Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-01-15
TARIFF BurcoMBE.

| While so much is being said about
the cutting off of revenues by reason of
the enactment of the Wilson law and
repeal of the Mckinley law, it would
be well to lay the political fad on the
shelf long enough to accept statistical
Information as it appears and to view
the facts as they exist. Men have &C
cepted the Goctine of insufIiciency in
revenues under the new tariff simply
because they would rather demonstrate
| their fealty to the party than to make
fair and impartial investigation and
fearlessly express themselves in har-
money with such discoveries.
Speakingof the differences OF the
two tariff laws, the law of 1894 and the
law of 1895, Mr.. Worthington e. Ford,
Chief of the Bureau of Statistics. among
other things says:
"A comparison with the figures of
1894 certainly show remarkable differ
ences. The imports of articles free of
duty were about Sc, O00, 900 less IN 1895
than in 1891. The figures of 1895 being
$376, $780, 600, the difference in the two
years is in reality much larger, as the
total of the free was increased by $685.
531 600 in imports of wool and by about
$S.OOO,OOOIn cotton also for the first time
free. Making allowances for these two
terms the imports of 1895 of free ar
ticles were at least Sal 900 900 less than
the imports of similar articles in 1894.
Turning to the dutiable, we find re-
markaole increase IN the imports. lnlS94
the dutlable goods were valued at S257.-
645, 7O3, and in 1895 1854, 27l 800. The
duty collected in 1894 was SI2s. S81 1867.
and In 1895 $147 ,9Ol .219. In 1894 the
ad valorem rate of duty on the entire
dutiable imports was 80 per cent and
III 1895 it was only Al rs per cent. This
will show that the tariff law of 1894
reduced the general rate of duty by 3d.
% per cent and this average rate for
1895 is just the same as the average
rate collected in 1894, the first year af.
ter the tariff of 1898.
From this it will be seen that dutia-
BILE imports of '95 exceeded those of '94
and that the free imports of '9i exceed
ed those of '95. 1t is also seen that un-
der the much despised Wilson g orman-
Brlce law the government realized more
revenue than it did under that precious
~ gem, the Mckinley law. Our re-
publican friends persistently lay all
available stress on the false and dis
proved statement that the annual and
semi-annual bond issues that are now
being carried on IN this country are all
due to the fact that the new tariff law
does not furnish revenue sufficient to
meet the running expenses of the gov
eminent, whereas the old law furnish
sd ample funds and surplus besides.
Ihe aboye quotation from the Bureau
OF Statistics shows the utter falsity of
such a theory and furth er comment on
this line is unnecessary. Suffice it to say
That 1t was conceived by the demagogue
for political purposes and not by the
statesman for the social advancement
of the race.
we have always commended, and still
contend, that the tariff is WORKOUT
issue; 1t has been tried in almost every
conceivable shape and form and has
not proved panacea for existing evils.
The politician will continue In the old
rut but the patriot will turn to other
fields.
The financial issue is THE issue and
upon it's solution depends the perpetui-
ty or decay of this nation. When the
per capita circulation is below the
point where the people of this country
can live and make required exchanges.
when banks of issue control our curren-
cy circulation, and when gold Is the
prescribed standard by which all values
are measured and that owned and ma.
nipulated by very few men, the coun-
try is getting into desperate straits. 1t
calls for the most prudent and wisest
craftsmanship. 1t is of infinitely more
moment to the American people today
than the tariff issue, Socalled, ever vas
aud all this idle chatter and wearisome
nonsense about the tariff only hastens
the crisis. 1t is time that men awake.
Republican theories and fancies have
been exploded by actual experiment
ana any man, even though deprived of
higher education, who still retains his
common and natural sense, must see
that in the tariff there is nothing that
Will materially affect the approaching
period OF slavery to the masses. Let
us,then drop this buncombe and take up
living issues. Let us assert our rights
as American citizens and never halt
until personal equality Is reached and
the principles of the Declaration of In
dependence are again enjected into the
machinery of the government.
PROGRAM
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