The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-04
Nations Income
Mdst Equal 0dfgo
From the Philadelphia Press.


nm THEN congress meets it will find
MIAMI itself confronted with a deficit
WNVI of about S50.000000 for the pres
VIM ent fiscal year. The difference
between the expenditure and the
income of the government for five
months since July |, 1897. may be a
little larger or little smaller than this
sum, but II will not vary very greatly
from these figures. The deficit to No
vember 20 was si6,S79,47i. an increase of
IS $40, 463 during the month and heavy
payments at the opening of December
will increase this deficit, reckoning the
ordinary receipts and expenditures of
the treasury. BY far the larger part of
this deficit is due to anticipated imports
before the passage Of the Dingley tariff.
No wool has been imported this autumn
and but little sugar. The aggregate reve-
nue. lost in this way was from $50 900, 900
to s40,00OOOO. 1t was not below the first
figure and it may be considerably above
the second. At the close of four months,
by the end of October, the deficit for the
fiscal year was $3S, 33s. .607 This was all
fully and properly chargeable to the de-
lay in the passage of the Dingley tariff.
This revenue was lost and will never be
recovered. Since then the deficit is in
part due to imports earlier brought in to
evade duties and in part to the failure
of the present revenue laws to meet the
expenses Of the government.
o
Alaking every allowance for the great
flood of imports last spring and summer
the present fiscal year will see a deficit
Independent of this cause, of some $780,
00O 900 to SAC, 900, The aggregate deficit
cannot be allowed to continue by a Re
publican congress. For four years a Dem
ocratic administration met its expenses
by selling bonds 10 the amount OF s262-
900, 900. No Republican administration will
permit iself to adopt or to continue this
policy. The Republican party is solemn
| ly pledged not only to make the revenue
| larger than current expenditure, but to
make il sufficiently large to reduce the
| debt and establish the solvency Of the
| treasury beyond peradventure. This Is
| Indispensable No public need can take
precedence of this plain duty. Face to
| face with deficit, congress must re-
| duce expenditure and increase taxation.
| December January and February will
| probably increase the customs revenues
| materially. They are importing months
| whose duties should average about SILL
| 100000 for each month, or S2i 800. 900 for
| the three. The revenue for the first three
complete months under the Dingley tar
| it, for reasons already indicated, was
but S24, POO, 600. or about SS,OOOOOO a month.
| Even in November the total customs
| revenue will be but about s9,50OO00,
| o
| The Dngley tariff, at these figures has
| raised more revenue than the Wilson
| tariff at a corresponding period of its
| history. For the first four months in the
| operation of each the Republican meas
| ure has raised ST. 600, 600 more than the
| Democratic; and for the first five months
| the Democratic deficit was nearly as
| large as that now. But i'm order to be
| equal to the needs Of the treasury II Is
] not enough to match the Wilson tariff
| The Wilson law was shamefully deficient
| in providing sufficient revenue Omitting
| the first four months after its passage,
| n which the sum received is never fair
| guage of any new revenue measure. the