The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-08

! designated to be corrected. / hope the
recommendations of the commission
upon this subject will be promptly and
favorably considered by the congress.
THE TARIFF.
1 desire to recur to the statements else
where made concerning the govern
ments receipts and expenditures for
the purpose of venturing upon some
suggestions touching our present tar
if law and its operation
This statute took effect on the 18th
day. OF August. 1894. Whatever may
| be its shortcomings as complete
measure of tariff reform, it must be
conceded that it has opened the way
to freer and greater exchange of
commodities between US and other
countries and thus furnished a wider
market for our products and manu-
features.
The only fiscal year during which
this law has been in force ended on
| the 30th day of June, 1896. In that
year our imports increased over those
| of the previous year more than $780,.
| 600, while the value of the domestic
products we exported and Which found
markets abroad was nearly S70,000,0 900
more than during the preceding year.
Those who insist that the cost to our
people of articles coming to them from
abroad Cor their needful use should
| only be increased through tariff charges
| to an extent necessary to meet the ex-
/ penSeS 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 profit
able opportunities, must agree that
laws are only primarily justified as
| sources of revenue to enable the gov
eminent TO meet the necessary eX-
penses of its maintenance. Considered
as to its sufficiency in this respect, the
present law can by no means fall under
just condemnation. During the only
! complete fiscal year of its operation it
has yielded nearly IS, 600 more reve-
rue than was received from tariff du
ties in the preceding year. There was,
nevertheless. a deficit between our re-
ceipts and expenditures OF a little more
than S25,000O00. This, however, was
not unexpected.
The situation was such in December,
seven months before the close of the
fiscal year. that the secretary of the
treasury foretold a deficiency. Dis
tress in business circles and the
depression in all activities in
tervening since that time, re-
sulting from causes perfectly we'll
understood and entirely disconnected
with our tariff law or its operation, SER
iously checked the imports we should
have otherwise received and readily
account for the difference between this
estimate of the secretary and the act
ual deficiency, as we'll as for a con-
tinued deficit.
Indeed, it must be confessed that we
could hardly have had a more unfa-
vorable period than the last two years
for the collection of a tariff revenue.
We cannot reasonably hope that our
recuperation from this business depres-
sion will be sudden. but it has already
set il with a promise of acceIeration
and continuance. believe our present
tariff law. if allowed fair op7ortun-
ity, will in the near future yield reve-
nue. which, with reasona bly, economical
expenditures, will overcome all de-
fciencies. In the meantime no deficit
that has occurred or NAV occur need
excite or disturb us.
REVENUE DEFICIENCY.
To meet any such deficiency, we
have in the treasury, in addition to a
gold reserve of $780, 900, 600 a surplus of
more than S12S, 900 applicable to the
payment of the expenses of the gov
eminent, ana which must, unless ex-
pended for that purpose, remain a use
less hoard, or, if not extravagantlv
wasted, must in any event be perverted
from the purpose of it's 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 it's treasury to the
payment of expenses not met by its
or &c. no or 6r
likened to a man living beyond his in
come and thus mourning debt or en-
crOaching on his principal. 1t is not
one of the functions of our government
to accumulate and make additions to
a fund not needed for immediate ex-
penditure. With individuals it is the
chief object of struggle and effort The
application 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
people and for proper purpose all the
money it receives from any source
and the individual who is expected to
manifest natural desire to avoid debt
or to accumulate a. much as possible
and 10 live within the income derived
from such accommodations, to the end
that they may be increased or at least
remain unimparired for the future use
and enjoyment of himself and objects
of his love and affection who may sur
vive him.
1t is immeas urably better 10 appro-
pirate our surplus to the payment of
justifia bic expenses than 10 allow it 70
become an invitation to reckless az
preparations and extravagant expendi-
lures. [ suppose it will net be denied
that under the present law our people
obtain the necessaries Of a comfort
formerly This is a matter of supreme
Importance, since it is the 9alDable
duty of every just government to make
the burdens of taxation as light as
possible. The people should not be
required to relinquish this privilege of
cheap living except under the stress
of their government, necessarily made
plainly manifest.
SOUND" FINANCE.
This reference to the foundation and
prospects Of our revenues naturally
suggests an allusion to the weakness
and vices of our financial methods.
They have been frequently pressed
upon the attention of congress in pre-
vious executive communications and
the inevitable danger of their continued
liberation POINTED out Without now
repeating these details, cannot refrain
from again earnestly presenting the
necessity of the prompt reform OF q
system opposed to every rule of sound