Huntsville gazette., 1890-12-06
LEGISLATION

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upon the passage at the first session of the
FIFTY -hrst Congress of an unusual number of
laws OF very high importance. That the re-
suits OF this legislation will be the quickening
ana enlargement of our manufacturing in
dustries, larger and better markets for our
breadstuffs and provisions both at home and
abroad, more constant employment and bet
ter wages fer our working people, and an
increased supply of a safe currency for the
transaction of business. i do not doubt
some of these measures were enacted at so
late period that the beneficial effects upon
commerce which were in the contemplation
OF Congress have as yet but partially mani
rested themselves.
TRADE AND INDUSTRY.
The general trade and industrial conditions
throughout the country during the year have
shown marked Improvement For many
years prior to 1888 the merchandise balances
of foreign trade had been largely in our fa
vor, but in that year and the year fol-
lowing they turned against us. 1t is very
gratifying to know that the last fiscal year
again shows balance in our favor of over
S6S, 900. The bank clearings, which fur
nish good test of the volume of business
transacted for the first ten months of the
year 1880 show, as compared with the same
months of 1889, an increase for the whole
country of about s.4 per cent, while the in
crease outside of the city of New York was
over l3 per cent. During the month of Octo-
Der the cleariugs of the whole country
October, 1889, while outside OF New
York the increase was 11l2 per cent. These
figures show that the increase in the volume
of business was very general throughout the
country. That this large business was being
conducted upon safe and profitable basis
is shown by the fact that there were three
hundred less failures reported in October
1890, than in the same month of the preced-
ing year, with liabilities diminished by about
s5,000000.
THE ii KINLEY TARIFF.
The General Tariff act has only partially
gone into operation, some of its important
provisions being limited to take effect at
dates yet in the future The general pro-
visions of the law have been in force less
trade and prices still stand in conject-
ure. 1t is curious to note that the
advance in the price OF ~ articles Who'll
by many hastily 'ns ascribed r to to- that nat
act. Notice was not taken of the fact that
the general tendency of the markets was up
ward from influences wholly apart from the
recent tariff legislation. The enlargement
of our currency by the Silver bill undoubtly
gave an upward tendency to trade and had
marked effect on prices; but this natural and
desired effect of the silver legislation was by
many erroneusly attributed to the Tariff
act.
TARIFF REVISION.
There is neither wisdom nor suggestion
that the subject of tariff revision shall be
opened before this law has had fair trial.
1t is quite true that every tariff schedule is
subject to objections. No bill was ever
framed. / suppose, that in all of its rates and
classifcations had the full approval even of
party caucus. Such legislation is always
and necessarily the product of compromise
as to details, and the present law is no
exception. But, in its general scope
and effect, think, it Will justify the sup
port of those who believe that American leg
islation should conserve and defend Amer
lean trade and the wages OF American work
men.
The misinformation as TO the terms of the
act, which has been so widely disseminated
at home and abroad, will be corrected by eX-
perience and the evil auguries as to its results
confounded by the market reports, the saw
Ings banks, International trade balances and
the general prosperity of our people. Already
we begin to hear from abroad and from
our custom houses that the prohibitory effect
upon importatons imputed to the act is not
justified. The imports at the port of New
York for the first three weeks of November
were nearly per cent. greater than for the
same period in 1889 and 20 per cent. greater
than in the same period of 1888. And so far
from being an act to limit exports, conf
IDENTIFY believe that under it we shall secure
larger and more profitable participation in
foreign trade than we have ever enjoyed, and
that we shall recover propOrtionate par
ticipation in the ocean carrying trade of the
world.
PROHIBITORY OR RETALIAToRY LEGISLATION.
There is no disposition among any Of our
people to promote prOhibitory or retaliatOry
legislation. Our policies are adopted not To
the hurt of others, but to secure for ourselves
those advantages that fairly grow out of our
favored position as nation Our form of
government, with its incident of universal
suffrage, makes it imperative that we shall
save our working people from the agitationS
and distresses which scant work and wages
that have no margin for comfort always
get. But aft9r all this is done, it will be
found that our markets are open to friendly
commercial exchanges of enormous value
to the other great Powers.
RECIPROCITY.
There were but two methods of obtaining
control of this question open to Congress:
To place all these articles upon the dutiable
list subject to such treaty agreements as
could be secured, or to place them all pres
emily upon the free list, but subject to the re-
imposition of specified duties il the coun-
tries from which we receive them should re-
fuse to give us suitable reciprocal benefits.
This latter method, i think, possesses great
advantages. 1t expresses in advance
the consent of Congress to reciprocity ar
rangements affecting these products which
must have otherwise been delayed and un-
ascertained until each treaty was ratified by
the Senate and the necessary legislation en-
acted by Congress. Experience has shown
that some treaties looking to reciprocal
trade have failed to secure two third vote
in the Senate for ratification, and 9th
ers having passed that stage have Tor
years awaited the concurrence of the House
and Senate in such notifications of our rev
enue laws as were necessary to give effect to
their provisions. We now have the concur
renee of both Houses in advance in dis
tinct and definite offer of free entry to
our ports of specific articles. The Ex
ecutive is not required to deal in con-
lecture as to what Congress will ac
cept. Indeed this reciprocity provision
is more than an offer. Our part of the bar
gain is complete; delivery has been made,
and when the countries from which we re-
ceive sugar, coffee, teas and hides, have
placed on their free lists such of our products
shall be agreed upon, as an equivalent for
our concession, d proclamation OF that fact
completes the transaction; and in the mean
time our own people have free sugar, tea,
coffee and hides.
xEu rFcrSrATIoN
In addition to the important bills that be-
came laws before the adjournment of the last
session, some other bills of the highest I'M
portance were well advanced toward final
vote and now stand upon the calendars OF
the two Houses in favored positions. Ine
present session has a fixed limit, and II
these measures are not now Drought
to a final vote all the work that has been
done upon them by this Congress is lost
The proper consideration of these, of an op-
portionment bill and of the annual appro-
priation bills will require not only that no
working day of the session shall be lost, bat
that measures of minor and local interest,"
shall not be allowed to interrupt or retard
the progress of those that are OF universal
interest In view of these conditions,
refrain from bringing before you az
this time some suggestions thdt
would otherwise be made, and most earn. :.
estly invoke your attention TO the duty OF
perfecting the important legislation now
well advanced, to some of these measures
which seem to me most important i now
briefly call your attention.
AMERICAN STEAMSHIP LINE.
desire To reneat with added urgency tn e