The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-09
FRIDAY EVENING. DECEMBER 9, 1882.

The work of reducing tariff taxation
Is no doubt made somewhat more diff
cult by the coalition If the Treasury
and by the heavy fixed charges impos-
ed BY the reckless legislation Of the
Billion Dollar Congress,
But the difficulty is not an insupera-
bic one, and the conditions that create
il are not enduring. There is no occa-
sion to lay permanent burdens upon
the people because of temporary
Treasury deficiency. There are other
ways Of meeting the emergency.
In the first place the Government is
able to borrow all the money ii needs
just now, ii borrowing shall be neces-
sary. as il probably will not be. Ii
would be wiser, fairer and more manly
to do that, increasing the bonded debt
for a time, and then to set about max
ing such reductions in fixed charges
and current expenditures as will save
the amount, than to fail in the prom-
ise Of tax reduction upon Eecessaries
Of life.
Bnt tariff reduction will not be alto
gether reduction Of revenue. The
removal Of the remaining sugar duties.
for example. would cut off almost no
revenue at all. Raw sugar is already
on the free list, aud raw sugar is the
only kind imported in any considera Bile
Quantity. The duties upon refined
sugar yield next to nothing 10 the
Treasury, but they impose a heavy
sSaden upon the people. The refner,
who has no fear Of competition in any
case, because he can refine at lower
cost than his foreign competitors can,
simply adds to his price and profits the
half-cent of duty imposed by law npou
refined sugar. The tariff upon that
universal necessity is a tax upon the
people for the benefit Of tho sugar
trust. There is no revenue reason
why it should not come OF. If there
is any revenue necessity for a sugar
tax it should be imposed upon raw
sugar; whore the tax would 60 to the
Government and permit The abolition
Of the costly sugar bounty besides. A
tariff on raw sugar would he tariff
for revenue. The tariff as it is now
adjusted is tariff for the transfer Of
revenue to private strong boxes.
The removal Of the duties on raw
\ wnel would reduce revenue BY about
$4,000, 600, but the accompanying re
duction IN the nearly prohibitery
duties on wooden goods would increase
importations and make good the loss
in part. In the same way the increas-
cd Importation OF machinery for new
mills and mill extensions under the
stimulus Of free raw materials would
70 far to repair revenue losses incurred
BY putting iron ore and scrap iron on
L
the free list;
In brief, the reduction and readiust-
mentaof the tariff in The interest OF
cheaper and better goods FOR tile peo-
pile will bring larger revenues from
some sources as well rs smaller returns
from others, and tie net reduction oi
the national income does not promise
"a be greater than the reduction of *.
peuses, if under Democratic rule We
return 70 a properly economical .basi,
IN ours rational housekeeping 4
\ preperly Eeeonst ucted tariff will yield
quite all tie revenue hat can be legit
iinately needed after a Democratic
Congress and Administration shall
have cut off subsidies, replaced ex
travaganee with prudence and rooted
ont the costly abuses that Lave recent
II draiiIed the Treasury.
As for the temporary exigency, the,
are uany Ways in which it may h'
aaet without borrowing and withonr
the elaage Of the sugar duty from !
proiitloss to revenue basis. Ii woul,
be possible 70 add $50, OOO 900 Of re Ne
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