The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-08
REVENUE MEASURES.
Radical Action In the Way of Re-
form Necessary


| desire to recur to the statements else
where made concerning the governments
receipts and expenditures for the purpose OF
venturlng upon some suggestions touching
our present tariff law and its operation.
This statute took effect on the 2Sth day Of
August, 1894. Whatever may be it's short
comfngs as a complete measure of tariff re-
form, 1t must be conceded that 1t has opened
the way to a freer and greater exchange of
commodities between us and other countries
and thus furnished a wider market for our
products and manufacturing. The only entire
fiscal year during which this law has been
in force ended on the 30th day of June 1885,
In that year our imports increased over those
/ OF the previous year more than S. 500 0O0
while the value of the domestic products we
exported, and which found markets abroad
was nearly $4,000 600 more than during the
preceding year.
Those who insist that the cost to our people
of articles coming to them from abroad for
their needful use should only be increased
through tariff charges. to an extent necessary
to meet the expenses Of the government, as
well as those who claim that tariff charges
may be laid upon such articles beyond the
necessities of government revenue, and with
the additional purpose of so increasing their
price in our markets as to give American
manufacturers and producers better and
more profitable opportunities, must agree that
our tariff laws only primarily justified
as sources of revenue to enable the govern
ment to meet the necessary expenses Of its
maintainance. Considered as to its suficiency
| in this aspect, the present law can by no
means fall under just condemnation. During
the only complete fiscal year Of it's operation
1t has yielded nearly IS, 900 900 more revenue
than was received from tariff duties in the
preceding year. There was, nevertheless q
deficit between our receipts and expenditures
Of little more than $25, 900, coo, some of this
however, was not unexpected. The situation
was such in December, seven months before
the close Of the fiscal year that the secre-
tary OF the treasury foretold deficiency of
$l7, 600. The great and increasing ap-
prehenslon and timidity in business circles
ana the depression In all activities intervening
since that time, resulting from causes per-
rectly we'll understood and entirely discon-
nected with our tariff law or its operation
seriously checked the imports we would have
otherwise received and readily accounted for
the d1nerence between this estimate of the
secretary and the actual deficiency as well as
for continued deficit.
Indeed, it must be confessed that we could
nardly nave had a more unfavorable period
than the last two years for the collection Of
tariff revenue. We cannot reasonably hope
that our recuperation from this business de-
preston will be sudden, but it has already
set In, with promise of acceieration and
continuance. l believe our present tariff law
if allowed fair opportunity, will in the near
future yield revenue which, with reasonably
economical expenditures, will overcome all
deficiencies. In the meantime no deficit that
has occurred or may occur need excite or dis
turb us.
ABUNDANCE OF MONEY.
To meet any such deficit we have in the
treasury, in addition to a gold reserve of one
hundred millions surplus of more than one
hundred and twenty-eight millions of dollars
applicable to the payment of the expenses of
the government, and which must, unless eX-
pended for that purpose, remain a useless
hoard, or, If not extravagantly wasted must
in any event be perverted from the purpose
OF its eXactlon from our people. The pay
ment, therefore of any deficiency in the rev.
enue from this fund is nothing more than its
proper and legitimate use.
The government thus applying a surplus
fortunately in it's treasury to the payment Of
expenses not met by It's current revenues, is
not at all to be likened to man living be-
yond his income, and thus incurring debt or
encroaching on his principal 1t is not one
of the functions of our government to accu-
mulate and make additions to a fund not
needed ator immediate expenditure. With in
dividuals it is the chief object of struggle and
effort The application of an accumulated
fund by the government to the payment Of it's
running expenses is a duty. An individual
living beyond his income and embarrassing
himself by debt or drawing upon his accumu-
lated fund or principal is either unfortu-
nate or improvident. The distinction Is be-
tween a government charged with the duty
of expending for the benefit of the people and
for proper purposes all the money it receives
from any source, and the individual who is
expected to manifest natural desire to avoid
debt 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 un-
impaired, for the future use and enjoyment
of himself and object of his love and affec-
tion who may survive him.
1t is immeasurably better to appropriate our
surplus to the payment of justifabIe ex-
pense than to allow it to become an inyitatioD
to reckless appropriations and extravagant
expenditures. suppose 1t will not be denied
that under the present law people obtain
the necessaries of a comfortable existence at
a cheaper rate than formerly. This is a mat
ter of supreme Importance, since it is the pal
pable duty Of every just government to make
the burdens of taxation as light as possible
The people should not be required to relin-
Quish this privilege Of cheap living except un-
der the stress of their governments necessi--
ty made plainly manifest.