New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-08
4 DIFFICULTY ADMITTED.

The Democrats are again reminded that as
TIE TRIBUNE assured them moro than two
years ago, the Mckinley tariff is hard meas
IRE to repeal No doubt they are united in
the earnest desire to repeal it. But each man
of them wants to retain something and mean
while they all want revenue enough to permit
the construction of public buildings in their
districts and to complete river and harbor i'm
provcments. They begin to perceive that it
is not an easy problem to provide even the
barely necessary revenue, and yet to cut down
duties they most desire to cut down. lt was
wise tariff 1t took off taxes amounting to
millions which the people had directly paid
and which were largely paid by the poorer
people, and increased the duties only where
part of the burden would fall upon foreign
competitors. and where they would encourage
home industry and thus create larger demand
for labor. I'm order to overthrow it, the Demo
Gratis have either TO impose taxes which will
fall directly upon the millions. and upon the
poorer people with especial force, or else to
cut down duties on manufactured products so
far that our workingmen and operatives will
be thrown out of employment. "The New
York Times" admits the difficulty plainly in a
The Republicans struck off s5OOoOOoO OF revenue
accruing from the sugar duty. and raised the I'M
posts of the Mckinley bill above the revenue-pro-
ducing level. The plan has worked admirably, and
the Democratic party in power Is at present suffer-
Ing under It's entailed embarrassment. To be sure,
an increase in the customs revenues could be made
by remposing the sugar duties but the wiser
leaders Of the Democracy would scarcely approve
that measure. To an increase Of the internal
u,hi
be less objection, but that plan is not without its
difficulties The tarin schedule must obviously be
revised as q whole and at one time, otherwise 1t
would be easy to secure large augmentation Of
Treasury income by radical cut in some one
schedule for instance that relating to woolens.
This, however, is not to be thought or. In snort,
there is plan of immediate new taxation that is
not either financially uncertain or politically unsafe
Such an admission as this, it may be feared,
will have the effect of sudden and violent
deluge Of cold wafer upon the spirits of fiery
tariff reformers. What frightful thing it
must be to them to be told by one Of their most
Jealous organs that all the innumerable plans
they have been discussing are either hnan
cially unce.tl;n or politically unsafe" But it
is highly probable that the event will album
dainty Justify the declaration Of The Times"
In some way revenue must be raised, and it
would be very unsafe indeed politically to
leave the Treasury without adequate supply.
But the sugar duty cannot be restored without
an cutlery from taxpayers throughout the conn
try. TO raise the taxes on whskey and to-
bacco would play the mischief with the party
in several States, besides adding t. burdens
which vast number Of voters Of the poorer
class feel only too often.
=. 10 I,,,;a -,
for the last fiscal year were Si2o 600, 900. In
the current fiscal year there has been so great
decline that the clI>toms receipts fell off
Sc 900 OOO-or about n third-in August, and
considerable decrease is to be expected in this
and succeeding months. Yet the Treasury needs
over 5000. 900 900 from customs, at least 80
per cent upon the dutiable imports if these
should decline but little further. To keep up
the duties to anything like that level is to
abandon all thought Of overturning the strong
holds OF Protection But any attempt to raise
a large revenue from duties on articles now
free would either increase the endorsements
of industry. b. adding TO the cost Of materials,
or would impose taxes from which the people
have been relieved, and Of which the millions
of poor people would have to pay large share.
IL DeginS 10 DC perceived tniJ thls WOulu De
politically unsafe
Mr.. Springer thought that he could cut down
the duties 50 far that the revenue would be
increased by larger imporations as much as it
would be reduced by putting wool, tnplates
and some other article, on the free list But
when men cut off $4,000 600 of duties on
articles they WISH to make free, they still have
10 get over 100000, 900 from other dutiable
articles. Before imports could be so increased
as t. yield such a revenue at low rates of duty
most of the factories and mills and shops in
this country would have to be closed. That
would also be "pclticay unsafe" in a high
degree.