The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-27


blood OF trade Is checked and congested.
We cannot restore public confidence by
an act which would reyolutionize all
values. or an act which entails a de-
flciency I'm the public revenues. We can
not inspire confidence by advocating or
practicing dishonesty. We cannot re-
store confidence either 10 the treasury or
the people without a change In our pres.
ent tariff legislation.
The Tariff OF 1904
The only measure OF a general nature
that affected the treasury and the en-
ployments OF our people, passed by the
Eifty-third congress. was the general
tariff act. which did not receive the APP
proval of the president. Whatever vir-
tue may be claimed for that act, there
Is confessealy one which IL does not
possess. IL lacks the essential virtue OF
it's creation-the raising OF revenue sufii-
cient to supply the needs OF the govern
ment. II has at no time provided revenue
for such needs. but il has caused con-
stant deficiency in the treasury and
steady depletion In the earnings OF
labor and land. II has contributed to
swell our national debt more than s262.-
600, ,O00 a sum nearly as great as the
debt Of the government from Washing
ton to Lincoln. including all our foreign
wars, from the Revolution to the Rebel
lion. Since It's passage work at home has
products have fallen; confidence has
been arrested. and general business
Generalization seen on every hand.
Tariffs Of 1890 aud 1894 Contrasted.
The total receipts under the tariff act
of 1894 for the first 22 months OF its en-
forcement, from September, 1884, to June.
1896. were s557 ,6l5.035, and the expendi-
lures S640. .41S,363. or a deficiency OF sS2.-
500. .O35 The decrease in our exports of
70 rfg
during the first Is months OF the pres
ent tariff, as contrasted with the ex-
ports OF the first 10 months Of 1890,
was $500, .320. The excess OF ex-
ports over imports. during the first
Is months Of the tariff OF 1890, was
S213. .s72,g6S, but only $50, ,75S, ,623 under the
first IS months OF the tariff OF 1894. a loss
under the latter of 1857 ,214.345 The net
loss In the trade balance OF the United
States has been 1886 9S3607 during the
FIRST Is months operation OF the tariff Of
1894, as compared with the first Is
months of the tariff Of 1890. The loss
has been very large, constant and steady,
at the rate of sl3,130,O 600 per month, or
$780, 900 for every business day Of the
year.
Losing In Both Directions.
We have either been sending too much
money out OF the country or getting too
little In, or both. We have lost steadily
in both directions. Our foreign trade has
been uIIIIIfusncu dlie. Oua t.O.,.v.s.I Irdde
has suffered incaiculable loss. Does not
this suggest the cause OF our present
depression and indicate its remedy?
Confidence In home enterprises has al
most wholly disappeared. our shops
are closed or running on half time, at
reduced wages and small profit, IL not
actual loss. Our men at home are idle,
and while they are idle. men abroad are
occupied in supplying US with goods.
Our unrivaled home market for the
farmer has also suffered greatly, because
those who constitute 1.-THE great army
of American wage-earners-are without
the work and wages they formerly had.
If they cannot earn wages they cannot
buy products. They cannot earn IL they
Rave no employment, and when they do
not earn the farmers home market rs
lessened and impaired. and the loss Is
felt by both producer and consumer. The
loss of earning power alone In this coun-
try in the past three years is sufficient
to have produced our unfortunate busi-
ness situation. IL our labor was well
employed, and employed al as remunera-
tive wages as in 1892. in few months
every farmer in the land would feel the
glad change in the increased demand Tor
his products and in the better prices
which he would receive.
Not Open Minis, but Open Mills.
money which Is the need of the time, but
an increase in the volume of business.
Not an increase of coin. but an increase
of confidence. Not more coinage, but
more effective use of the money coined.
Not open mints for the unlimited COIN
age of the silver OF the world, but open
mills for the full and unrestricted labor
OF American workingmen. The en-
ployment of our mints for the coinage OF
silver would not bring the necessaries
and comforts of life back TO our people.
This will only come with the employ
ment OF the masses, and such employ
ment Is certain % follow the re-estab-
lishment of wise protective policy
which shall encourage manufacture
ing at home Protection has lost none
of its virtue and importance.
The first duty of the Republican party,
II restored TO power in the country, Will
be the enact tment of a tariff law which
will raise all the money necessary 10
conduct the government, economically
and honestly administered, and so ad-
justed as to give preference TO home
manufactures and adequate protection
to home labor and the home market.
We are not committed to any special
schedules, or rates of duty. They are,
and should be, always subject to change,
TO meet new conditions, but the princi-
pie upon which rates of duty are inn
should always be high enough TO meas
IRE the difference between the wages
paid labor at home and in competing
countries, and 10 adequately protect
American investments and American
enterprises.
Our Farmers and the Tariff.
Our farmers have been hurt by the
changes i'll our tariff legislation as Sc
verely as our laborers and manufactur-
ers, badly as they have suffered. The
Republican platform wisely declares In
favor of such encouragement TO our
sugar interests las will lead to the pro-
duction, on American soil, of all the
sugar which the American people use.
1t promises TO our wool and wooien In.
terests "the most ample protection a
guaranty that ought TO commend itself
to every patriotic citizen. Never was q
more grievous wrong done the farmers
OF our country than that so unJustly IN
nicted during the past three years upon
the wool growers OF America. Although
among our most industrious and useful
citizens, their interests have been prac-
tically destroyed and our woolen man
ufacturers involved in similar disaster
Ar no time within the mast 80 years, and