Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-03
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3, 1894.
The Condition of the Treasury

The official statement sent out from
Washington on Thursday Is TO ia" condi-
ton OF the United states Treasury IL
anything hut encouraging 90 the friends
Of good government and sod naloral
credit. That the receipts from customs
duties fell of in seven months foiiy mil
lions OF dollars would seem 70 prove
however that the Democratic tariff pro-
positions did not cause the falling of.
The Mckinley tariff Is in fuli force now,
and was b. fun force during the whole
Of the seven months Included in the st@te-
ment. However caused. and whoever may
be responsible FOR II. the decline IN the
government receipts f. greatly 20 be ne
piored So also. the internal taxes
yielded twelve millions less during the
same seven months than they yleictd du-
ring like period last year -, total loss
Of fifty-four million dollars IA AL classes
OF receipts AS compared %ith the seven
months OF the last fiscal year is shown
So we may say az 10 the receipts from
inter- al taxes also that the Wilson bill
cannot be held responsible for the fall
ing OF.
These figures are significant not ID
say ominous They would seem 10 indi-
cate that the United states Senate VIII
~ obliged 10 Corcur IN ;he action oi
the House of Representatives providing
for u personal income-taX. Or else VIII
have to provide for a sufficient revenue
from sugar 70 enable the governm MT To
meet all its obligations. My, as day
by day the condition ~ the Treasury
appears TO assume more ard more
threatening form. 1t hOpins n iook more
and more as II Congress might have toth
t. levy a tax upon incomes arI 20 pro-
vide for a large amount II revenue from
Customs-duties upon sugar
1t * said. W. know. by the Hcpublicans
that tariff agitation has caused all these
troubles. The cry Of the leaders of the
Republican party is that Al the embar-
easements now troubling the government
are owing to what they term "tinkering
with the tariff" They assevcrate that
n Congress will vote down the Wilson bill
and pass a resolution declaring that the
Mckinley tariff IS u continde in force.
al the financial troubles Of the national
covcrr mcnt will at once come 10 an end.
But as the Wilson bill mas passed the
House Of Representatives.. tn. interests
TO be- affected by new tariff may safely
assume that the worst is over. The Sen
ate Will be sure not TO go farther In the
direction of "frecr' trade, as Speaker
Crisp STYLES II. than the House has gone.
So all the fret-trade bugbears may be
ordered To the rear. II the Republican
contention he true. that the existing de-
preston OF trade is due 10 tariff agitation,
then what we have just said must I'M
uuestionably be truc-namely. that the
Wilson bill marks the limits beyond
which Congress may be relied upon rot to
40, and invites the manufacturing irtc-
rests concerned TO set the wheels of their
factories In motion. and - sc; in motion
the wheels of worldwide commerce.
Nevertheless, the Democrats in Congress
must not allow themselves TO be msled
bv Washington public opinion. They must
look to their constituents 20 ascertain
what the rural districts ask and expect
at their hands. They must consult the
people ut home-nOt the sleek. well-fed
oflce-holders at the capital From these
country people our congressman III
both branches viii learn that unless the
tariff bin becomes law IN time TO en-
able the voters to acquaint themselves
before the November elections with It's
provisions and have its peculiar features
explained to their satisfaction the over
vhclming majority which the Democrats
have In the present House Of Representa-
,ives viii appear in the next as mere
corporars guard does to well-trained
regiment.
"Delay Is dangerous va say once
more.