The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-11-03
An EXPLANATION IS DUE.

While we would not be guilty of in
ficting needless pain upon the weak
and suffering, we feel it our duty to
continue to call the attention of our
Republican friends to the wondrous
qualities of the Dingley bill as a reve-
nue. producer. We are compelled to do
this because the condition of the treas
ury and the need of a larger income
for the government was the sole eX-
cuse which they had to offer for their
abandonment of the financial issue,
their extra session and everything that
! they have done up to the present time.
We were told by every Republican or
gan in the country that the first duty
of congress and the administration was
to stop the deficit and provide an am
pie revenue for the nation. When that
had been done, they said, and not be-
fore, they would be at liberty to con-
slider other points of public policy. SO
they called their extra session and
damned through their bill, and have
been singing it's praises ever since.
They have told us what q beautiful
thing it is for the laboring man, and
how it has covered the land with pros
perity as with a mantle. They surred
over the falling receipts of the first
month or two with the apology that so
many goods had been brought into the
country in anticipation Of the new
duties that their effect could not be
apparent Immediately. Next month";"
was always their cry, Eve will see the
Dfngley bill get in it's work." Appar-
emily it is getting in it's work, and that
in the most active and remarkable
manner.
The statement of receipts and expen-
ditures for the month of October, the
fourth of the fiscal year, and one in
which the new tariff act had a chance
to show what it could do, gives deficit
of $$9,310.097 For the third of the fiscal
year that has elapsed, the total deficit
is over $3S, OO0 This keeps UP the av-
erage of a deficit of between $4,000, 900
and $100O0,O0 per month, which it has
seemed reasonable from the beginning
to expect. The customs receipts alone
for the month of October were nearly
$1,SOO,O0O less than for the same month
in 1886. We have here again more of
that burning of the candle at both
/ ends which is the particular achieve
ment Of Republican policy. Expendi-
| mously that three-fourths of the def
cit is due to the lavish wasting of
public funds. In connection with that
we have a tariff which, advertised to
| act as producer Of revenue, actually
produced in the month Of October, af-
ter it had gone into complete running
operation, about 81, 800, 600 less than the
despised and berated Wilson German
act
Even this does not tell the whole
story In October, 1896, the business
| of the country was practically at a
standstill. No other month since the
| panic of 1898 could be chosen from
which we might expect so small a reve-
nue.. The country was in the throes
of a national campaign. always de-
structive of business activity; it was
suffering from severe and Iong-con-
tinued depression, and was looking
with such apprehension to the result of
the November vote that no man put
a dollar into any business venture if
he could avoid it. Yet in such month
as this, and under the tariff act pass
ed by the Democratic party, the same
which the Republicans say depleted
the treasury and caused all our mis-
fortunes, the government obtained
! $1,5O0,000 more revenue from imports
than during the month Of October in
a year Of exceptional business activity,
and at time when Republicans as
sure. us that prosperity has come to
stay. In addition to it's inherent in