The L'Anse sentinel., 1896-11-21
THE DINGLEY BILL OR 4
SPECIAL SESSION.

The question now attracting gen
cral attention is that of a special
session of congress, and what shall
be done about revision of the tariff.
Much will depend as to both these
subjects, says the Detroit Journal,
upon the action or want OF action of
the coming short session OF congress.
Senator Sherman has declared in
favor of the passage of the Dingley
tariff bill, now pending in the senate,
with perhaps some slight modifica-
ton, which he believes would dis
pensc with the necessity of special
session.
1t would require considerable
change o! heart on the part of the
senators from the silver states to
make it possible to pass the Dingley
bill at the coming session. 1t may
be among possibilities, but not
among probabilities.
That additional revenue must be
had promptly is certain. The Will
Son-Gorman tariff went into effect
August %, 1894. There have been
but four months since thca in which
by any possible manipulation of ac-
counts the receipts have equaled the
expenditures. In these months the
surplus was forced by holding of the
payment of accounts during the last
half in order to make u favorable
showing. But the greatly increased
deficits of the ensuing month always
told the story too plainly to permit
anyone to be deceived. The aggre-
gate net deficit for the first "a
months under the Wilson-Gorman
law was $l04, 062, ,32S, or an average
net deficit OF $4, 335, $50 per month
upward of $52 000, 900 per year
The deficit thus far since the be-
ginning Of the present fiscal year,
July |, amounts to $37 BIZ, 900, and
for the first ten days of this month
it has been $4, 453, 900. This appears
10 threaten deficit during the fiscal
year unless there be radical change
in conditions. of approximately
500, 900, 600 1t does not require
any argument to show that this
means one Of two things-more
bonds or a revision of the tariff An
additional dollar a barrel on beer,
as proposed by Secretary Carlisle,
would not meet the case.
Ii the silver senators are patriotic
enough and wise enough to permit
the passage Of the Dinglcy bill, the
necessity for the issue o. more bonds
may be avoided.
We have no idea that Mr.. McKin-
icy will ever consent to inaugurate
his administration with an addition
al issue OF bonds. He would rather.
at once, call the Fifty-tifth congress
in special session, to take up and
pass an adequate revenue measure.
But, as pointed out by Senator
Sherman, it would b. far better to
avoid the necessity for special ses-
sion by the passage of the bill now
pending, provided it can be done.
1t is hardly partisan bill. II can
hardly be called % protective bill.
In all its principal features it is d
revenue bill. Increased imports and
increased customs duties may be ex-
pected as the result of restored con
fidenca and the return of money to
the channels Of trade. Under
changed conditions the deficit will
diminish, and the Dingley bill will
do the rest BY December, 1897,
when the new congress will meet in
regular session, we shall be able to
see what further changes will be
needed, not only for revenue, but to
restore our impaired industries to
their fullest prosperity.
So we say, let US have the Dingley
bill, If possible. II not, then
~-"cial session-but no more bonds.