Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-07-03

the articles upon which duties were
levied, it was determined first to make
very great addition to the free list
This was done. There is an unpre-
cedented addition to that list in the
Mckinley bill. In order to reduce reve-
nue. it was thought the better way to
find something that everybody used,
and sugar was selected, because the
revenue from sugar is just about the
amount of reduction demanded, and the
sweetness would apply to everybOdy's
mouth and pocket, and leave freedom
| for protection. We mean by this, that
those who cut down or put up duties
have to study them very closely indeed,
to know what the results, as it affects
the revenue, will be, and it often hap
pens this is something that no expert
can find out. The securing of reduction
of revenue and the enlargement of the
free list and the increase of protection
in one bill, is as rare and excellent as it
is an ambitious combination. But it
has been an open secret, and one that
has had its ludicrous aspects and appli-
cations, that while everybody in Con-
gress has been resolved upon reducing
the revenue at least million a week,
everybody Tor almost everybody has had
on hand or in mind schemes that mean
an increase of appropriations to the
amount of a million week, and every
thing seems to be almost, if not alto
gether, indispensable. Putting sugar on
the free list up to grade 16 is an easy
way of reduction. Adding the pension
appropriations, and the river and harbor
appropriations and the ironclad fleet and
the coast defense appropriations, and
the armament and levee appropriations,
and the Post office and Castom House
building appropriations sized up,
show free -and-easy addition of about
as great sum to the expenditures as it
is proposed to take from the revenues
will be some time before an Admins
tration will care to face a deficiency.
The first one that does it will probably
be struck by lightning. The combina-
tion of nOn-partisan, universal and
effusive cut down of revenue to the
amount of sixty millions, with the
equally impartial and enthusiastic ele-
Vation of expenditures had to reach the
point where halt must be, as it had
been called. 1t is well that the call has
been made by the highest authority. 1t
is the voice of the Administration that
there should be reconsideration of a
matter or two, and it is Mr.. Blaine's
happy thought and striking suggestion
that it would be wise to wait and allow
the sugar money to run in at the rate
of more than million week until we
can see what may be had in the way of
reciprocity from the South American
nations for the freedom of trade that we
have it in hand to establish. This is re-
garded by the country as master
stroke. 1t is so. There is no mistake
about that. 1t is a splendid business
touch, and it appeals to and captivates
popular imagination. The sugar sug-
gestion does not interfere with protect
ion. 1t leaves intact the structure
built on the lines of protection, and
opens the question, not whether it is
wise to protest, for that is conceded, but
the extent to which we may go with
out harming ourselves in the way of |
free trade. We do not see what better |
the country or protectionist wants than
that If we could gain the good will
and the business believed to be possibly |
associated through reciprocity by open
ing our ports to sugar in the case of
favored nations, it would be demon
Stration of the value of the protective
system to a nation more striking and
brilliant than is recorded.