The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-03-30
Reduced Taxes and Appropriations
From the Baltimore sun.

FROM the BAlliiiloIc sun
Among the merits of the Fify-third Con
gress. was the fact that it largely reduced APP
preparations, at the same time reducing taxa
ton. Comparing the total of its approprla-
lions with that of the Reed Congress, (the
Fifty-frst, Representative Savers, OF the
committee ON appropriations, finds q reduc-
ton of $40, BAL AIS. and, if the comparison be
made with the Fifty-second Congress, the re-
duction is $50. 765, $50. The appropriations
in the three sessions of the Congress just ad-
iourned were $780, 1913, 691, as against 81, O35.-
$50 100 in the two sessions of the tltty-hrst
Congress, and 81, 027, l04, 547 in the two SEES
sions of the Fifty-second Congress. \ saving
of so much as S45. 34l AS by the Fitty-third
Congress, in view of the larger population OF
the country aud the increased burdens I'M
posed bv the permanent appropriations ana
contracts authorized by the Reed Congress,
is a very ereditable fact and should have weight
with the friends of low taxes and economy.
1t is the more significant when ii is noted that
the monstrously eXtrayagant pension legisa-
ton of the Reed Congress entailed upon the
Fifty second and Fifty-third Congresses bur
dens which the Reed Congress did not have
10 provide for In the first session. tor exam
pie of the Fifty-6rSt Congress the pensions
appropriation was but Sl23, as, 36S, as against
| the $50. So. 074 required by law to be pro
vided at the second session of the Fifty second
| Congress. and the Sal, 3sl. SO still required
| at the second session of the Fifty-third.
The enormous total of Sll3, 600 for
/ permanent annual appropriations inherited
! from the Reed Congress, in addition to new
| pensiou burdens, is a permanent monument
! of Republican folly. An idea of the way IN
which one Congress may shift responsibility
4 for It's acts upon its successors may be gath
! cred from the fact that the Congress just adj
| iourned had to provide $40, 64l. OH 10 meet
requirements of contracts authorized by laws
/ nassed hy the Fifty-frst and Fifty second
/ CongresseS-for increase of the navy S22. - o.
/ s96. rivers and harbors $40. S37, rs and for
/ tifcations 81 .O56, 900. The last Congress was
! honest enough. according to Mr.. Savers. to
/ appropriate. as rule, for each object the
amount required TO effect 1t.
The saving to taxpayers on the single item
/ Of woolens illustrates the magnitude Of the
saving on the whole tariff list. In lsH2-9@
the imports ofmanufactures of wool were worth
$50. 9a3. GOO and the duties on these imports
aggregated S36, AS ,OO0,f OF nearly 100 per
cent. The total cost to the consumers OF I'M
poried woolens It will be seen was St3. al
I 600. But under the tariff act of 1894 the duty
on woolens was reduced to an average Of -
per cent. making the total cost OF the I'M
ports here mentioned to the consumer but
I S58. 65s. 900. The result Is net reduction 60
the consumer on imported w"olen> al SID
7S3. 900.
But there was vastly larger reduction To
the consumer in the cost OF wooienS manutnc-
tured in the United States. In the census
wear the domestic manufactures of woolcD~.
hosiery and knit goods and carpets were valued
at $50. 7S2, 600, and after allowing $34 per
cent. profit. stood to the consumer at S4l3.
GOO. 900. But free wool, given by the act OF
4 1894 enables our domestic manufacturers io
make goods at les cost. and the lower tauH
rate compels them to sell for less. with the re-
I suit that consumers pay less taxes Ia the home
manufacturers by $40, Oo0, coo. and. adding
the saving on imported goods OF SO, -, O'p
get a total saving on woolens alone OF about
/ SI40. 600. COO calculation Of the entire
saving to taxpayers both by the reduction 90
! tariff taxes on imports paid 20 the government
and bv the reduction Of the vastly larger tariff
taxes paid 70 protected manufacturers on their
( total sales IN this country viii show that the
I FIfty-third Congress reduced taxes by hun
dreds Of millions. The customs revenue ln
1895 was SIga. l43. cas- on dutiahle imports
worth sl00. -, $40, or 5 par cent. The
act az 1894 reduced the average rate ot duty
Z from - to Is per cent, which means direct
I reduction to consumers on dutlabic goods ~
about SEQ coo. COO besides Sli .so0. 60 IS tariff
taxes RENTED by transfers Of articles from
I the dutiahie 20 the free list. Taking the total
F. production Of the protected American manu-
features consumed al home n being SIX or
seven times the amount imported. and estitua
Y ting the reduction upon this total ~ the same
way a. upon imported goods. we End the tariff
reduction on home manufactures "a be- SOME
! SS6O. OO0 coo. in addition Ga the Ssl 100000
estimated above a. saved g. the consumer On
I foreign manufacture Il viii bee seen. ia
/ considering the entire working Of the act ~
/ 1894. thar the tariff tax. which pas over 81,
I 500. 600 600 a year. was materially reduced l'
{ the Fiffv-third Congress.