave the Government III danger
of bankruptcy. If Congress is to cut oil
500, 600 900 of revenue, it is also bound to
make allowance in addition for a natural and
probable decrease of $20,0O0,0O or more IN
case of any depression in business. Taking
any other course, it would expose the pubic
credit to possible dishun0r. With these things
in mind, the House has gone quite as far as 1t
could safely -. wisely i'll the reduction OF
taxes There will be hearty rejoicing il its bill
becomes law. The repeal of the taxes On
deposits. checks and matches has long been
earnestly urged, and with justice. Every
laborer and every business man is benefited
when tax on the processes OF trade is re-
moved. The reduction of the tax on cigars
and cigarettes has nothing especial to recon-
mend il; otherwise the changes determined
upon by the House appear to be emlncnty
iudiclous.