The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-20


IN 1884 under the tariff of 1890 on
the basis of the increasing receipts
for the year previous and then ex-
listing conditions-conditions which
were revolutionized by the result of
the national election short time
sitter this estimate was made, as
already explained.
II the customs revenue had con-
Inued to gradually rise after the
opening Of 1893, as it had before, or
even If 1t had maintained the fig
ures of the fiscal year 1893 the reve-
hue would have been ample to meet
all expenditures and the govern
ment would have been spared the
necessity, not to say the humilia-
ton, Of issuing bonds to meet the
deficiencies of current expenditures
in time of peace.
The plain duty, therefore, of con-
gress-a duty emphasized by the
presidents message laid before the
house on the opening day of this
extraordinary sessions to revise
the tariff, so as to secure q revenue
from duties substantially equal to
what has been lost; first by the an
ucipated, and then by the partially
realized tariff reduction made by
the act of 1894.
ANOTHER DUTY.
Another imperative duty resting
on this congress is to so adjust
duties in such a revision of the
tariff to secure needed revenue to
carry on the government as will
better protect the many industries
Which have so seriously suffered
the past three years from unequal
foreign competition, and from the
consequent loss of purchasing
power of the masses of the people,
upon which the demand for prod
ucts and the prosperity of every
citizen depends.
The wool and wooden schedule in
this bill is substantially that of the
tariff of 1890, except that a few
kinds of wool classed under that
and previous acts as carpet woods,
which have been largely used for
clothing purposes, and whose use
for purpose not intended by the
old classification has caused much
irritation among wool growers,
have been transferred from third
class to firSt-clasS woods: and the
exclusively ad valorem duties,
which have been previously given
the manufacturer as protection
against his foreign competitor en-
ploying cheaper labor, and which
enabled the latter, by under
valuation of the wide variety of i'm
ported woolens whose value could
not be definitely determined, to
avoid a large part of the duty ap-
pearing on the face of the tariff,
have been converted as largely as
possible into specifics, equivalent
to whatever the present law pro-
fesses to give. We believe that the
of this schedule into
farmers the wool-growing indus
try, which has been so seriously
injured by free wool-our fiocks
having diminished more than one
fourth since 1S92-but will also re-
vfve the wool manufacturing in
dustry, which has been so greatly
crippled by the tariff of 1894 and
the loss of the purchasing power of
the masses of our people through
lack of employment, and will, at
the same time, largely increase the
revenue from that source which,
because Of the character of the
fine goods imported under the tar
iff of 1890, was partially derived
from Injuries.
DUTY ON SUGAR.
We have increased the duty on
sugar from 40 per cent ad valorem
imposed by the present tariff on
raw sugars (now only nine-tenths
Of 1 cent per pound on raw sugars
SO degrees, on account
Of the decline of the sugars, al
though about IA cents when the
tariff was enacted in 1S94) to 1.63
cents. with a counterVailing duty
On all sugars equivalent to net eX-
port bounty paid in any country.
n order to increase our revenue
and at the same time afford suf-
iciant protection TO enable our
-armers and planters to ultimate
V produce whatever sugar we may
-equire for consumption. The pro-
luction of cane sugar is large and,
lnder proper protection. a growing
Industry now. The production of
,eet sugar in at least % states OF
,ur Union, which only seven years
Lgo was regarded as of doubtful
promise. is no longer an expert
nent. but a demonstrated success
With such protection as we recon-
mend, which is less than those
counties given at the inception of
ugar production by Germany,
france and other European coun-
ries which now produce about
of the worlds sugar.
The time had come when every
fort should be made to open up
ew crops to our farmers and thus
jversify and promote our agricul-
llral interests, and no crop in sight
ffords more hope of success or
reater good to the whole country.
wen with the low prices of sugar.
ye paid in the last fiscal year to
oreign countries about $13,O0O,OO0
or our raw sugar, in addition TO
yer 81 900. 600 paid to the Sandwich
stands for sugars imported free of
uty under our treaty of reciprocity
18th that country, and in the near
1ture this sum will rise to $780,,
Do. 600. To open up such a new
nd valuable crop to our farmers
who are finding the competition of
.ussian and Argentine wheat
arious drawback is a boon which
ongress should not hesitate to
i've, especially at a time when it
an be done N the interest of reve-
ue.
IN revising Int sever al
,hedules as a rule the duties have
cen fixed at points between the
.riff Of 1890 and the present tariff,
having been found that no ac-
punt of changed conditions in
.rge part of the articles duties
,wer than those of 1890 would be
lually protective.
METAL AND COTTON.
The metal and cotton schedules
re in a large part the same as in
he present tariff, the increase
Dove those rates being in the more
ivanced articles. Manufactured
Lmber, which was put on the free
ST by the tariff of 1894, has been
ansferred to the dutiable list as
4 act of justice to this large in
lstry and in the interest of reve-
1e, with little change in duties ex-
.pt white pine, which has been