The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-11-26
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER &c. 1897.
yHE OPERATIONS OF THE DING
LEY TARIFF TAX

Of relief. It was going to raise
ordinary extravaganza n inconsider-
ate outlay Of the general government.
The hybrid, half and half so-called
tariff law failed to raise
enough revenue but all this would
cease after the McKinley-Dingley
measure got into operation. But what
has happened? It has been operating
for many months, and the deficit for
che first five months since 1t began
BUSINESS is said to be about $45, 000, 600.
Think of that. In three months the
new tariff law fell behind $50, 900. 900. OF
Ill revenue measures 1t looks now as
II 1t was the poorest, the leakiest. the
most disappointing. Dingley, who
s.ems to be something Of ar economic
Egnoramus, has been doing some loud,
continuous whistling in a vain endeavor
20 keep his courage up. but even to
his dull brain the light must have
found It's way and now he sees that
the radical Measure Of oppression and
robbery is doomed to completest fall
ure. It has failed to do as we'll, and
by a good deal, as the hybrid thing 1t
superseded. The fellows who combined
to fasten this scoundrelly measure Of
barefaced robbery upon the country
are brazenly declaring that it will yet
fulfill the promise and assert itself as
n SUCCESS in bringing in the needed
revenue to prevent a collapse or bor-
rowing after the manner of Cleveland.
How this will be we are not prophet
enough to foretell. We take five months
OF experiment and failure as arguing
badly for future success. The next five
months may be better, and it surely
Is to be hoped will not be worse. If it
should perchance fall behind expendi-
aures 800. 600, 900 the first year Of it's
operation, 1t will drag the country into
Bankruptcy and put the republican
gang into the darkest, dismalest hole
into which d~emagogues were ever
hustled by an indignant and betrayed
people.
The pitiable thing is the people are
the sufferers. The tax on them is much
higher and yet a deficit in revenue is
being daily created and increased.
Prices are low for farm products.
wheat only excepted, and no one In
growing over great gains except the
greedy, remorseless, constituencies
trusts that are created and fostered by
the high robber tariff. Is there any
natterlng or cheering outlook for a re-
turn of prosperity, for an increase in
prices? Wheat went up some because
of great deficiency Of crops in some
Sother lands. This Is seen now every
where and the New York Tribune. a
most blatant high protectionist, is fore
ed to say that fortune rather than
wisdom has given the wheat grower a
great advantage over the cotton grow
ers this year" Very true, but late in
the discovery. With 5 cent cotton the
south Is badly prepared for paying
$3.50 advance for western flour. In
yers got rs or 80 cents a bushel advance
on their wheat, and this put up flour
n dollar and a half a barrel for mill
lions Of bread-winners who make no
wheat. The Tribune admits that prices
would have been as low now as in 1895,
but for the scarcity of bread abroad.
This moves The Philadelphia Ameri-
can to AXE this practical view OF the
matter:
European crops did turn out badly
Mnd our wheat farmers prohted, but If
they turn out as we'll as usual next
year, what then? Obviously, prices
for wheat will be as much depressed
rs in 1895. that is, to an average Of
sos cents a bushel on the farm. n
such drop in price must sadly dimin-
fsh the farmers ability to buy, force
him to further curtail his already re-
Etricted purchases Of foreign goods,
and hus make most unlikely an in
crease in importations without which
increase the Dingley tariff will not
yield sufficient revenues to meet the
expenditures of the government"
The congress will be confronted by
-"a condition and not a theory" 1t Will
have TO look facts in the face. 1t may
Hlr1o DeIOTe MdTCH comes tndl the Oe-
fcit grows and the tariff still fails to
bring in the required revenue to meet
i. If this happens what will
the congress do about it? 1t is claim
ed that it will steadily improve, bring
ing in more and more Of the needed
revenue. But will it so overcome the
losses to date--s45, 900. 000-and so pro-
huce revenue as to meet the imperious
demands of the government? The
American says there is Improvement
already over the first three months,
1 and 1t thinks it will continue to do so.
But will it reach the point of self
/. sustaining-of producing as much rev.
enue as the great expenditures are?
There is q cash balance in the treas