The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-21
REJENUE MEASURE.
The Dinghy Tarin Bill Punctured in the
House Of Its Friends.

The New York Tribune gives the fol-
lowing unkind cuts at the Dingley tariff
bill:
The ungracious task Of criticising the
work Of friends is always unwelcOme and
yet obligatory. Even with large allow
ance for anticipatory imports which
Chairman / ingley has not proposed any
measure to prevent. his estimates Of in
crease IN revenue appear 10 be open to
some criticism. There is first the ques-
ton of wooiens, of which imports show
that supplies remaining I'm this country
must be. unless all estimates Of con-
sumption I'm manufacture are far out
Of the way, greater by many million
pounds than the country will require
prior TO May ]. when new wool will begin
10 come forward With some months left
before imports without duties. the stock
on hand will be found so great that I'M
ports viii not yield 100000 during the
FIRST fiscal year Nor is there any rea-
sonable probability that imports of wooden
goods will yield an increase Of Sli00000O.
II any step had been taken to proven.
anticipatOry imports during the next tive
10 four months. they might. But we
shall be fortunate If the wooden goods
imports. after the proposed bill takes e.
feet. yield as much revenue as was
Reasons may be given in detail for
this opinion. but, If correct. il leaves the
treasury with a promise Of only about
s-00o00O more revenue than IL has for
the current year. Another point Of large
importance remains. Duties on sugar
amounting 10 some millions have been
paid within the last week. The quantity
I'm warehouses has been remarkably
large. and 10 is not 20 Doe expected that
tho sugar monopoly viii let slip any OPP
p0rtunity Of putting millions into us
treasury by falling 10 anticipate new du-
ties. A measure 10 prevent such anti
cipatiOn in this. as in other branches Of
business. may NOT have been practicable
Chairman Diuslcy can judge better than
anybody else and Is not 90 blame II he
finds tlfat DO could not have been carried
into effect promptly. But open custom
houses for the Sugar Trust Will insure
delay n the Senate and viii cut off part
Of the S9000WO increase expected from
that source. AS 10 AN these duties. il
must De remembered that the imports
will put into the treasury from one-half
ON some w00iens 10 fOur-hfths on sugars
the amount of revenue which they evade
by anticipation. but estimates for the
year beginning July Will not be thereby
affected.
Inc imports OF INie anu ItN liNA+'A1
may be increased very largely during the
months I'm which tariff changes are 20 be
pending. II may well be doubted whether
the next year will realize the expected
increase from that schedule. Regarding
tobacco there IS. perhaps. less doubt as
the supply is at present restricted. and the
agricultural schedule Will affect selling
prices I'm Canada more than the actual
shipments TO this country. The lumber
duties may not improbably be met by
retalatory action I'm Canada. which would
cut off much OF the expected. increase
from that country although 1t IS not
the less to be- approved. But IN view
Of all these considerations. there seems
20 be fair reason % doubt whether Mr..
Dingley's increase Of revenue Will be
quite as large for the first fiscal year at
least as he has estimated. In the absence
OF any provisions regarding anticipatOry
imports the Increase is likely 20 be less
than the act. compared with previous
imports. would indicate. and yet there
IS TO be remembered the certainty that
general expansion of business and indus
tries will tend 10 cause increasing re-
venues from fixed rates Of duty II u
not improbable that as much as 10 per
cent. on all imports not materially af-
fected by the proposed law may result
from a general improvement OF BUSH
ness"