The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-12-19

serious concern because OF the harsh measures
now being enforced against the Hebrews in
Russia. BY the revival OF unti.semitic laws
long In abeynnce, great numbers OF those unfor-
tunate people have been constrained to aban
don their homes and leave the empire by reason
OF the impossibility OF finding subsistence
within the pale to which II Is sought TO confine
them The Immigration Of these people to the
United States many other countries being
closed TO them-is largely increasing and
likely 70 assume proportions which may make
IL dificult TO lind home and employ
ment for them here and to seriously affecJ the
labor market. II is estimated that over one
million will be forced from Russia within few
years. The Hebrew is never beggar; he has
always kept the lnw-often under severe and
oppressive civil restrictions. II is also true
that no race sect or class has more fully cared
for its own than the Hebrew race But the
sudden transfer Of such q multitude, under con.
ditions that tend TO strip them of their small
acoumulations and to dopress their energies
and courage is neither good for them nor for us.
The punishment, whether by direct decree or
by not less certa n indirect Methods OF SO large
n number OF men and women Is not n local
question. A decree to leave one country Is, in
the nature Of things, an order to enter another
This consideration, as well as the suggestions
of humanity, furnishes ample ground for the re.
monstrances which we have presented to Rus
sia, while our historic friendship for that gov
ernment can not fail to give the assurances
that our representations are those OF q sincere
well Wjsher.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL
The annual report of the Mnratime Canal
Company, OF Nicaragua, shows that much cost.
ly and necessary preparatory work has been
done during the year in the construction of
shops, railroad tracks, harbor piers and break.
waters and that the work Of canal construc.
tion has made some progress. deem it to be
matter OF the highest concern to the United
states that this canal connecting the waters
OF the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, giving us
upon those two great seas, should be speedily
constructed and mt the smallest practicable
limit of cost The gain in freights to the peo.
pie and the direct saving to the government OF
would pay the entire cost Of this work within
short series OF years. The report OF the secre.
tary OF the navy shows the saving in our naval
expenditures which would result.
If this work is to be promoted by the usual
financial methods and without the aid of this
government the expenditures will probably be
twice the actual cost. This will necessitutc
higher tolls and constitute heavy and need
less burden upon our commerce and that OF the
world. Every dollar of the bonds and stock of
the company should represent u dollar ex.
pended in the legitimate and economical prose
cution of the work. This is only possible by
giving to the bonds the guaranty of the United
states government Such guaranty would
secure the ready sale at par of a per cent
bond, from time TO time, az the money was
upon these business methods the canal
would. when fully inaugurated, earn
its fixed charges and operating expenses.
A guaranty of the bonds OF the canal company
TO amount necessary to the completion Of
the canal couli think be so given as not
to involve any serious risk of ultimate loss. The
things to be carefully guarded are the com
pletion of the work within the limits OF the
guaranty; the subiugation Of the United States
TO the rights OF the first mortgage bondholders
for any amount it may have to pay and in the
meantime n control OF the stock of the company
as a security against mismanagement and
loss. / most sincerely hope that neither
party nor sectional lines will be drawn upon
this great American project, so full OF in
terest to the people OF all our states and so in,
huential iu its effects upon the prestige and
prosperity OF our common country.
EFFECT OF TARIFF LEGISLATION.
The general interest in the operations of the
treasury department has been much augmented
during the lastye by reason OF the conflicting
predictions, which accompanied and followed
the tariff and other Legislation Of the last CON
gress affecting the revenues as to the results
of this legislation upon the treasury and upon
the country. On the one hand it was contended
that imports would so fall of as to leave the
treasury bankrupt and that the prices of arti-
cles entering into the living OF the people would
be 80 enhanced rs to disastrously AFFECT their
comfort and happiness, while on the other II was
argued that the loss to the revenue, largely the
result of placing sugar on the free list, would be
direct gain to the people; that the price of tn g
necessaries of life including those most highly
protected, would not be enhanCed that labor
would have larger market and the products OF
| tn farm advanced prices; while the treasury
| surplus and receipts would be adequate to
meet the appropriations. including the large
| expenditures for the refunding to the states of
| the direct tax and the redemp ion OF the A..
