Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-08

that time, resulting from causes perfectly
well understood and entirely disconnected
with our tariff law or operation, seriously
checked the imports We would have other
wise received and readily account for the
difference between this estimate of the
secretary and the actual deficiency as we'll
as for continued deficit. Indeed, II must
be confessed that We could hardly have
had a more unfavorable period than the
last two years for the collection of tarif
revenue.
We cannot reasonably hope that OUT re-
cuperation from the business depression
will be sudden, but II has already set in
with a promise of acCeleration and con-
tinuance. l believe our present tariff law,
il allowed fair opportunity, will in the
near future yield d revenue which, with
reasonably economical expenditures, wilt
overcome ell deficiencies.
In the meantime. no deficit that has oc-
CURED or may occur need excite or disturb
US. To meet any such deficit We have in
the treasury, in addition to a gold reserve
of SlgO,0D1000. a surplus of more than S12s,>
10000 applicable to payment OF the ex-
penses of the government, and which must,
unless expended for that purpose, remain
a useless hoard, or, If not extravagan-ly
wasted, must in any event be perverted
from the purpose of its exaction from our
people.
The payment, therefore. of any deficiency
in the revenue from this fund is nothing
more than its proper and legitimate use.
The government thus applying a surplus,
fortunately in its treasury, to the payment
of expenses not met by It's current reve-
nues, IS not at all to be likened to a man
living beyond his income and thus incur
ring debt or decrease in his principal. It is
not one of the functions of our government
to accumulate and make additions to
fund not needed for immediate expenditure
With individuals 1t is the chief object of
str ree1a md off ha 1P
accumulated fund by the government to
the payment OF its running expenses is a
duty.
An individual living beyond his income
and embarrassing himself with debt or
drawing on his accumulated fund of prin-
cipal IS either unfortunate or improvident.
The distinction is between government
charged with the duty of eXpending for the
benefit of the people and for proper pur-
poses all the money it receives from any
source, and the individual who is expected
to manifest a natural desire to avoid debt
or to accumulate as much as possible and
TO live within the income derived from
such accumulations, to the end that they
may be increased, or at least remain IN
impaired for the future use and enjoyment
of himself or the objects of his love and
affection who may survive him.
tits immeasurably better to appropriate
our surplus to the payment of justifabe
expenses than to allow it to become in
vitation to reckless appropriations and ex-
travagant expenditures.
I suppose it will not be denied that under
the present law our people obtain the nee
essaries of a comfortable existence at a
cheaper rate than formerly This is a mat
ter of supreme Importance. since ii is the
palpable duty of every just government
to make the burdens of taxation as light
as possible. The people should not be re-
quired to relinquish this privilege of cheap
er living except under the stress of their
governments necessity made plainly mani