The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-26

The Democratic State platform declare.
as follows:


The Democratic State platform declares
as follows:
That we believe the existing tariff laws
VIII De fuily equal to all demands for need
ed revenue for the expenses of government
economically administered. under the con-
ditions which will arise from the restora-
ton OF .bimetallism.
The reading OF this was received with
wild applause, and II was adopted without
dissenting vote. 1t is not known in what
school of political economy ths able dele
gates from the out townships who adopted
this resolution enthusiastically were
graduated. nor upon what they base their
belief as to the future operation of the
present tariff law. If they had stopped to
think a little it might have occurred TO
them that predicting in regard to the rev.
enue under the present tariff was very un-
safe business. Mr. Carlisle could have
given them some pointers on that subject
In his first annual report after the present
tariff law passed the Secretary of the
Treasury predicted that when revenue re-
ceipts assume their normal conditions
there will be surplus for the fiscal year
of between s5o,ooo,0oo and s6o.0Oo. .0oo." Up to
the present time revenue receipts have not
assumed their normal conditions. Later on
the Secretary revised his estimate and ad-
mitted that there would probably be a
small deficit. Since then he has continued
to revise his estimates and the deficit has
continued to increase During the fiscal
year ending June 80. 1884, the deficit was
$50 s63, 261. and during the last fiscal year 1t
was $42, .223. During the first nine
months of the present fiscal year the deficit
was SIS, 7o2, and by the end of this month
it will be at least $6OOO.OO0 more. Yet the
able statesmen who "hollercd'' fer free sill
yer In Tomlinson Hall on Wednesday are
quite confident that the present tariff law
will yet be found fully adequate to the
needs of the government. 1t must be that
their confidence is based on the ahticipat-
ed Improvement in the operation of the
law under free silver. 1t will be noticed
the resolution declares their belief that the
present law will be fully equal to all de-
mands for needed revenue under the con-
ditions which will arise from the restora-
ton of bimetallism" Herein must be the
secret of their confidence. The statesmen
from the out townships are so sure that
the expulsion Of gold from circulation and
placing the country on single silver basis
will result in the restoration of prosperity
that they venture the prediction that it
will convert the present tariff for deficit
into tariff for revenue and bring the re-
ceipts Of the government up to its expenG-
itures. 1t is a pity they could not have
been induced to amplify the idea somewhat
and tell how ''the conditions which will
arise from bimetallism'' would operate to
increase the revenues OF the government
under tariff which, thus far. has pro-
duced only deficits and disaster. but in the
absence of such exposition we must take
1T for granted that the convention knew
what 1t was talking about. In matter of
that kind it is hardly possible that the
Democratic statesmen from the out town
ships could be mistaken.