Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-12-19
THE TREASURY.
Operations OF tho Department Effects OF
thu TarifY-The Silver OuestiOn-Etc.

THE TREASURY.
Carnations OF tho Department Effects of
the TarifY-The silver Questionable.
The general interest In the operations OF
the treasury department has been much
augmented during the last year by reason OF
the conflicting predictions. which accom-
panied and followed the tariff and other leg
| islation OF the last congress affecting the
revenues, as to the results OF this legislation
upon the trueasury and upon the country.
| On tue one hand It WINS contended that Inn
ports would so fall of a. to leave the
treasury bankrupt and that the prices OF
articles entering into tho living OF the peo.
nile would be so enhanced as to disastrously
affect their comfort and happiness while
on tho other .it was argued that the loss oil
the revenue largely. the result OF placing
sugar on the free list. would be direct gain
to tho people: that the prices OF the
necessarles 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;
while tho treasury surplus and receipts
| would be adequate to meet the appropria.
lions, including the large exceptional ex.
pendltures for the refunding to the states OF
the direct tax and the redemption OF the IA
per cent bonds
1t Is not my purpo'e to enter at length
| into discussion OF the effects OF the legis.
lation to which have referred; but brief
examination of the statistics OF the treasury
and general glance at the state OF business
| throughout the country will think satisfy
any impartial inquirer that Its results have
disappointed the evil prophecies OF its OPP
ponents and In large measure realized the
| hopeful predict ons of its friends. Rarely.
| II ever before. In the hi.tory OF the country
has there been a time when the proceeds OF
one days labor or the product OF one farTned
acre would purchase so large IN amount OF
| those things that enter into the living or the
masses OF the people. believe that full
test W IL develop the fac. that the tariff act
of the Fifty.1lr congress Is very favorable
In its average effect upon the prices OF
articles entering into common USE
EFPzCrS OF TIE TARIFF
During the twelve months from October l.
1890, to September -, 1884, the total value OF
| our foreign commerce Imports and exports
combined) was ,l.7E. sos 4O6. which was the
| largest of any year in the history OF the
United states The largest In any previous
year was In 1897 when our commerce
amounted to II 81. iS9 095, and the last year
exceeds this enormous aggregate by over
one hundred millions. 1t Is interesting and
to some will DO surprising to know that
our imports Of merchandise amounted to
S.2l rs, go which was an increase of more
| than ST. O0,0gO over the value OF the i'm
| ports of the corre- ponding months OF the
| preceding year, when the imports OF mcr'
| chnndise were unusually large In anticipa'
tion of the tariff legislation then pending
The average annual value OF the imports OF
merchandise for 1881 to 1s9l was ;6S!, lS6, o!?,
| and during the year ended september ~
1891. this annual average was exceeded by
sIa3 S.8,l5a
The value of free imports during the
! twelve months, ended September 80. 1881,
was slls, 90! 3s7 more than the value OF free
imports during the corresponding twelve
months OF the preceding year, anu there
was during the same period decrease OF
SlJ6, $40, sos in the value Of imports OF dutiabe
merchandise. The percentage OF merchnn-
disc admitted free OF duty during the year
to which I have reference, the first under
the new tariff, was IS IS, while during the
preceding twelve months, under the old
| tariff, the percentage was Si.17. an increase
OF l29l per cent II we take the six months
ending September 30 last, which covers the
time during which sugars have been admit.
ted free OF duty, the percentage OF value OF
| merchandise imported free Of duty 10 found
to be 66.s7, which 10 O larger percentage Of
| free imports than during any prior fiscal
year In the history Of the government
II we turn to exports OF merchandise the
statistics are full of qualification. The
whole OF such exports of merchandise for
the twelve months ended September 80 1891
was !92s, O9l, l36. Will Q for the corresponding
previous twelve months Il WIS 1869, III lis
| On Increase of So, 9l4,02l which IL nearly
/ three times the average annual increase OF
exports OF merchandise during any year In
the history OF the government The increase
In the value of exports OF agricultural
products during the year referred to over
the corresponding twelve months OF the
prior year, was SIS, $40, l97, while the increase
In the value of exports of manufactured
products was sl6,s3S pa
There Is certainly nothing In the condition
of trade, foreign or domestic. there is GER
taInly nothing In the condition Of our people
! OF any class. 60 suggest that the existing
tariff and revenue legislation bears oppress-
lively upon the people or retards the COM
mercial development of the nation. II may
be argued that our condition would lie bet
ter u our tavlf legislation were upon free
trade basis, but It cannot DO denied that all
the conditions OF prosperity and OF general
cOntentment are present In large- degree
than ever before In our history. and that,
TOO, Just when u was prophesied they would
be In the worst state. Agitation for radical
changes In tariff and financial legislation
cannot help but may seriously impede bust
ness, 70 the prosperity Of which some degree
! Of stability In legislation q essential