The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-03-19
Wilson on the Dingley Bill.
DECLARES 1T CLASS LEGISLATION.

NEW YORK, March 18.-F,X- Congress-
man and eX-POstmaster General Wilson
has written the following letter to the
Herald in criticism of the Dingley bill:
Washington March Ito the Edi-
tor of the Herald:
On the 9th of Octibcr, 1890, when the
treasury statement showed surplus revenue
for the fiscal year ending June so of SIS, 000,-
OO0 tariff bill went into operation under the
title: "A Bill tc Reduce the Revenue and
Equalize Duties on Imports and for Other
Purposes" In January 1897, when a STATE
ment fer the fiscal year ending June 80, 1896,
shows a deficiency in revenue of over $50
600 GOO, certain to be very much greater for
the current year, a tariff bill is introduced
under the title, "A Bill to Provide Revenue
for the Government and to Encourage the In
dustries of the United States"
These bills are so nearly identical in gen
eral structure and particular items. excepting
as tC the sugar schedule, that it may be well
to consider the effect Of the first bill on the
revenue of the country. Both bills are vast
and vOluminouS schemes Of class taxation. the
production of public revenue being an Incl
dent and entirely subordinate to the purpose
of taxing all the American people for the
benefit of a small part of the people.
THE PROTECTIONISTS ONE REMEDY.
The protectionist has but one remedy which
he applies whether the revenue be redun-
dant or deficient If times are prosperous
and more money than is needed pours into
the treasury he increases taxes by a scheme
that turns the larger part of their avails into
private pockets, and this reduces public rev.
enue. If times are depressed and less money
than is needed pOurS into the treasury he
seZes the preteXt of increasing public rev.
enueS by adding enormously to the amount
of private exaction. Any tax that passes di-
rectly and is controlled by some favorite in
terest from the taxpayer to the government
is an abomination which he will never permit
if he can help it to remain upon the statute
book
The act of 1890. whatever it's ether effects
did reduce revenue. From a large surplus it
swept us headlOng to a deficiency, although
it weighted the peaple with heavier taxes,
and although another law passed in July,
1850, turned into the treasury a part Of the
general assets to be used for paying eXpendi-
lures a trust fund OF more than $54 000, 900
which belonged to the national banks and had
always been held for the redemption of their
notes.
ADDED TO THE BALANCE.
Even before the Harrison administration
ended we should have been confronted with
a large deficiency but for the use of this
trust fund and the further fact that Secre-
tary Foster, by a change of bookkeeping
added to the treasury balance twenty mil
liens of token and subsidiary coin, not before
traoTdinary additions, even, we wound up
the fiscal year, June 80, 1898, with a sur
plus of only 3d. ,674 as against a sur
plus for the fiscal year, June so. 1890, of
over $50, 600, 900, before the above trust
fund and subsidiary coin was touched And
during the fiscal year ending June 80 1894
through ell of which the Mckinley bill was
in force expenditures exceeded the revenues
in the amount Of $69, sos go, notwithstand-
ilg the fact that the expenditures of the gov
eminent were $685. GA less than in the pre-
ceding year.
This statement shows how absurd and
groCEdlcss is the claim constantly made by
the protectionists that recent deficits in rev
enue are due to the substitution of the ex-
isif"~ tariff for the Mckinley bill. Nothing