Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-12-14
TARIFF AND REVENUE.
President Reaffirms the Statements
He Made a Year Ago.


1 desire to recur to the statements else
where made concerning the government s
receipts and expenditures for the purpose
of venturing upon some suggestions touch
ing our present tariff law and it's opera
ton.
This statute took effect on the 28th day
of August, 1894. Whatever may be it's
shortcomings as a complete measure OF
tariff reform, it must be conceded that 1T
has opened the way to a freer and greater
exchange Of commodities between us and
other countries and thus furnishes wider
market for our products and manufactur-
ing.
The only entire fiscal year during which
this law has been in force ended on the
Goth day of June, 1896. In that year our
imports increased over those of the previ-
GUS year more than $6,500,0O0, while the
value of the domestic products we ex-
ported and which found markets abroad
was nearly $70,O00,000 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 govern
ment revenue, and with the additional pur-
pose of so increasing their price in our
markets as to give American manufactur-
ers and producers better markets and profit
by these opportunities, must agree that
our tariff laws are only primarily justified
as sources of revenue to enable the gov
eminent to meet the necessary expenses OF
it's maintenance. Considered as to it's suf-
ficiency in this aspect, the present law can
by no means fall under just condemnation.
During the only complete fiscal year OF it's
operation it has yielded nearly $8,OO0,O00
more revenue than was received from the
tariff duties in the preceding year. There
was, nevertheless, deficit between our
receipts and expenditures Of a little more
than $25, 600, 5000. This, however, was not
unexpected.
The Situation Last December.
The situation was such in December
(seven months before the close Of the fis-
cal YEAR, that the secretary of the treasury
foretold a deficiency of 10000 900. The
great and increasing apprehension and tim
idity in business circles and the depression
in all activities intervening since that
time, resulting from causes perfectly well
understood and entirely disconnected with
our tariff law or it's operation, seriously
checked the imports we would have other
wise received and readily accounted for the
difference between this estimate of the
secretary and the actual deficiency, as well
as for a continued deficit.
Indeed, it must be confessed that we
could hardly have had more unfavorable
period than the last two years for the col
lection of tariff revenue. We cannot rea-
sonably hope that our regeneration from
this business depression will be sudden,
but it has already set in with a promise
of accelleration and continuance.
believe our present tariff law, if allowed
q fair opportunity, will in the near future
yield a revenue which, with reasonably
economical expenditures, will overcome all
deficiencies. In the meantime no deficit
that has occurred or may occur need excite
or disturb US.
To meet any such deficit we have in the
treasury, in addition to gold reserve of
loo, ,000, a surplus OF more than $l28,-
O0O. 900 applicable to the payment of the
expenses of the government and which
must, unless expended for that purpose,
remain a useless hoard, CT, if not eE-
travagantly wasted, must in any event be