Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-12-10

| stand that the nonpartIaan scheme through
which they receive their appointments g.
fss ana them s T'y e
duty under every administration; and cheer.
! full fidelity TO every chief. While tney
should be enceurn . 20 dsce 1 snnnort
through their SURFACES the political DeneI.
they honestly profess, the noisy. peeticn,
! and partisan empioye, who loves pontical
and grudging service to an administration
not representing his political views. should
! be promptly and fearlessly dealt With IN
ers who may be likewise disposed.
National Finances and the Tariff.
1 desire TO recur TO the statements else
where made concerning the GOVERNMENTS
receipts and expenditures for the purpose
OF venturing upon some suggestions toucn-
Ing our present tariff law and It's opera.
(, ton. This statute took effect on the 2sth
day OF August, 1894. Whatever may De lts
shortcomings as complete measure OF tar
IN reform. II must be conceded that II mas
change OF commodities between us and other
countries. and thus furnished wider mar
ket for our products and manufacturing.
The only entire hsca year during which n t ans
law has been In force ended the 3Oth day
OF June. 1890. In that year our Imports In
creased over those of the previous year
more than $4,000, 900, while the value OF tne
domestic products we exported and Wni c
found markets abroad was nearly $IO,OO0,-
900 more than during the preceding year:
The present law, during the only complete
| fiscal year OF It's operation, has yielded near
ly. ss.oOO.0OO more revenue than was re-
! ceived from tariff duties In the preceding
year. There WAS, nevertheless. a deficit be-
our reeeg5s nd %
was not unexpected. The situation was
| such In December last, seven months be-
fore the close OF the fiscal year. that the
cheney OF S17.O0O.0O0. The great and In
creasing apprehension and timidity In busl-
ness circles and the depression In all activi-
ties Intervening since that time resulting
from causes perfectly well understood and
entirely disconnected with our tarin law or
! Its operation, seriously checked the imports
| we would have otherwise received and read
lily account for the difference between this
F, estimate Of the Secretary and the actual def-
cheney, as well as for a continued dencit:
Indeed. II must be confessed that we could
hardly have had more unfavoraDle perod
than the last two years for the collection OF
! tariff revenue. We cannot reasonably nope
! that our recupcration from this business de-
preston will be sudden, but 1t has already
set In, with promise Of acceleration and
| continuance.
l believe our present tariff law, IL allowed
fair opportunity, will In the near future
! yield revenue which. with reasonably eco
nomc expenditures. will overcome all de-
| fcicncles. Meantime 10 deficit that has
occurred or may occur need excite or dis
turb US. To meet any such deficit we have
4
serve OF $1O0.OOO.O00. surplus of more
! than SIPS. O0O,000 applicable to the payment
| OF the expenses OF the Government, ana
which must, unless expended Tor that pur-
pose, remain useless hoard, or. IL not ex-
| travagantly wasted. must In any event be
perverted from the purpose OF Its exactlon
from our people. The payment, therefore,
| OF any deficiency In the revenue from this
fund Is nothing NOR than its proper and leg
| itimate use.
1t Is UNNECESSARILY better to appropriate
| our surplus TO the payment OF justihable ex-
/ penses than to allow 1t 10 become an invi-
| tation to reckless appropriations and ex-
! travagant expenditures. / suppose II VIII
not be denied that under the present law
| our people obtain the necessaries or COM
| Portable existence at a cheaper rate than for
| merly. This Is matter OF supreme impor-
lance. since it is the pnpable duty OF every
| government to make the burdens or taxa.
| ton as light as possible. The people should
not be required TO relinquish this privilege
| Of cheap living except under the stress OF
! their governments necessity made plainly
| manifest.
The Currency System.
am more convinced than ever that we
| can have assured financial peace and
safety unril the government currency OBJ
| legations upon which gold may be demand
! cd from the treasury are withdrawn from
circulation and Cancelled. This might be
| done, has been heretofore recommended.
| but their exchange for long-t bonds bear
| Ing low rate OF interest or by their re-
i demption with the proceeds of such bonds.
| Even II only the United States notes known
| as greenbacks were thus retired, 1t Is prob
J able that the treasury notes issued In pay
ment CT silver purchases under the act or
| July II, 1890. now paid in gold when de-
manded. would not create much disturbance,
| as they might from time TO time when re-
| celved In the treasury by redemption In gold
or otherwise, be gradually and prudently
| replaced BY silver coin.
| In default of this plan. however, 1t would
be step In the right direction II currency
obligations redeemabe In gold, whenever
| SO redeemed, should be Cancelled instead OF
being reissued.
| National banks should redeem their own
notes. They should be allowed to issue cir
culation to the par value OF bonds deposited
ms security for Its redemption. and the tax
| on their circulation should be reduced TO
one-fourth of 1 per cent.
| In considering projects for the retirement
| OF United States notes and treasury notes
| issued under the law of 1880, am or the
opinion that we have psiced too much stress
! upon the danger OF contracting the currency
| and have calculated too little upon the GOLD
| that would be added to our circulation II
| invited to us by better and safer financial
methods. 1t Is not so much contraction OF
| our currency that should be avoided as
such unequal distribution. This might be
| obviated. and any fear Of harmful contrac-
| ton at the same time removed, by allow
Ing, the organization OF smaller Danks ana
| In less populous communities :han are now
| permitted, and authorizing banks to estab-
| fish branches in small communities under
proper restrictions. -
The entire case may be presented by the
| statement that the day Of sensible and sound
| financial methods VIII not dawn upon us
| until our government abandons the banking
| business and the accumulation OF funds, ana
| confines its monetary operations TO the Pe-
! ceipts OF the money contributed by the peo-
| pie for Its support and to the expenditure
| of such money for the peoples dement,. 80
Our business interests and all good citi-
| zens long for rest from feyerish agitation,
| and the Inauguration by the Government OF
| a reformed financial policy. which Will en-
| courage enterprise and make certain the re-
| wards IF labor ana industry.
Roast for the Trusts.
| Another topic In which our people right
| fully take a deep interest may here be BRIEF
| ly considered. l refer to the existence OF
| trusts and other huge aggregations OF cap
ital, the object Of which is to secure the
| monopoly of some particular branch of trade,
industry, or commerce and so stine whole
some competition. When these are defend
| ed 1t Is usually on the ground that though
i they Increase profits they also reduce prices
and thus may benefit the public. 1t must
be remembered, however, that a reduction
Of prices to the people is not one OF the
real objects Of these organizations, nor 10
their tendency necessarily In that direc-
ton. Their tendency Is to crush out indi-
yidual independence ard to hinder or pre-
vent the free use of human faculties and
the full development of human character.
Through them the farmer, the artisan, and
the small trader Is In danger OF dislodgment
from the proud position OF being his own
MASTER watchful of all that touches his coun-
try's prosperity. In which he has an individ-
ual lot, and interested In all that affects the
advantages OF business Of which he Is fac
tor, to be relegated to the level of mere
appurteenance to great machine, Win httie
cnce, and with little hope or opportunity
of rising In the scale of responsible and help