| per cent. bonds. II is not my purpose to enter
at any length into discus sion OF the effects
| of the legislation to which have referred but "A
| brief examination of the statistics OF the treas
ury and Il general glance at the state of business
throughout the country will, think, satisfy
any impartial inquirer that its results have dis
| appointed the evil prophecies OF its opponents
and in a large measure realized the hopeful pre-
dictions OF it's friends. Rarely II ever before in
| the history OF the country has there been a
| time when the proceeds OF one days labor or
| the product Of one farmod acre would purchase
| so large an amount OF those things that enter
| into the living of the masses of the people.
| believe that y full test will develop the fact
that the tarif act Of the Fifty first congress is
very favorable in its average effect upon the
| prices of articles entering into common use.
| During the twelve months from October |,
| iSgO. to September 80, 1891, the total value OF
our foreign commerce Imports and exports
| combned) was Sl,747, 8O6 4U6, which was the
largest OF any year in the history OF the United
| States. The largest in any previous year was
| in 1890, when our commerce amounted TO ST.
| 647, l39 093 and the last year exceeds this enor
nous aggregate by over one hundred millions
| During the year ending September 3D. 1891,
our imports of merchandise amounted to
| 1924, I,7l527O, which was an Increase OF
more than eleven million dollars over the value
| of the imports of the corresponding months Of
| the preceding year, when the imports OF mer
| ohandise were unusually large in anticipation
of the tariff legislation then pending. The av
erage annual value OF the imports or merchan
disc for the ten years from 1881 to 1890 was 1892
| 1852, and during the year ending September
$i$3,52S4 4j0.
The value of free imports during the twelve
| months ending September 80 1891, was SllS
| 092 3S7 more than the value OF free imports
| during the corresponding twelve months of the
preceding year, and there was during the same
period decrease OF Sl06, $40, ,5OS in the value o
| Imports of dutiabe merchandise. the percent
age of merchandise admitted free of duty dur
| ing the year to which have referred the iirs'
the preceding twelve months, under the
old tariff the percentage was 3L2I
| an increase of l3 9i per cent II we take the six
montns ending September 30 last, which covers
the time during which sugars have been ad
| mitted tree OF duty, the per cent. OF value OF
| merchandise imported free of duty is found to
| be larger perc c4ntage than any prior fiscal
year in the history OF the government. II we
turn to expo Us OF merchandise the statistics
are full OF qualification The value OF
months enuing September 30 1891, was
| Sg23, ,O9i 49, while for the corresponding prey
ious twelve months il was $3.50, lf7 10, an in
crease OF Sj} O3l, which is nearly three times
the average annual increase OF exports OF mer
| chandise during any year in the history OF the
government The increase In the value of eX
ports OF agricultural products during the yeal
referred TO over the corresponding twelv,
| months of the prior year was Si5Sij, 01 while
The increase IN the value ,,i Of exports OF manu-
| There Is certainly nothtns in The condition o.
| trade, foreign or domestic, there is certainly
nothing IN the condition OF our people OF any
| class to suggest that the existing tarin ant
revenue legislation bears oppresSiVely upon The
people or retards the commercial development
OF the nation. II may be argued that our condi
tion would be better II our tarH Legislation
were upon free trade basis, but II can not b,
| denied that all the conditions OF prosperity anC
| OF general contentment are present IN lurge
| degree than ever before IN our history, and that
too just when it was prophesiGd they would bt
| in the worst state.
think there are conclusil evidences thai
| the new tarin has created several great indus
| tries which will within few years, give EN-
ployment TO several hundred thousand Ameri
can workingmen and women. In view OF the