The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-12-09

preston 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 i'm
ports we would have otherwise re-
ceived, and readily account for the dir
ference between this estimate OF the
secretary and the actual deficiency. as
well as for continued deficit Indeed
Ii must be confessed that we could
hardly have had a more unfavora ble
period than the last two years for the
COLLECTION or tariff revenue We can
not reasonably hope that our recupera-
ton from this business depression will
be sudden, but IL has already set in
with promise of acceleration and con-
tinuance.
believe our present tariff law, II al
lowed fair opportunity. will in the
near future yield a revenue which, with
reasonable 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, I'm addition to a gold
reserve of 500 100000 a surplus OF more
than $12S.000,000 applicable to the pay
ment OF the expenses of the govern
ment, and which must, unless expend-
ed for that purpose. remain a useless
hoard, or IL not eXtravagantly 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 sur
plus fortunately in its treasury to the
payment of expenses not met by it's
current revenues Is not at all TO be
likened to man living beyond his in
come and thus mourning debt or en-
croaching on its principal. 1t Is not
one of the functions of our government
to accumulate and make additions to a
fund not needed for immediate expen-
diture. With individuals IL is the chief
object of struggle and effort. The ap-
plication of an accumulated fund by
the government to the payment OF its
running expenses is a duty. An indi-
vidual living beyond his income and
embarrassing himself with debt, or
drawing upon his accumulated fund of
principal is either unfortunate or i'm
provident. The distinction Is between
a government charged with the duty
of expanding for the benefit OF the peo-
pie and for proper purposes all the
money II receives from any source, and
the individual who is expected to mani
fest a natural desire to aviod 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 re-
main unimpaired for the future use
and enjoyment of himself and the OBJ
jects of his love and affection who may
survive him.
1t is UNNECESSARILY better to appro-
pirate our surplus to the payment of
justifiable expenses than to allow 1t to
become an invitation to reckless appro-
priations and extravaganza expendi-
lures. I suppose IL will not be denied
that under the present law our people
obtain the necessaries of comfortable
existence at a cheaper rate than for
merly. This Is a matter Of supreme i'm
portance. since ii is the palpable duty
of every just government to make the
burdens of taxation as light as posi-
BILE. The people should not be required
to relinquish this privilege of cheap
living except under the stress Of their
governments necessity made plainly
manifest.