Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-12-03
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I 81 setak I(leGFGn 70 Ite SUNDAY hsolSsF.
WASHINGTON, D. c., December p
It is said by those who ought to know,
that the new treaty which the admins
tration is negotiating with China will
give American commerce with that
country a great boom. when it goes into
effect, opening up the Chinese market
10 our silver and other natural products
as we'll as to large line of American
manufactures which are now kept out
Of China by English and French goods.
| It said that China, if she can get
certain concessions from this govern
ment, will buy in the United States
every year large quantity OF silver
which she now purchases in Mexico
and South America. China's silver pur-
chases are said to amount to 50,00O,OOO
ounces annually, or two-thirds Of the
American product. If she should pur-
chase this amount Of us, it would go far
toward reviving the silver industry OF
the West and settling the silver ques-
| tion, at least so far as the silver miners
were concerned.
CHINA Is SAID TO BE ANXIOUS
to develop her her commerce with the
United States and encourage American
enterprise in China for the reason that
she fears the English and French,
whose policy of conquest and colonial
| tion is a menace to all the weaker and
! less civiliSed nations with whom they
| have close relations.
China is aware that the United States
! has no ambition for territorial aggran-
dizement beyond the American COnti-
nept. and therefore her government
has DO fear that If Americans engaged
| in commercial, industrial or railroad
enterprises in China they would en-
deavor to upset the empire or plant in
dependent colonies, as the European
nations have done in the East.
TO CUT DOWN EXPENSES,
Judge Holman, of Indiana, has a
grand programme OF retrenchment in
government expenses, which, If carried
out, will, he claims, solve the present
I
income meet the national expenses.
He declares that if the task
Of retrenchment is boldly tackled
by the coming Congress, govern
ment expenses can be cut down one
hundred million dollars year without
impairing the efficiency OF the govern
ment service, and Notwithstanding the
vast annual payments for pensions,
which the Judge seems to have no hope
of reducing, and probably has no desire
to reduce, for it Is well known that the
Judge has a very large soldier vote in
his own district.
The Judge does not give in detail his
plan OF retrenchment, but he asserts 1t
can be done and he ought to know. He
declares that the present vast annual
expenditures of the government have
gradually grown up through the pres
sure put on Congress
BY CITIZENS OF WEALTH
who had their Own ends TO gaiG by this
policy OF national extravaganza. In
view OF this fact, the Judge
continues, the great interests
which have reversed the former
frugal policy Of the government ought
now to be made to contribute literally
to defraying government expenses by
means OF an income tax, which he
strongly favors. He declares no valid
argument has so far been advanced
against the imposition Of such tax.
The charge that 1t is inquisitOrial may
be true, but it is equally true of the
taxes now imposed by many states on
personal property.
The Ways aud Means Subcommittee
on Internal Revenue reported that 1t
would be impossible to report next
week, the difficulty being fixing rates
until revenue estimates are completed.
The Democratic members did not dis
cuss the income question because Of the
absence of Mr.. Cochran.
An argument has been printed by
authority of the Ways and Means Com
mittee, showing the necessity OF the
changes made by the new bill. 1t
gives the reasons for the abandonment
of the specific duty. The Democratic
party, this circular contends, is charg
ed with the grave responsibility OF re-
vising the tariff, that the burdens may
be lightened. The passage OF the Gus
toms administrative act by the Fifty
first Congress probably caused greater
annoyance than
THE M'RINLEY BILL.
The administration of the customs
laws becomes, politically, of the most
vital Importance TO the Democratic
party.
The effect Of specific duties is to stop
the importation OF the lower grade Of
goods. Ad valorem duties are the most
equitable kind of duties. The rate is
absolutely the same on all grades Of
goods OF the same kind, out they offer
a great temptation to importers to
undervalue goods on entering them.
The following are pointed out as the
principal defects of the present Gus
toms administrative act;
THE government is allowed to ap-
peal from any decision Of the Circuit
Court to the Circuit Court Of Appeals,
while the importer can only appeal
provided the Circuit Court thinks the
question involved is Of sufficient i'm
portance to warrant an appeal"
THE law levies duties upon the value
Of all crates, sacks and coverings and
boxes in which the imported goods are
stored, thus increasing the total duty
levied.
''The importer is not allowed as of
right to be present at the hearing upon
questions CT classification.
''IF JUDGMENT IS RENDERED
by the courts in favor Of importers upon
appeal the excess Of duties is refunded