St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-05
GET RID OF THE SURPLUS.
Windows Method Is to Reduce
Customs Receipts and Internal

Taxes.
The secretary then considers the sur
plus and how to reduce it. His recon-
mendations are: Enlarge our foreign
markets, strengthen coast defenseS,
build up our navy, reduce the interest
bearing debt, but best of all reduce
customs receipts and internal taxes.
The repeal of the tax on tobacco. an
article which is now considered neceS-
sity for poor as well as rich, would
cut off 49,, 900, 900. Exemption of aicO-
hol used in the arts would cut off S., AGO.
600, and would at the same time stimu-
late manufacture. Reduction of Gus
toms revenue can be accomplished
by reducing excessive duties, by
increase on articles not suffi-
GENTLY protected, thus stimulating
hone manufacture, and by putting
OIL the free list articles which cannot be
produced in this country at all or only
in small quantities. Horizontal reduc-
ton would probably increase the rev.
enueS with three evil results: ID mfnu-
ton of demand for. American labor and
capital, contraction of circulating
medium. increase in adverse balance of
trade. A tariff for revenue only means
the largest possible quantity of imports
consistent with requisite revenue
for the government. This would not
only deprive our wOrkmens of employ
ment, but would deplete our country
of gold to pay for foreign labor and
material. 1t is generally agreed that a
revision of the tariff is urgently neces-
sary. 1t is dominant sentiment in the
country that in the readjustment pro-
lection to home industries should be
the governing principle. Duties should
be so levied as to result in the protec-
ton of labor. The inequalities of the
war revenue tariff should be eliminated.
The growing evil of appeals to the Sec
rotary of the treasury for rulings on
the sense of the tariff law. which some
times amount. to demands for tariff
legislation, should be met by clear,
lucid legislation. The secretary adds:
Furthermore, in the construction of a
tariff law in its broader sense, reference
should be had, not only to the changed
conditions of our domestic commerce
and manufactures since the enactment
of previous tariffs, but also to the cult
vatiOn and extension of our trade
relations with those countries whose
geographical situation and re-
sources are such as to make
intimate commercial intercourse
with them particularly desirable"
The exports were $3.50, 49,, 600 for 1889.
an increase Of SAC. 800 over the pre-
ceGing year, and greater than for any
year except 1880, 1881, 1882 and 1885.
The imports for 1889 were $745, 131, 652.
an increase of S21, 174, 53S over the pre-
ceding year.
Il do not hesitate to recommend that
liberal and judicious aid and encourage
ment be given for the construction of
steam merchant vessels, suitable for use
as cruisers and transports in time of
war; that fair and liberal rates be paid
to American steamers for tranSpOrta-
ton of mails to foreign countries: and
that special aid, either in the form of
mail pay, or for mileage run, be made
for the establishment of direct cOnmec-
ton by American steamer lines with
Mexico, Central and South America,
and with China and Japan"