St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-07

during the fiscal year is stated and compared
with the preceding year as follows:
| Year ending
| June 81, June 30,
| Domestic merchan-
disc. 1856, o64, 52e SIPS, 6S2, si6
| Foreign merchandise 13,560,301 15,5O6, 500
| Gold. ................ 142,952, l9l s.fI ,S9z
Silver. 29.5ll,21S 80. 7o3, 6S3
The value of some of our leading exports
during the last fiscal year, as compared with
the value of the same for the year Immediately
| preceding, is here given, and furnishes in
| formation both interesting and suggestive.
Year ending
June 80, June 80,
manufacturers. u. s2ls, O45,576 s2lS, 7s9, O4s
Tobacco and its man.
ufacture. .. 3O,424.90S 24.767, 3c5
Breadstuffs .. 125.S46,S58 160,370, S21
PROVISIONS. .......... 9u,oZo,@Io IVI,oo~, 4oo
OUR IMPORTS
during the last fiscal year, as compared with
the previous year, were as follows:
| 1855. 1885.
Merchandise. $685., 436, 136 $579, ,053
| Gold ... 20,735,3 49 &c, 500
! Silver ......... 17,950,307 $3.50, 1927
In my last annual message to congress at
| tention was directed to the TACT that the rev.
| enues of the government exceed its actual
needs, and ii was suggested that legislative
! action should be taken TO relieve the people
| from the unnecessary burden of taxation
| thus made apparent. In view of the press
| ing Importance of the subject. deem IL m
| duty to again urge its consideration. The in
come of tie government, with its Increased
! volume and through economies in its collec-
| ton, is now more than ever
IN EXCESS OF PUBLIC NECESSITIES.
The application Of the surplus to the pay
| ment of such portion of the public debt as Is
now at our option. subject to eXtinguishment
| if continued at the rate which has lately pre-
vailed would retire that class of indebted
ness within less than one year from this date
| Thus eontinudtio OF our present revenue
would soon result in the receipt OF an annual
| income much greater than necessary to me IT
| government expenses, with no Indebtedness
| upon whicl it could be applied. We should
| then be con cronted with u vast quantity OF
money, the circulating medium OF the people,
| boarded in the treasury when it should be IN
| tueir hands or we should be drawn into waste
| full puolic extravaganza with allth corrupt
| ing national decentralization which follows in its
! train. But it is not the simple existence OF
the surplus and its threatened attendant evils
which furnish the strongest argument a yainst
our present scale of federal taxation. Its
worst phase is the eXaction OF such surplus
| through the perverSOn Of the relations be-
| tween the people and their GOVERNMENTS
! dangerous departure from the rules whic :
| limit the right of federal taxation. Good
government, of which every American citizen
boasts. has for its objects the protection OF
| every person within its borders with the
| greatest liberty consistent with the good
| of the country, and his perfect security in
| the enjoyment of his earnings, with the least
| possible dim mutton FOR the public needs
| When more of the peoples substance is ex-
| acted through the form of taxation than IS
necessary to meet the just demands of the
| government, and the expense of its economi-
| cal administration, such action
| BECOMES RUTHLESS ExToRTTON,
| and violation of the fund ,mental principles
| of a free government. Tue indirect manner
! in which these exactious are made has Il
! tendency to conceal their true character and
| their extent. But we have arrived at u stage
| of superf1uous revenue, which has aroused
| the people to a realization of the fact that the
| amount raised profeSsedly for the support of
| the government is paid By them as absolutely,
| if added to the price of the things which
| supply their daily wants, as ii it was paid at
| fixed periods into the hands OF the tax
| ratherer. Those who toll for daily wages are
| beginning to understand that capital. though
| sometimes vaunting its Importance and
| cIsmoring for the protection and favor of the
| government, is dull and sluggish till. toned by
| the magical wand of labor, it springs into
| activity, fur fishing an occasion for federal
| taxation and gaining the value which enables
| il to bear its burden, and the iaooring man
| is thoughtfully inQuiring whether in these
| circumstances, and considering the tribute
| ne constantly pays into the public treasury
| as he supplies his daily wants. he receives his
| fair share of advantages. There is also a
| suspicion abroad that the surplus OF our
| revenues Indicate abnormal and exceptional
| business o. offs, which, under the system
| which produces such surplus. increases.
| without corresponding benefit to the people
| ut large the vast accommodations or a few
| among our citizens whose fortunes. rlvaling
| the wealth of the most favored in anti-demo-
| cratic nations. are not the natural growth of
| a steady, plain and industrious republic.
OUR FARMERS,
too. and those engaged directly and indirectly
, in supplying the products OF agriculture see
| that day by day. and as often as the daily
wa its of their households recur, they are
| forced to pa excessive and needless taxation.
! while their products struggle IN foreign mar
| kets with the competition OF nations which,
| by allowing a freer exchange or productions
| than we permit enable their people to sell for
prices which distress the Anne lean farmer.
| As every patriotic citizen rejoices in the con-
| stantly increasing pride OF our people IN
| American citizenship, and in the glory of our
national achievements and progress, sentl-
| ment prevails that the leading strings useful
| to nation in its infancy may WELL to great
| extent be discarded in the present stage OF
| American ingenuity, courage and fearless
| self-reliance; and for the privilege OF indulg-
| ing this sentiment with true American enthu-
siasm our people are quite willing to forego an
idle surplus in the public treasury; and all
the people know that the average rate of fed
eral taxatious upon imports 10 to-day, In time
of peace. but little less. while upon some ar
ticles of necessary consumption it is actually
| more than was imposed py the
| GRIEvOUs BURDEN WILLINGLY BORNE
/ at a time when the government needed mill
| ions to maintain by war the safety and
| integrity of the United States. 1t has been
the policy of the government to collect the
principal part of IT'S revenues by tax upon
imports and no change in this policy Is de-
siraple. But the present condition Of affairs
constrains our people TO demand that by a
| revision of our revenue laws the receipts
OF the government shall be reduced to the
necessary e. D enses of its economical admin
istration. anu this demand should be recog-
nized and obeyed by the peoples representa-
tiyes in the legislative branch Of the govern
mont. In readjusting the burdens of federal
taxation sound public policy requires that
such of our citizens as have built up large
ana important industries under present
conditions should not be suddenly, and to