The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1894-02-09
IMPORTANT
Circulars of Inquiry.

The United States Senate Fl ]
nance Committee is sending out a
million circular letters with a view
to gathering valuable statistics.
The following are the two which /
touch our people and the COM
mittee urges that everybody en-
gagged in these lines shall send in
answer TO the questions:
To FARMERs.-"In former years
when the question of the tariff was
uppermost in the consideration OF
the people, circular letters were adj
dressed to merchants, importers,
and others, making inquiries as to
the character and amount OF their
business, prices and wages paid,
rates of import duties, etc, This
was notably the case in lS45, under
the direction of Secretary Walker
in 1882, through the Tariff Com
mission; and, in 1885, under the
direction of Secretary Manning.
The replies to such interrogation
les furnish valuable statistics and
other data, and materially aid in
legislating upon the subject OF Gus
toms duties.
With view to securing sucn IN
formation, the Committee on FL
nance submit to you the following
question:, which they trust you
will formulate replies to, adding
such general or special matter as
you may be possessed Of, and which,
in your judgment, viii be of value
to the Committee:
/. What is the character OF your
product
2. Do similar foreign products
compete with yours?
3. What would be the effect upon
your product Of reduction of duty
on imports of all kinds?
4. Have the wages which you
pay for labor increased or decreas-
ed within the past two years.
5. To what extent does your
State export agricultural products?
6. What competition do such ex-
ports meet abroad?
Z. To what extent. in your opin-
ion, are the prices and CHI aracter Of
your products affected by the mao
ufacturing industries of your State?
s. Have your living expenses in
creased or decreased during the
past four years?
8. Please give your views on the
proposition to restore sugar to the
dutiable list.
10. Do the present duties bene-
fit, in any respect, people engaged
In growing agricultural products
and staples and, if not, how can
they lie so modified az to produce
this result?
IL. State, generally, anything
which you believe would be useful
to the Committee in preparing tar
if legislation.
To MERcHANTs.-1. What class
of goods do you deal in?
2. Has your business increased
or decreased during the past four
years?
3. Upon what classes OF the pop
ulation do you depend Tor your
sales?
4. What has been the tendency
Of purchasers as to the amount OF
purchases during the past six
months compared with previous
years?
5. If there has been any depres-
sion in your trade, will you explain
in detail, Jour views as to the
causes?
6. How can this depression be
counteracted by legislation, or 9th
erwise?
Z. What is the rate and charac
ter of taxation TO which you arr
subjected?
8. What rate of interest do you
pay now, and what has the rate
been for the past ten years?
: 9. Has there been a scarcity o
currency in your section Of coun
try within the past year?
10. Do you use a cash or credit
system in your business!
IL. Have collections been quicl
or slow during the past three years
and if 80, name them?
13. Has the increase in popula
ton been largely from immigra
ton?
IA. State generally your views a
to the best remedy for existing in
! dustrial depression.
The Committee are DESTROYS tina
: your reply shall give full express