The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-07-12
DECLARED A FAILURE
OFFICIAL RECORDS SHOW THE DE-
FEcTS OF FREE TRADE.

Protection Era's Creditable showing From
Treasury Department Figures Cleveland
Has No More Trouble with Surplus.
Two Records In Politics.
Grover Cleveland's first administra-
ton was preceded by the four years Of
Presidents Garfield and Arthur, during
which the business of the country was
so prosperous and the income of the gov
eminent so large that the public debt
was reduced $497, 429, $50, being year
ly average reduction of 1924, 1857, 312.
The interest OH the debt was at the same
time reduced $3l, 707, $40, yearly re.
duction of 81 926, SS7. The Morrill, tar
if bill was then in full operation, and
our currency was ON gold standard
In the year 1888 congress passed an
act to reduce the duties OH foreign i'm
ports, and important reductions were
made on a large number of articles. AS
result of this reduction, together with
the Generalization attendant upon the
election of tariff reformer as president
and congress that was in favor of low
ering the duties still more, the revenues
were SO reduced that during Mr.. Cleve-
lands administration, from 1884 to
1888, the payments OH the public debt
amounted to only $276, 041 $50, an aver
age of $50, 0l0, 1897 per year, but little
more than half that paid by the previ-
Gus administration.
During the administration of Presi-
dents Garfield and Arthur every kind of
business was active, prices of all prod
ucts were good, the industries were all
in state of great prosperity, our trade
with foreign countries was larger than
in any previous period in the history Of
the country, and our currency was in
creasing both in volume and in value.
President Cleveland's message to the
fiftieth congress, dated Dec. 6, 1887,
was devoted almost exclusively to the
discussion of the surplus revenue in the
treasury and to suggesting means of get
ting rid of that surplus.
In referring to the sinking fund dur
ing the previous three years Mr.. Cleve-
land said:
1.-THE annual contribution to the sink
ing fund during the three years above
S13S, 05S, 800. "
1t seemed TO be source of great anx-
iety and solcitude with Mr. Cleveland
to find so much money coming into the
treasury. He regarded it as great tax
upon the people TO have such an amount
accommodating there. His predecessors,
however, found no difficulty in disposing
of this money by paying off the public
debt, and the money thus derived was
certainly encouraging our home indus
tries, for the country never prospered
more than during Arthur's administra-
ton, under the Morrill, tariff, with our
money on settled basis.
President Harrison also found no diff
Guilty in disposing of the surplus in the
treasury, for during his administration
the public debt was reduced 1865, 493,-
10, IA yearly reduction of sol 1878, 292.
These figures show that during Harri-
sons administration there was $780,
451, $50 more paid on the public debt
than there'was during Cleveland's adj
ministration, an annual average of $22,-
1862, 800. This occurred notwithstanding
the Mckinley tariff bill took the duties
off from sugar and placed on the free
list "a large number of articles which
are not produced in this country
During the last two years of Mr.. Har-
risOn's administration under the Nc
Kinley tariff, no country on this planet
ever fiourished as did this. All of our
industries were active, our exports and
imports were the largest ever known,
our crops were abundant, prices were
good foreign capital was coming into
the country by hundreds Of millions ev-
cry year and foreign emiSrants by the
shipload almost weekly.
During Mr.. Cleveland's present adj
ministration the public debt has been in
creased ut the rate of nearly 500, 000,-
900 year. There is already noted in
the finance reports for 1894 an increase
of the public debt amounting to $780,
OH, $3.50. Since this report was made
there has been added TO the bonded debt
Of the country about $3.50 600, 900, and
if things go on the way they are now
drifting Mr.. Cleveland will add to the
bonded debt of the people from $780,
600, 900 to $500, 900, 900 before the ex-
piration of his term. A deficiency in
the treasury is now causing him even
more anxiety than the surplus did in
1886. -Dr +. p. Miller.