The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-09-20

A letter from Representative Dingley,
OF Maine, chairman Of the ways and
means committee, and the godfather Of
the Dlngley bill, Is published by num-
Der OF Sunday papers, 1t is on the rela-
tlon of Republican legislation to the
tariff and currency, and will at this time
be read with much interest. Mr.. Ding
ley states the facts as they are and as the
public Is beginning to see them. While
1t Is not direct reply to the recent eva
slve letter of W. j. Bryan, 1t shows the
shallowness of that gentleman's state
ments regarding the Republican policy
and Its relation to the return of
prosperity.
One OF the favorite arguments now be-
Ing used, especially by the free traders,
is the deficiency in revenues. Mr. Ding
ley shows clearly the effects of the an
ticipatory imports which were due to the
anxiety of importers to escape the IN
creased duties He points out that dur
ing the four months that the tariff bill
was pending not far from hundred mil
lion dollars worth OF merchandise in ex-
cess Of the amount imported In the same
period of the previous year was import
ed in advance of any demand for con-
sumption, simply for the purpose Of
avoiding the payment of the new or in
creased duties,
'If the new bill had not been pending"
says Mr., Dlngley, mot one dollar of this
800, 100000 would have been imported af-
ter Jmy24,and the $50, 900, OOOpaidin duties
at the rates of the old law prior to July
|, would have all appeared as revenue
for the present fiscal year. instead of the
last fiscal year, and the deficiency for the
last fiscal year would have been $50, OOO,-
900, instead OF being only about SIS, OOO,-
OOO."
THIS, Of course, as Mr. Dlngley says, Is
not loss OF revenue. 1t is only credit
ing the amount to the revenue under the
old tariff for the last fiscal year when 1t
should be added to the revenues for the
present fiscal year He estimates that
loss OF revenue from these antlcpatory
Importatinns will reach SlO,OO0OOO per
month, but by January these advance
stocks will be run down and then the
treasury will begin to receive the revenue
demanded from the new tariff.
Referring to the effect of the tariff set
tlement Mr.. Dingley calls attention to a
striking fact in the following language:
II is more than coincidence that the
beginning Of Industrial and business de-
preston was Immediately after Il became
known that the presidential and congress
sIonal elections of 1892 had resulted In the
complete triumph of men pledged TO over
throw the policy Of protection, and that
the beginning OF Industrial and business
recuperation was Immediately afterward
settled that the policy OF protection would
be restored; and It Is inevitable that the
change from such n policy to the policy of
encouraging home production and manu-
facture, determined upon at the recent
session Of Congress. would tend to dlspel
distrust and establish confidence In the fu-
ture; start idle Industries: open new OPP
portunities for labor; Increase the pur-
chasing power OF the masses; enlarge the
demand for products; raise, or at least
tend to raise. prices to paying point, and
promote the prosperity OF all classes.
Undoubtedly the crop conditions and
the circumstances which have raised the
prices OF the farm products have had
much to do with the business revival. but
the facts which Mr. Dingley calls atten-
ton to exist also to guarantee that the
new era of prosperity will be permanent.