The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-12-12
HIS CHAPTER ON THE TARIFF.
Wilson Law Has Been benefit. Ac-
rording To MIR. Cleveland.

Wilson Law Has Been "a benent' Ac-
cordinE To MIR. Cleveland.
desire to refer to the statement elsewhere
made concerning the governments receipts and
expenditures for the purpose of venturing upon
some suggestions touching our present tariff
law and its operations.
This statute took effect August. %, 1894
Whatever may be its shortcomings as COM
plete measure of tariff reform. it must be con-
ceded that it has opened the way to freer
and greater exchange of commodities between
the United States and other countries and thus
furnished a wider market for our products and
The only entire fiscal year during which this
law has been in force ended ON June 30, 1896.
In that year our imports increased over those
of the previous year more than 81, 800 900, while
the value of the domestic product We exported
and which found markets abroad was nearly
$40. 600, 900 more than during the preceding year.
Those who insist that the cost to our people
of articles coming to them from abroad for
their needful use should only be increased
through tariff charges to an extent necessary
TO meet the expenses of the government as well
as those who claim that tariff charges may
be laid upon such articles beyond the necessities
of the government revenue and with the addi-
tional purpose of increasing their price, in
our markets a TO give American manufacturers
nd producers better and more profitable oppo--
tunites, must agree that our tariff laws are
only primarily justified as sources of revenue
70 enable the government to meet the necessary
expenses Of its maintenance. Considered as to
its suficiency in this aspect the present law
can by no means fall under just condemna-
ton. During the only complete fiscal year Of
it's operation it has yielded nearly sS 900 600
lore revenue than was received from tariff du-
ties in the preceding year. There was, never
heless. a deficit between our receipts and ex-
penditures of little more than S25, 900, 900. This
| however. not expected. The situation
was such in December, seven months before the
close of the fiscal year. that the secretary OF
the treasury foretold a deficiency Of S17 O00 600.
The great and increasing apprehension and
imidity in business circles and the depression
| n all activities intervening since that time,
esulted from causes perfectly we'll understood
and entirely disconnected with our tariff law
or its operation, seriously checked the imports
| we would have otherwise received and readily
ccount for the difference between this estimate
/ of the secretary and the actual deficiency as
| we'll
| Was an UnfavOrable Period.
| Indeed, 1t must be confessed that could
| hardly have had a unfavorabe period
| than the last two years for the collection of a
| tariff revenue. We can not reasonably hope
| that our recuperation from this business de-
| preston will be sudden, but Il has already set
| in with a promise of acceleration and continu-
| ance. 1 believe our present tariff law II al.
| owed fair opportunity, will In the near future
| yield a revenue which, with reasonable econo-