The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-12
PROVIDING MORE REVENUE.
Telephone No. ss.


The next congress will be compelled to
make provision for more revenue, and
the question as to how this shall be done
Is manifestly OF the greatest Importance.
Il can be done, says the Omaha Bee, by
increasing Internal taxes on whisky, beer
and tobacco, which. has some advocates.
but proposition OF this kind would meet
with Formidable opposition. The last con-
gress Increased the tax on whisky, but
proposal to do the same with beer met
width small support. for although 1t was
Urged that an additional tax of half a
dollar barrel on beer would not affect
the consumers Of that beverage, the poi
itidans were not willing to run the risk
OF antagonizlng the large brewing inter
est OF the country. which is capable of
exerlfng a great deal Of influence. 1t is
hardly probable that a proposition to tax
beer, which is pretty sure to be made.
win command greater favor in the next
congress than In the last one. Another
proposal is to restore tea and coffee to
the dutiable LIST. placing such a moderate
duty on these articles as II is believed
would not bear seriously on the consum-
ers. 1t 10 estimated that from $4,000, 900
to sSo,OOO.OoO annually could be raised from
these sources, and It is urged In advocacy
OF duty on tea that It would tend to
give American consumers better arti-
Gle than they now get. Importers say
that now this country Is the dumping
ground for the poorest quality OF tea,
unsalable elsewhere, and they profess to
think that duty would remedy this or
at any rate greatly reduce the amount of
such tea coming here. But to put coffee
and tea on the dutiable list would be an
assault on the free breakfast table"
which would encounter a very formidi-
BILE opposition, so that 1t Is very doubt
ful whether a proposal Of this kind would
be seriously entertained by congress.
n neither OF these plans for raising
moro revenue shall be found practicable,
the only other thing to be done Is to re-
sise the present tariff law In the dlrec-
ton Of higher duties on certain articles
and the transfer Of other articles from
the free to the dutiable list. But will
the next congress make such a revision,
ana II Il should do so, would Mr.. Cleve-
land approve II? That the next house
80 fl,ra.. ,,,ltl, a.. ia.oo I1ho,,
iican majority, will propose changes In
the tariff law with view to increasing
the revenue of the government Is to be
expected. but the Republicans will not
have control OF the senate, 1t is poss-
bic that a few conservative Democrats
In the latter body like German. Brice,
Muruhv and Smith, would join with the
Republicans in increasing certain duties,
but It does not seem at ali probable that
any measure for this purpose could pass
the senate. and II It should the president
would be compelled. in order to avoid
self-stuntdfcation, to veto II.
There Is thus presented very serious
dilemma, out OF which may come trouble
ana Embarrassment for the treasury
quite as great as Il has experienced In the
last two years. The expenditures of the
government continue to run considerably
IN excess OF bhe receipts The treasury
statement for May Us no more favorable
tran were those Of ahe preceding months
OF the present fiscai year. which win close
with THE present month. No very mate
rial increase OF revenues Is TO be expect
ed during the next six months, and as
expenditures win be maintained, the defl-
ct Is almost certain TO grow. The bal
anca In the treasury win meet the obii-
gutions Of the government until the meet
Ing OF congress, and II something Is not
then promptly done to increase the rev.
enue. another sale OF bonds viii be ne
cessary. The situation calls for the exer-
else OF wise and patriotic statesmanshlp.
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