Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-19
ARTICLE ".
REVISION OF THE TARIFF POLL
TICS OR ECONOMICS.
Impossibiiity of Amy Change az the Present
Session OF Congress- Certainty of n
Decrease OF Revenue.
ny EDWARD srASwoop.


Is one either OF taxation, OF economics, or
Of politics. when the revenue Is too
large or too small, having regard TO the
necessary and proper expenditures Of the
government, II Is beyond all question the
part OF statesmanliSe wisdom 70 examine
the operation OF the tariff, as Of I'll other
sources o1 national income, With a view
of determining waether or not readjust-
ment Of rates shall he mseo, In order that
the yield Of customs duties mig be less OK
more, "a the case may demand.
Again, the difference between the
principles underlying the SYSTEM OF pro-
lection and those maintained by free
traders are 20 great that II ls not con-
ccivable that any tariff con be acceptable
and satisfactory TO both parties. Conse-
Queutly the contest between them must
20 on; and whether one may deem the
agitation az any particular time, In oppo-
sition TO The tariff then existing, wise and
reasonable or The reverse, the agitation
Will certainly continue. IL must be &c
ceptcd as an Interchangeable fact VI the
situation, and the school Of economic
thought which Is, for the time being, in
the ascendent, must maintain a defensive
attitude.
Finally, the question is, in a low sense
OF the term, Il political one. The true end
OF oil parties h the public good, wise
government, the triumph Of principle.
Were either OF the great parties IN this
country united IN maintaining or oppos-
Ing tariffs and tariff systems either rs an
incidental or necessary part Of a grand
financial policy, or In the advocacy of one
or the other economic system, the tariff
question would be one OF high politics;
and the action of the party would be,
whether judlcious or not, a firm and
courageous application Of principle. 1t
is not affirming too much TO say that this
In not the case. There Is no such har-
mony aud agreement In either party,
whether in It's attitude upon this question,
or in the reasons advanced in support
Of the position which each party
as whole nomlnally occupies, that one
can regard definite tariff policy as
being, ia Itself or as part of general
scheme, the programme OF any party or
ganization. lmputing lnslncerity To no
politician IN respect of the views he pro-
fesses to hold on the tariff, IL Is neverthe-
less true, as n broad statement, that so
far az the question enters into politics at
present, II merely gives an opportunity TO
maneuver for purity position, which posi-
ton Is chosen chiefly with reference to
the presumed popularity Of the policy
that is advocated. Whether the existing
tariff be advocated or denounced, the
leading object is NOT the triumph of a
grand principle. but the success OF Il
party in recommending itself to voters.
Making due allowance for those who are
deeply In earnest, on the one side or the
other, the end aimed at by politicians is
not high, but low one.
EVIDENT FALLING orr or REVENUE.
Leaving this aspect Of the subject, not
10 return 10 IL, let Us look ut il from the
only two points OF view from which IL APP
pears to be anything but maneuvcrng
ground Of political evasion aud trickory
Take IL first as a question of financial
policy. Does the government need more
revenue? Is II safe, having regard to the
condition and prospects Of the treasury,
greatly To reduce taXation2 During the
fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the or
binary receipts Of the government were,
in round numbers, 1924 million dollars;
the expenditures, including sinking
fund, were 805g millions, and
the surplus was l73 millions.
With one-quarter of the current
year expired the secretary of the treasury
estimated the revenue OF lSs6-s6 at 49,
100000; the expenditures, including sink
ing fund, NJ 290A millions; and the surplus
at ga millions. But for the fiscal year
lSSG-67 he estimated the revenue OF 3l5
mlllinnsi the expenditures at 1894 mill
lions; and the deficiency, accordingly,
viii he 24i millions. That is to say, ii
the sums estimated by the departments
ms necessary for the support OF the gov
eminent should be appropriated by con-
gress, the revenue, at a safe and consery-
alive estimate, will not be sufficient TO pay
the expenses OF the government and meet
the requirements Of the sinking fund,
Now, while there may be something
more than good chance that the receipts
will be In excess OF the estimate, perhaps
many millions in excess; and whi,a II Is
morally certain that congress viii keep
many millions within the estimates in
making appropriations; yet, at the best,
there can be no large surplus The sur
plus In 1885 Is In Itself large sum,
and that anticipated during the current
year Ia larger still. But for the two years
II averages less than Z per cent. OF the
revenue. Were II now safe 10 anticipate
that the result OF the government taxa
ton and administration during the next
three years would he equally ia
vorable, II would nevertheless
be extremely hazardous fnanciering
10 make any change In the system of
taxation that would reduce the revenue
more than per cent. unless--whIch no
one pretends-thero should be prospect
OF large saving In expenditures In
stead, however, Of looking forward 10
such surplus as would Justify reduc-
tlon OF even so little AZ per cent, the
country is confronted with very meager
surplus for the next year, which may even
disappear altogether. Nothing can be
palmer, then, Than that any change In the
tariA for the purpose Of Producing the
burdens OF the people," in the sense OF
diminishing the amount Of money they
are to contribute 20 the public treasury,
Is simply out of the question, unless pay
ments 20 the sinking fund are TO be sus-
pended and as the policy OF suspension
involves q direct breach OF the national
faith, that contingency need not be dis
cuhsed.
THE ISSUE or PROTECTION AHD FREE
IRAnE,
IL viii be said however. that iudicious
reduction OF tariff rates not only need not
but will not be followed by loss OF rev.
enue. The fact that lower rates induce