The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-12-10
Washington, DC Dec. 8, '97.

country. The average member of
Congress IS better barometer in re-
lation to the conditions in his own
State and district than perhaps any
other man, and when you get an az.
gregallon OF members from all parts
OF the country you get an excellent
view OF conditions in this great coun-
TRY of ours.
THEY BRING GOOD NEWS.
And they come with very favora-
BILE reports. Whether from the
North or the South, the Atlantic
Seaboard, the Mississippi Valley, or
the Pacific Slope, there are reports of
improved conditions. Increased
earnings among farmers, increased
earnings by railroads and railroad
men, increased earnings among mine
operators and mine workers, increased
earnings among manufacturers
these are the reports which members
bring from every part of the country.
From Kansas alone comes an official
report placing the value of farm prod
ucts IN that State this year at over
S66, 900, GOO, an increase of more
than thirty per cent. as compared
with last year, while the REPORTS OF
mortgages cancelled in that and all
OF the farming States are equally
gratifying. From the manufacturing
and mining sections the reports ale
quite as favorable. Members from
the manufacturing sections of Ne1
England and the Ohio Valley report
large increases in the number of PEG
pie employed, and that an increase in
wages is now also being had in MANY
cases Naturally the first effect of O
protective tariff is to increase the
number of people employed, and it is
not until the second stage of its work
has been reached that the effect is
felt in the increase in wages. This
is now making itself apparent, for re.
ports of increased wages come no,
alone from the manufact ,rng centers
but from the great IRON mines OF
Pennsylvania, Michigan and else
where.
AS TO THE NEW TARIFF.
The good reports which members
Bling regarding the Improvement d
business under the new tariff are me,
with equally favorable news as to the
work of that law since Congress.
placed it upon the statute books anC
left ii to begin its career III the fac,
Of adverse conditions. With min
dred million dollars worth of surp!u,
reign imp'rtations upon the markets
Of the country the conditions undo
which II entered upon its wotk were
OF course, extremely unfavulable
In the face of that fact, however, il
eainings have steadily increased, be
ginning with a-little over $40, ,oo'
Ia its first month, and now reachiH.
more than S25, 000,000 in November
In each month since the tariff bill
was placed upon the statute book
the earnings have Increased, and tn
Treasury officials who have beef
studying the new law carefully ar
Thoroughly satisfied with its prospect
as a revenue producer. Probably n,
man In the Treasury Department i
better capable to Judge of these mat
lers Than Assistant Secretary How
ell, who has grown up in the custom
service from a subordinate position
to the position which he now hold
Assistant Secretary of the Treas
Dry. He says frankly that he think
the earnings of the new law will b
sufficient after the opening month o
the coming year to meet running ex
penses. 'The enormous stock O
sugar, wool, and other articles which
had been brought into the countr,
before the new law went into effect,
said Mr.. Howell, talking to your cor
respondent, "will have been prett,
we'll used up by the end Of the pres
ent year, ard the importations viii
be resumed. When this is done,
think the earnings of the new Law
will be very satisfactory. We ar,
now getting $25,O00,OOO a mo ntl
and the revenue from sugar alon,
will be about $4,000, 900, while tn,
increase from other sources will alst
be very considerable. SO, it seem.
to me, that Congress, when it look.
over the field and sees what the new
law has done and what 1t is likely tt
do in the near future, will have M
occasion to regret its action or to en-
ter upon any further revenue legisla
ton at present, at least"
~