New-York tribune., 1895-12-11
THE DEFICIT AND THE SHORT TARIFF.

THE DEFICIT AND THE SHORT TARIFF.
Secretary Carlisle seems to be having so much
trouble with his report that 1t may be char-
ity to help him. A year ago he estimated that
tho revenue would be S2OO00,000 less than ex
penses for the year ending last June but it was
S43 900 900 less He then estimated for the cur
rent wear an increase Of S5O0O0,OOO In revenue
n round S25 900 900 In customs and as much IN
internal receipts. In five months out OF twelve
the actual increase Of revenue has been only
S. 755 1876 and the deficit for nine days of De
cember has been S244S60S The Secretary
woud be rash II he should reckon the deficit
for the current year at less than $4OOOOOOO
since il is already $1S317.93G in less than five
and a half months, and the interest required
has been swelled 81, 100000 by Democratic bor-
rowing A revenue certain to be fairly in excess
of expenses is necessary to restore confidence
nreyent more borrowing, and give the business
world assurance that depletion OF Treasury re-
serves will not again cause disturbance. 1t
wouh be most hazardous for the Secretary to
ask an increase of less than S45,00O.0OO in the
revenue.
Sucb an increase would be secured by the
little bill of twelve lines first suggested by The
mode of procedure. Representative Morse has
offered It, without change, and 1t has one great
advantage that its increase Of revenue may be
more definitely anticipated than the result Oh
any new duty or tax Raising no new questions
to be passed upon by the department or courts
this bill of twelve lines would add revenue
Of $46 O66, 727, accepting Treasury computations
of present duties on some items, ana assuming
imports equal TO those Of 1888 On the same
basis all the changes made by the present larlll
reduced revenue only $62,6Ol 266 exclusive oI
sugar duties, according to Secretary carlisle
letter written just after it had passed. Doubt
less members Of the House may prefer measure
differing in some details from the one suggest
ed by The Tribune, and it will aid them to have
Mt hand the data showing what each change
proposed will add to the revenue.
The restoration Of the agricultural duties in
Schedule G. of the act Of 1880 would restore
S4S436G revenue from articles made free OF
which imports in 1893 were $1,ol2,oI4. On the
remaining imports in that section, S44, 'S2,of'
in value, if Treasury computations are correct
the revenue would be $12933331 greater thah
from the present duty The restoration Ot Ola
duties on the fax and hemp schedule, j, would
restore n revenue of s., 7S2, ,433 thrown away by
making burlaps and bags free with few other
insignificant Items. The duties on the remain
ing articles In that schedule, according to Treas
ury computations 41O5 per cent, would be
S2S467 100 less than the old duties yielded IN
1893. The restoration Of duties on wool and
woollens Schedule X would restore a revenue
Of SIS, ,2O3 1923 from wool and waste, which was
thrown away by making them free Of duty, and
restoring old duties on woollens would add S1S,-
3S3, ,2292 to the revenue, which was thrown away
for the purpose Of making wool free without in
form reducing apprecably the old protective
duty on woollen goods, but in fact far greater
loss Of revenue has resulted from making the
duties ad valorem. The restoration of old duties
on silks, Schedule l., would add, according to
Treasury computation, III per cent OF the value
imported, which would be 50, 71SS 800, and for this
reduction also there was no excuse, since the
country needed the revenue.
The reduction Of duties on earthenware was
would have corrected if it could have reached
a vote on it, Thereby $22 0s7 revenue was
thrown away, exactly quarter OF the value I'M
ported, and a great industry was subjected to
serious loss. The duty on tinplates was reduced
/ cent per pound, SG136S00 on the imports Of
1893, and though the industry has been able to
live with bars and steel at abnormally low
prices, the upward turn has already gone far
enough to place many works in danger OF speedy
stoppage The new duties on gloves, according
to Treasury computation, yield 40 per cent,
which is $9S4, ,607 less than was yielded by the
old duties in 1893. Thus the proposed changes
would add revenue as follows: