Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-12-17
EFFECTS OF THE TARIFF BILL
Shown in the Prosperity of the Country
and the Condition of the Treasury.

shown in the Prosperity of the Country
and the Condition of the Treasury.
The general interest in the operations of the
Treasury Department has been much augment
ed during the last year by reason of the con-
icting predictions which accompanied and
followed the tariff and other legislation OF the
last Congress affecting the revenues, as to the
results of this legislation upon the treasury ana
upon the country. on the one hand 1t was con-
tended that imports would so fall Off as TO leave
the treasury bankrupt, and that the prices OF
articles entering into the living of the people
would be enhanced as to disastrous
ly affect their comfort and happiness,
while on tn, the other IT was was argued argued
the result of placing sugar On the free list,
would be Il direct gain to the peoples that the
prices of the necessares of life, including those
most highly protected, would not be enhanced:
that labor would have larger market and the
products Of the farm advanced prices; whilethe
treasury surplus and receipts would be adequate
to meet the appropriations. including the large
exceptional expenditures for the retunding to
the states of the direct tax and the redemption
of the "a per cent. bonds.
1t is not my purpose to enter at any length
into discussion of the effects OF the legislation
to which have reierred but brief eXamina
ton OF the statistics of the treasury and gen
eral glance at the state OF business throug hout
the country will, think, satisfy any impartial
inquirer that its results have disappointed the
evil prophesies of its opponents and in a large
measure realized the hopeful predictions Of Its
friends. Rarely. if ever before, in the history
of the country has there been Il time when the
proceeds of one days labor or the product of
one farmed acre would purchase SO large an
amount of those things that enter into the liv-
ing of the masses of the people. l believe that
full test will develop the fact that the tariff
act of the Fifty-irs Congress is very favorable
in its average effect upon the prices of articles
entering into common use.
During the twelve months from October /,
1890, to September So 1891 the total va Iue OF our
foreign commerce Imports and exports com
bined) was ST, TAT SOC, 406 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 $1,647, 1S9,09S,
and the last year exceeds this enormous aggre-
gate by over $l0000J,000. 1t is Interesting, and
to me somewhat surprising, TO know that dur
ing the year ending September 80. 1891, our I'M
ports of merchandise amounted to $S24, us 70,
which was an increase of more than $1,000 900
over the value of the imports of the correspond
ing months of the preceding year. when the i'm
ports OF merchandise were unusually large in
anticipation of the tariff legislation then pend
ing. The average annual value OF the imports
OF merchandise Tor the ten years from 1881 to
1890 was $685. lS6,522, and during the year end
ing September 80 1891 this annual average was
exceeded by 1882, 52S,469
The value of free imports during the twelve
months ending September 80, 1891, was $1lS-
092, 5S7 more than the value of free imports dur
ing the corresponding twelve months of the
preceding year. and there was during the same
period decrease OF Sl06, SAC, sos in the value of
imports of dutiable merchandise. The percent
age of merchandise admitted free of duty during
the year TO which have referred the first un-
der the new tariff, was 4S. 49, while dur
ing the preceding twelve months, under the old
4,
1891 per cent. If we take the six mouths end
ing september so last which covers the time
during which sugars have been admitted free of
duty, the per cent. OF value OF merchandise i'm
ported free of duty IS found to be 55. ST. which
Is a larger percentage of free imports than dur
ing any prior fiscal ear in the history of the
government
If we turn to exports of merchandise the sta
tlstics are full of qualification. The value of
such exports of merchandise for the twelve
months ending September 80 1891 was Sg2Y-
o9l, lS6. while for the corresponding previous
WE'VE months II was $3.50, l77ll5, an increase of
erage annual increase of exports of merchap-
disc during any year in the history of the gov
eminent. Inc increase in the value of exports
OF agricultural products during the wear re-
ferred to over the corresponding twelve months
OF the prior year was $I5, S46 1877 while the in
crease IN the value of exports of manufactured
products was SIG, S3S, 24O.
There Is certainly nothing in the condition Of
trace, foreign or domestic, there is certainly
nothing In the condition of our people of any
Glass; to suggest that the existing tariff and rev.
eiiue ieglslatlon bears oppressively upon the
people or retards the commercial DEVELOPMENT of
me nation 1t may be argued fhat our condi-
ton would be better if our tariff lepislstion
were upon free trade basis; but it cannot be
uehltu that ali the conditions of prosperity and
OF general contentment are present in 81 larger
uegree than ever before in our history and that
700, Just wnen 1t was prophesied they would be
IN n, Mosst state. Agitation for radical changes
~ !aTln ana financial legislation cannot help,
put may seriously impede business. to the pros
Perlty ofwhich some degree of stability In lepis
lation Is essential 49, NeA
-, think there are conclusive evidences that
.ne new tarln mas created several great indus.
trles which will within a few wears give EN-
pioy ment 10 several hundred thousand Ameri-
can can Working men and women. In view Of the
somewhat overcrowded condition of the labor
market OF the United States, every patriotic citl
zen snoulo rejoice at such result
HANGERS rncC n0n,.1~