The Forrest City times., 1891-12-11
Tariff Legislation.

The general interest in the operations of the Treasury Department has been much aug mented during the last ear by reason of tbe conflicting predictions. which accompanied and folio ed the tariff and other legislation of the last Congress affecting the rev nues. as to the results or this legfsla, upon tho treasury and upon the country.
 1t is not my purpose to enter at any length tuto discussion Of the effects of the egi isls tiJu ton of the statistics of ths Treasury and . general glance at the state of business tn ough- out the country will. think, satisfy any iul- partial inql- l-irer that its results have disap- pointed the evil propnecies of its opponents and In large measure realized the hopeful predic- uons of its frienos. During the twelve mont ths from October l, lSJo. to September sJ. 1891. the total value of our foreign commerce imports and exports) was Sl,747,s 6.4l5. which was the largest Of any year in the history Of the United states. The largest in any previous year was in 1870, when our commerce amounted to Sl t47 l39.0yJ, and the last year exceeds his enormous aggregate by over one hundred mill ions. The average annual value of the imports oi merchandise Tor the ten years from 1881 to 90 was 6n. n.l86,.2 and during the year end- ing Sept. 3D. 1891, this annual average was ex- eeeded by SI32 51e. I6J.
 Toe value of free imports during the twelve months ending Sept. 3J. 1891, was SIS. s.o9l, 3s7 more than the value of free imports during the corresponding twelve months of the preceding year aud there wa during the same period . Of dutiable m erchandise. The percentage ot merchandise admitted free of duty tue year 10 Wulcn nave referred, the first under the new tariff. was 46. l9 while during the preceding ta elve months under the old tariff. the percentage was 54.2l an months ending Sept. 2J last, which covers the time during which sugars have been admitted free or duty. the per cent. of value Of merchan- disc imported free Of duty Is found to be 5j.2i. which IS larger percentage of free imports than during any prior fiscal year in the history of the Government.
 If we return to exports of merchandise the st staustios are full of gratifcation The value of such exports of merchandise for the twelve months ending september 6 1891, was S923, ,O9l = l3j, while fer The cores ending previous twelve months 1t was sSjo ', ,ll5, al increase of S62, ,9l4, 2l, which is nearly three times the average increase of exports of mercha ndi se during any ear in @ history of the Govern ment. Tn, increase in the value of exports of agricultural products during the year referred to over the corresponding twelve months Of the prior year was S45. s4o.ls7 while the increase in was si6, 6ss 240
 Ihere is certairly nothing in the condition of trade, fo eign or domestic there is cer ainly nothing In the condition of our people or any class to suggest that the existing tariff and rev. enue Legislation bears oppressively upon the people, or retards the commercial development of the nation.
 think there are conclusive evidences that the new tarih has created several great industries which will, within few years, give employ meut to several hundred thousand American worktngmen and women. In view oi the some- wuat overcIowded condition of the labor mar ket of the United States, every patriotic citizen shou d reJoice at such a result