The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-12-19
THE TARIFF AND REVENUE.
Cleveland's False Position on the Question
of Income

Clcveland's False Position on the Question
OF incomes.
The tariff act of 1894, which President
Cleveland refused to sign because of its
Inconsistencies and crudities," and be-
cause II contained provisions not in line
with true democratic reform"(?), indi-
eating that 1.-THE deadly blight of trea-
son has blasted the councils of the brave
IN their hour of might" seems to suit
him perfectly now. He thinks it has
benefited the people and he is not dis
tllrbed 10y its shortcomings as rev
enue measure.
| He asserts that:
II believe our present tariff law, IL al
| lowed fair opportunity, will in the near
| future yield q revenue which, with reason
ably economic expenditures, will overcome
all deficiencies. In the meantime no DEF
icit that has occurred or may occur need
excite or disturb u.s."
The president is thus indifferent to
deficits, though amounting to $4,000
900 in the last five months, because
there is surplus in the treasury from
the sale OF bonds of $12S,000, 900 over
and above the gold reserve of 500, 00O,-
600. But how long will that surplus, not
all of which is practically available for
the payment of current expenses, hold
out when there is difference of SIS, 0OC,-
900 a month between receipts and ex-
penditures? But he does not seem TO
care. There is enough TO last till the
4th of next March, and after his term
expires he has no care or solicitude.
The president pretends to have faith
in the present patchwork tariff law
solely because for the fiscal year ended
June 30 the customs receipts were near
ly $S,000,000 more than for the preced-
ing fiscal year, during all but two
months of which most of the duties Of
the Wilson-Gorman law We're in force
1t is true that for the last fiscal year
there was n deficit OF $25,0G0,O0O, but
that does not interest the president. No
matter what deficit manifests itself, the
patchwork Wilson-Gorman act must
not he disturbed TO make it yield more
revenue. 1t is a sacred thing in his
sight.
The falling off in revenue during the
last few months he ascribes to causes
entirely disconnected with our tariff
law"-the free silver agitation-and he
assumes that the recovery from the
business depression, which has already
begun, will result in the receipt by the
government of an adequate income, pro-
vided an economic policy is pursued.
What does he mean by that? He doesn't
state what he wants retrenchcd. He
should have done 50. Unless the build
IN ,f th.a oY,1 oct lnfonSo
Notifications and river and harbor i'm
provcments are also stopped it is diff
cult to see how the SS0,000,000 or $780,
100000 a year of revenue deficit can be
stopped.
But the president does not refer to
the fact that there are certain objects
of expenditure concerning which the
government cannot economiZe. 1t must
spend much money on coast defenses.
The national safety requires that to be
done. 1t must add to the navy till it
is strong enough for its purpose. And
congress will not stop the work of the
rivers and harbors-that is certain. The
revenue which the Wilson-Gorman law
will produce in more prosperous times
will be some greater, but il will not be
nearly sufficient, and all government
expenses will increase as population
grows.
The president defends that bad law
on another ground. He says:
Whatever may be its shortcomings az a
complete measure of tariff REFORM II must
be conceded that it has opened the way to
freer and greater exchange OF commodi-
ties between us and other countries. and
thus furnished a wider market for our
products and manufacturing"
He arrives at this fanciful and false
conclusion because the imports for the
last fiscal year exceeded those of the
preceding IL months by S6,O00,00o and
the exports by $7O,o0O,OOO. But the ex-
ports fell $l5O,O0o,O00 below those o.
the fiscal year of 1892, when those reci-
procity agreements which opened new
markets for American products were in
force. The president, while well aware
of these important facts, is candid and
honest enough to conceal them.--Chi-
cago Tribune.