The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-01-16
REvENUE-PROpuClhG TARIFF.
he Protective Policy OF Mciiinlsy 70
Greatly Needed.

L
Greatly Needed.
The remark that President elect Nc
,inley will certainly urge the enact
tent of true revenue tariff is highly
commended by those who understand
hat he means, and also by some who
| 10 not understand. The conditions OF
he problem have recently been stated,
md yet are completely misunderstood
~ many. There is required more rev.
| 'nue than was needed four years ago,
| irst, because President Cleveland by
cling bonds has increased the interest
be paid each year by $l1.402,G15, or
nearly one-half. The expenditures Of
| he calendar year 1892 were S36S, 100000,
md this change alone would raise the
requirements TO $379. 100000. ii econo-
mics in all other expenditures were
| balanced by necessary increase in GER
tain OUTLAWS. The country. is growing.
| its coast defense and naval defense re-
| quire additional expenditure, and the
people are certainly unprepared to
cripple these forces by denying ade-
quate resources. 1t is therefore but
reasonable to expect that, with great
| economy in other branches of the pub
lie service, there will still be, needed
| as much as was expended four years
ago besides the increase in interest due.
| But there must also be some provision
for a small surplus, in order to pro-
tect the country against need OF further
bond sales in any time of temporary
depression. Nothing less than revenue
II M l. tad
to afford reasonable safety.
With increased internal taxes and
with duties on sugar not imposed in
1902 the country obtained u revenue
in 1896 from these sources of about
$20l 100000 leaving about $1ss,50o,000
TO be raised by duties on imports other
than sugar. What may be determined
regarding change in these duties need
not now be considered, for " will GER
tainly be the policy of the; republican
party in any permanent measure to
look forward to reduction, when it may
be safe, in the taxes which fall wholly
upon American citizens. and upon them
nearly in proportion to population, in
stead Of reducing those duties which
are in part paid by foreigners for the
privilege of selling in American mar
kets, and which fall almost exclusively
upon those consumers of foreign goods
whose expenditure is measurably pro
portioned to their wealth. 1t may rea-
sonably be expected that existing in
ternal and sugar taxes, whenever pros
perity is wholly restored, will yield
more than they yield now. But there
is absolutely necessary. in order to Sc
cure that prosperity and i-,>rease of in
ternal revenue, the restoration of
duties by which Industries are defended.
When a surplus is this assured .,mis-
sion of part. of the taxes borne alike
by rich and poor will be duly conslo-
cred.
Thus the revenue which must at first
be raised by duties on imports other
than sugar cannot safely be put below
Slss, $500, 900. which is only S3,oo0,oo0 less
than the revenue from customs in the
calendar year 1892. 1t does not follow
that duties must be restored in all re-
spects as they were then. Some were
then necessary for the defense or the
establishment of industries, and then
yielded large revenue, which need not
now be reimposed at the same rate
10 attain the same measure of defense,
and would not now yield much or any
revenue at that rate. But il revenue
formerly secured is thus sacrificed or
unavoidably lost, it follows that nearly
as much greater revenue must be OBJ
tanned by other duties exclusive of
those on sugar, because the aggregate
cannot safely be allowed to fall much
below the customs revenue of 1892 until
prosperity can be definitely and GER
tainly restored.
Dutiable imports in 1892 were $685.
O52,O24 in value, not including sugar,
and yet the excess of exports over inn
ports was $97, 4s0, 705-an excess quite
large enough in any time of ordinary
prosperity to insure against danger
Gus loss of gold. This year the dutiable
imports, including sugar, have been
only about $357,50O,0 900, but wool, lum-
Der and other articles of Importance,
from which a good revenue might and
should be derived, are now on the free
list. It is to be expected that such
articles will again be made dutiable, at
such rates as will yield the most to the
treasury, and at the same time promote
that restoration Of general prosperity
which is necessary to bring adequate
returns from the internal taxes. The
adjustment OF these duties and those
on manufactured products is always
task of difficulty, but is easier now than
ever before, because the whole people
have learned, and the managers of great
industries themselves have learned,
through the experience of prosperity in
1892, and Of unprecedented adversely
since, what rates of duty are now best
calculated to promote the general well
fare.-N. Y. Tribune.