The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-08
THE VIEWS OF DINGLEY
He Hopes For a New Tariff by
July I.
THE COMMERCIAL DEPRESSION.

He Thinks We Are Nearly at the End OF
the Panic Period and Says the Great
Trouble Now Is Lack OF Purchasing
Power of the People.
WASHINGTON, Jan. s.-[SpeciaL l-Gov.
ernor Dingley of Maine, present chairman
of the ways and means committee of the
house and without doubt the next secre-
tary of the treasury. is very interesting
man. Among all my acquaintance in
| pubic life do not know another man who
has such logical mind as that possessed
by the distinguished leader of the Repub-
licans in the house Mr.. Dingley abhors "a
man who cannot think and talk i'm a log
ical manner. 1t is curious study to sec
him during debate in the house If a
man gets up and starts speech and shows
mt the outset that he is neither master of
his subject nor capable of telling the little
he does know in logical and impressive
way, Mr. Dingley's face takes on an ex-
preston of pain. He listens a few mo-
ments more, and then he fees from the
hail. He cannot endure to sit and listen
TO disconnected, rambling bungling ef-
fort, no matter who the perpetrator is. 1t
follows, as a matter of course, that Mr.
Dingley is not much in his seat while de-
bates are on.
Dingley's Opinions.
Just now the governor is a very busy
man he Is hard at work upon the prep
aratlon of the new tariff bill. asked him
today what the outlook was for the meas
ure and whether or not il was going to
help the country to get greater measure
OF prosperity. His reply was interesting,
and, though 1t of course presents the pro-
lection and distinctively Republican view
of things, l feel sure my readers will be
glad to know his opinions
Yes, we are going to pass n tariff BILL"
said Governor Dingley, land l am of the
firm belief that it is going to help the
country TO prosperity We arc not only
going to pass BILL but we are going to
pass 1t in reasonable time. OF tho house
there Is, of course, no question. We can
push the bill through at our end as fast as |
we wish. The senate is another sort of body,
and tho Republicans there are still scant |
OF votes. But / have information which |
leads me to strong belief that we shall |
have no serious difficulty in passing our
Dill after reasonable debate The policy
OF the Democrats there, as 1 understand it,
Is to analyze the bill, point out their OBJ
jections to some of its details, make the
AfSpH'AiNbh lttlNg NhOllN ItSDbuSlDlc IOF III
and its effect upon the prosperity of the
country and then let it pass without fac
tious opposition or improper delay. sec
no reason why we should not have the
new tariff measure upon the statutes in
time to go into operation by the 1st of
July, when the new government fiscal year
begins.
DiscOunting the Future.
In order to ascertain whether or not
we are going to give the country greater
measure of prosperity by means Of our
arlH bill, y continued Governor Dinvley,
1T Is first necessary to inquire what was
'he cause of the recent commercial dopres.
sion. 1t was to some extent an inevitable
condition, due TO the temperament of our
people. We are N hopeful people, self
people, an optimistic people. In
formal times we build very fast. We con-
truct many railways, build many shops,
produce much, borrow much, speculate
much, overstrain our credit discount the
uture. There must come u time of settle
nent, time of rest and recuperation, a
lme OF catching up. These periods are
'anics. The weak are shaken out The
insecure find their footing gone.
The Bond Issues.
In my judgment we were approaching
ONE such period when the election of 1892
ave an impetus to the danger The coun-
ry was carried in that year by party
which threatened revolutionary tariff leg
Station. The threat of revolutionary tariff
egislation Is often worse than the reality. I
N that case not as much was realized as
lad been threatened, but the mischief was ,
one When the new tariff law itself was
ut In operation, 1t failed to bring in
nough revenue for the needs of the gov.
and deficit helped to unsettle
onfdence Distrust was bred, and the
Whole difficulty was accumulated and EN-.
hasized by the bond issues.
Now we have come nearly to the end
I this period OF panic. We are at the end,
reports from all parts of the country
nay be believed. In the nature Of things.
BUSINESS will get better If there be no leg
Station by congress. But just as the nat.
raj conditions which were tending to I
ring about panic were given an impe. =
US by unwise tariff legislation SO the nat
raj conditions which are tending to bring
bout recovery may be aided by wise leg.
Station. That Is precisely what we hone 1
do. We do not delude ourselves with
he idea that by law we can do the thing
self, but we can help.
Lessened Purchasing Power.
The great trouble with the people now
J that they lack purchasing power. If &C.
urate statistics as to the reduced purchas. q
1g power of the people could be gathered. y
hey would make startling chapter. II Il
he people do not earn, they will not buv. y
ONE stop buying or curtail expenditures
trough necessity, Others through caution
nd sympathy. The people of this country
re now buying 25 per cent less of farm
roducts per capita than they bought in
s92: They are buying only one half as I.
luch woolens, and 80 with cotton. In cl
EDITION to lessened power of purchasing.
'hich means reduced consumption. we q,
ave under the present tariff law imported 81
20 much. The foreigner has had moro
IAN his fair share of our market. Pro. A
uction having been continued at a GREAT. ..
rate than consumption, prices have in. Y
'ltably fallen. Wages have been cut for Il
lose who retained work, and many have
me. Jt
we propose to give the countrv m NOD