The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-24
THE BETTER METHOD.

"collecting money On foreign imporfa-
lions" as an exchange te<seiy says. Is
far better than borrowing money al IN
terest OF foreign bondhofders." let the
the latter il the favcrite revenue rais-
ing plan Of the administration Inc
Hayemeyer tariff law has during thu
past three months failed by s2s, 00o, go 70
pay the current expenses OF the gov
eminent. We are running behind with
prodigious celebrity. This 1t - more
than anything else that has, knocked
the bottom out OF the gold reserve.
During the last preceding administra,
ton the treasury under q protective
tariff received more than sufficient
funds 10 meet expenses. In fact, We
paid of $3.50. oo0. 900 OF the national debt
during President Harrison's term.
The moments 1t became an established
fact--by the election of Cleveland and a
Democratic congressional our revenue
system was to be remodeled In the IN
terests OF foreign manufacturers and
producers the revenue began to fall of.
They have continued In the same oondi-
ton ever since. Importations under
the Mckinley bin after Cleveland took
the reins fell off for two very potent
reasons One was the expectation that
duties wou.d be radically reduced, the
other was cessation OF demand caused
primarily by inability to buy as much
as formerly.
The proposition to add 20 cents per
gallon to the whisky tax was notice to
every distilier in the country to take a.
much whisky out of bond as he could
carry. Enough TO last for a year was
thus relieved from the additional tax.
Then the sugar trust was given ample
opportunity to get rid OF duties before
the law went into effect. About. q
years supply was purchased and
brought into the country before the law
took effect. 80 that instead OF getting
$l0.000.o00 revenue from sugar-as had
been misunderstanding the last three
months only about 100000 was coll
lected.
And so 1t has been ali along. with
prospect of a continuing deficit, al
though possibly not SO great as it has
thus far been. The Havemeyer bill cut
down revenues upon all main articles OF
import but sugar, TO supply the vast
deficit that must infalhbly ensue, an adj
ditional tax Of 20 cents per gallon was
laid upon whisky and the odious In
come tax reuscitated. There has been
but little reyeoue derived from whisky,
and nothing can be received from the
tax laid upon incomes until the be-
ginning OF another fiscal year. Mean
while the country must run In debt
Were 1t not for the known obstinacy
OF the president. surprise that in his
recent message some recommendations
that measures be taken to increase the
revenue were not made. would be more
generally manifested. But the public
have learned by bitter experience, by
the object lesson which he promised
and has given, that 1t Is idle to expect
OF Mr.. Cleveland any concessions of his
stubborn will TO public needs. They
can only await patiently as possible for
dissolution of the present congress and
the succession TO legislative functions
of men whose political creed Is adequate
revenue through industrial protection.
1t Is sincerely 20 be hoped that by the
time such legislation can be enacted
even Mr.. Cleveland may be in such
frame OF MIND as will impel him to ap-
prove II, or at least let ii become a law
like Its piebald predecessor. without ex.
ecu,ive objection.