The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-26

on extreme rates. nor any that are not neces-
sary to equalize conditions. While it is true
that rates above this line are often inopera-
tive, yet it must be admitted that they fur
nish needless opportunities for destructive
attacks.
The committee believe that in the reduc-
tions they have suggested from the rates i'm
posed in the house bill, they have not gone in
any instance below the protective point, and
If the bill should become law in the form
presented by them every American industry
would be enabled to meet foreign competition
in equal terms; that is, SO far this equal
ity can be secured by tariff legislation. The
ments are considerably below those imposed
by the house bill, and in most instances be-
low those contained in the act of $780,
PROTECTIVE POLICY.
In suggesting these reductions, the men,
bers Of the majority of the committee reaf-
firm and emphasize their position as friends OF
the protective policy. The ultimate purpose of
this policy Is to secure, as far as this is pos
stble, by wise and conservative legislation,
the steady growth and development of all in
terests, agricultural, manufacturing and
commercial. The provisions of tariff law
affect all these interests in numberless ways.
and unless there can be stability in tariff
policy there can be no certainty OF prosperity
for any. Industrial condition in this country,
with very few exceptions, do not demand re-
turn to the rates imposed by the act Of 1890.
The bitter contest which Is going on among
the leading nations of the world for industrial
supremacy mas DTOuSQC ABOUT improvements
in methods and economies in production to an
extent which was not thought possible a few
years ago. These new conditions must be
taken into account in considering the rates
Without relinquishing one particle Of our
devotion to the cause Of protection, we feel
that we have right to ask that the cause
shall not be burdened by the imposition of
duties which are unnecessary and excessive.
In the readjustment Of rates suggested, the
committee have tried to make them sufficient
ly protective to domestic interests without be-
The trainers of the house bill estimate a
total revenue from the bill of s269, ,107, 10 in
normal years. This would be the largest rev.
crease of $113, 1893 over the customs rev.
enue of 1896, and of $40, ,254 over that OF
1893.
The report Of the ways and means commit
tee of the house recognizes the fact that an
tieipatory importations will largely reduce
the expected revenues of the first fiscal year
under the tariff, but after making allow
ance of these importations, the report esti-
mates an increased income Of SIG, ,000, 900 for
the year 1898, provided the law should be
passed by May 1. If it's enactment were de-
layed until July /, the report added, that
s15,O00,000 additional would easily be lost to
the public treasury.
After giving in detail the house esti-
mates of revenue, Mr.. A1drich pro-
ceeded:
1nation Of the provisions of the house bill
that the estimate Of 81 900, 900 increase of rev.
enue if the bill should become law by the
1st of July was excessive. To indicate the
grounds upon which this judgment is based,
we make the wool and woolen schedule
from which $24,00O,00O out of $76,0O0,0OO in
crease is expected. The fact is well known
that there have been enormous importations
of wool In anticipation of the reimposition of
a duty-enough according to the trade re-
ports, to supply all the foreign wool needed
by the domestic manufacturers for more
than a year.
The statistics on this point justify the be-
lief that there can be no revenue from the
wool duties during the fiscal year 1898, ex-
cept possibly small amount from third-class
woods. The estimate of $14,0O0,000 increase
from woollen goods is equally erroneous.
The same condition exists in lesser degree
perhaps, with reference to other schedules.
Instead of an increased revenue from tobacco
we may more safely count upon decrease in
be much less than the ways and means COM
mttttees estimate, owing to the fact that one
quarter of the years supplies Of raw sugar
will probably be imported before any new
rates of duty can be applied to them.
Inmates the expenditures for all
purposes for ,Hae the fiscal year end
finance committee estimate the revenue to be
derived in the same fiscal year from customs,
If the provisions of the bill reported by them
should be enacted into law, at 1882 744, 600.
This includes estimated revenue from the
temporary duty on tea OF $8O00,000.
ESTIMATED EXCESS.
The committee estimate the receipts from
internal revenue for the same period at $780,
900. If we add to this the treasury esti-
mate for miscellaneous receipts, $4,000, 900,
and the receipts on account of the postofice
for the fiscal year $685. of s469. 671, ,076, or an
estimated excess of receipts over expenditures
for that year, of 81, 725, ,02S
If the estimated revenue from the duty on
tea, and the additional internal revenue taxes
should be omitted from the committees es-
Inmates of receipts, there would be an esti-
mated deficiency Of $29 900 instead Of a
surplus of 81, ,725, ,028. The committee believe
1t to be the imperative duty of congress to
provide in the measure under consideration
for a revenue which will certainly meet the
requirements of the government for the next
fiscal year. The adoption of a revenue bill
which should fail in this purpose, and which
should create an additional deficiency in the
immediate future and which would require
a further issue of bonds to meet current ex-
penditures, would certainly be fatal to the
hopes of future success OF any political party
responsible for such legislation.
In selecting the sources for additional reve-
nue., the committee decided to increase tenn
porarily the tax on articles of voluntary use
rather than to assess additional duties, which
might prove imperative upon articles of me-
cessity or upon those which enter into our
manufactured Assuming CQdt the
necessity for additional revenue exists, and
of this we believe there can be no question,
there is no economic reason and certainly
none that affects the public interests, why
beer and tobacco should not bear their share
of additional taxation. The committee be-
Aeve that the duty proposed on tea will not
prove a serious burden upon consumers Of
that article.
Nothing in the theory Of protection inter-
feres with the imposition of further Internal
revenue taxes by protectionists whenever such
a course is found desirable for revenue pur-
poses In the future it is almost certain that
we shall be obliged to depend more and more
upon taxes Of this nature for the necessary
revenue.
In the years to come we must expect a de-
crease rather than an increase in the customs
revenue to be derived under the principal
schedules of the tariff.
With duties adequately protective upon
manufactures Of cotton, WOOL silk and fax,
we may expect constantly diminishing reve-
nue. from the importations Of these products.
If the rates imposed by this bill on sugar
should be found TO lead to the rapid de-
velopment OF the beet sugar industry in the
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