The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-20
A MASTERLY ANALYSIS.

with 6DVlaDl6 cl6dTn6SS ana COIn-
pleteness, Mr.. William L. Wilson has
summed up the character and the eff
fects of the proposed langley tariff bill.
If that measure should be debated in
congress for weeks or months, no enc
could throw more searching Or clear
er light upon its provisions and its
purposes than that which has been
turned on by the Trainer of the tariff
bill that was passed by the last Demo
cratic house. 1t seems impossible that
any intelligent and impartial observer
could read the criticism of Mr. Wilson,
impregnable as it is in relations of
fact, and not appreciate the monstros-
tty which the Republican party is
about to inftiet upon the country. Mr..
Wilson notes that we have in the Ding
ley bill, which is entitled a bill to pro-
vide revenue for the government, a
practical counterpart of the bill framed
? Wy Mr.. Mckinley and passed in 1880,
which was entitled a bill to reduce the
revenue. Thus, by the thlmblerigging
process of the protectionist, the same
policy is made to do duty as a creator
and destroyer Of revenue
We are not left without a witness. a.
to which of these titles is the correct
one. For four years the country made
trial Of the high duties of the Mckinley
act and found them effective in empty
Ing the national treasury. It changed
the surplus into a deficiency, although
during its operation congress trans
ferred to- the general treasury. balance
the trust fund of $4,000, 900 that should
have been held sacred for the purpose
for which it was constituted, namely
the redemption of national bank notes.
But for this looting the Harrison ad-
m1nistration would have been con-
fronted with deficit equal to that now
existing, and the bonds for which
plates had already been prepared by
Secretary Foster, would have been is
sued and sold Nothing can answer the
irresistible logic of the fact that be-
tween 1890 and 1898 a surplus of SS5.
OOO,0O0 was reduced to one of 81, SOC, 900
and that during the single year 1894, in
all of which the Mckinley act was in
full force and the expenditures of the
country were decreased nearly s16.OO0.
VoO, the outgo of the treasury exceeded
It's income by only a little less than
s7O,OO0,000 If this does not prove thar
eXoroltant rates of duty reduce in
stead of increasing revenue, then there
is no truth in figures
The effects of the reduced rates Of
the present act, operating in a period
of unprecedented commercial distress
/. snow themselves to have been bene-
hclal to the country. Revenues are
Z steadily, If slowly, increasing. All that
is needed to put the finances of. the
: country, aside from currency reform. on
Z satisfactory basis is proper economy
3 in appropriation. As Mr.. Wilson shove
= IL we were to discard the bonusing Of
= monopolies; if we were to cease carry
Ing millions Of tons of miscellaneous
matter through the mails at a small
traction Of the actual cost; if we wera
20 put a decisive check to extravagant
appropriations for unworthy objects,
our revenue, as the law now stands
would be adequate to our needs
With equal simplicity and concise
ness, Mr.. Wilson shows what must be
the effect Of the Dingley bill. In The
first place, unless all experience is ar
fauit, 1T Will not be effective as q
revenue producer. If the new rates
could be levied upon an equal amount
OF 1mportations, more money would
come in. But these duties will check
imports, and, in many cases, altogether
destroy them. There is, therefore
bound to be great disappointment in
the receipts accruing under the new
act. In the next place, the consumers
of the country will feel the weight of
the heavy hand Of paternalism in in
creased prices of the necessary sup
plies Such Of these as are imported
must pay the extravagant customs
duties levied, and the market will re-
spond. The home manufactures, who
has altogether demonstrated his abil-
fty. to compete successfully In the mar
kets Of the world, will add Just so
much to the prices that he now charges