Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1896-08-28
OUR TARIFF LAWS.
Measures Passed in 1890 and 1894 Con-
trasted.

trasted.
The only measure Of a general nature
that affected the treasury and the employ
ment Of our people passed by the Fifty
third congress was the general tariff act,
which did not receive the approval of the
president. Whatever virtues may be
claimed for that act, there is confessedly
one which it does not possess. 1t lacks the
essential virtue of it's creation-the raising
of revenue sufficient to supply the needs
of the government. 1t has at no time pro-
vided enough revenue for such needs, but
it has caused constant deficiency in the
treasury and steady depletion in the
earnings of labor and land It has con-
tributed to swell our national debt more
than $262, 000, 900, a sum nearly as great
as the debt of the government from Wash
ington to Lincoln, including all our for
eign wars, from the revolution to the re-
bellion. Since it's passage work at home
has been diminished; prices of agricul-
tural products have fallen; confidence has
been arrested and general business de-
moralization is seen on every hand:
The Tariffs Of 1890 and 1894 Contrasted.
The total receipts under the tariff of
1894 for the first % months Of its enforce
were 1857 ,815, 1920, and the expenditures
The decrease in our exports of American
products and manufactures during the
first Is months of the present tariff, as
contrasted with the exports of the first Is
months of the tariff of 1890, was $22O, $685.
$50. The excess of exports over imports
during the first Is months of the tariff of
1890 was $s13, 9s9, 1858, but only $50, US, 623
under the first Is months of the tariff of
1894, a loss under the latter of $157, 214 ,845.
The net loss in the trade balance of the
United States has been $l96, 1888 ,6O7 during
the first Is months operation of the tariff
of 1894, as compared with the first Is
months of the tariff of 1890. The loss has
been large, constant and steady at the
rate of $13, 1870, 900 per month, or $500, 900
for every business day of the year.
Losing in Both Directions.
We have either been sending too much
money out of the country or getting too
little in, or BOTH We have lost steadily
in both directions. Our foreign trade has
been diminished and our domestic trade
has suffered incalculable loss. Does not
this suggest the cause of our present de-
preston and indicate its remedy Con-
fldence in home enterprises has almost
wholly disappeared. Our shops are
closed, or running half time at reduced
wages, and small profit, If not actual loss
Our men at home are idle and while they
are idle men abroad are occupied in sup
plying us with goods. Our unrivaled
home market for the farmer has also
greatly suffered Because those who consti-
tute 1.-THE great army of American wage
earners-are without the work and wages
they formerly had. II they cannot earn
wages they cannot buy products. II our
labor was we'll employed, and employed
at az remunerative wages as in 1892, In
q few months every farmer in the land
would feel the glad change in the in
creased demand for his. products and in
the better prices which he would receive
Not Open Minis, But Open Mills.
It is not an increase in the volume
Of money which is the need Of the times
but an increase In the volume of business
Not an increase of coin, but an increase of
confidence. Not more coinage, but q more
active use of the money coined. Not open
mints for the unlimited coinage Of the
silver of the world, but open mills for the
full and unrestricted labor of American
workingmen. The employment of our
1nints for the coinage of the silver of the
world would not bring the accessories and
comforts Of life back to our people. This
will only come with the employment of
the masses, and such employment is GER
tain to follow the re-establishment of q
wise protective policy which shall encour-
age manufacturing at home. Protection
has lost none of it's virtues and impor-
tance. The first duty of the Republican
party, If restored to power in the country,
will be the enactment Of tariff law
which will raise all the money necessary
to conduct the government economically
and honestly administered, and SO ad-
justed as to give preference to home manu-
facturers and adequate protection to home
labor and the home market.
Our Farmers and the Tariff.
Our farmers have been hurt by the
changes in our tariff legislation as severely
as our laborers and manufacturers, badly
as they have suffered. The Republican
platform wisely declares in favor of such
encouragement to our sugar interests, as