The times., 1897-03-20

j uhc 81 next, was estimated by Secretar,
Carlisle in his last annual report at $14O,
100000, and would have fallen short o
that amount if it had not been for i'm
portations and Withdrawal from bond I,
avoid the anticipated revision of the tariff
And in this report Secretary Carlisl.
| estimated the revenue from customs for the
fiscal year that will begin on the lst OF
July next at only $4,000, 900.
The Additional Revenue Required
1t will be seen that while the revenue
from internal taxes has been well main
tanned, the annual revenue from
duties on imports has declined over $50
100000 since 1893, and nearly $50 600.
600 compared with what Secretary Foster
| estimated in october, 1892, would be the
revenue in 1894 under the tariff of 1890,
| on the basis of the increasing receipts of
| the year previous and the then existing
conditions Conditions which were revolu-
! tioniZed by the result of the national cleo
! ton a short time after this estimate was
made, as already explained.
If the customs revenue had continued 10
! gradually rise after the opening of 1894
I asst had before, or if ii had ev en- maintained
the figures of the fiscal year OF 1893, the
| revenue would have been ample to meet all
| expenditures, and the Government would
have been spared the necessity, not TO say
the humiliation, of practically issling
bonds to meet deficiencies of current eX-
penditures in time of peace.
The plain duty, therefore, of Congress-
duty emphasized by the President s
message laid before the House on the
opening day OF this extraordinary session
is TO so revise the tariff as to secure an
increase of revenue from duties on imports
substantially equal to what has been lost,
first, by the anticipated, and then by the
partially realized, tariff reductions made
by the act OF 1894.
Adjustment of Duties TO Secure
Protection.
Another imperative duty resting on
this Congress is to so adjust duties in such
revision OF the tariff to secure needed
avenue TO carry on the Government, as
Will better protect the many industries
which have so seriously suffered the past
three years from unequal foreign competi-
tion, and from the consequent loss of pur-
chasing power of the masses of the people,
upon which the demand for products and
the prosperity of every citizen depends
The feasibility of uniting in tariff
both revenue and protective qualities has
been amply demonstrated by the results
OF the protective tariffs in force from 1861
to 1893, at which latter date the tariff OF
1880 was practically nullified by the an
ticipation of q revision on non-protectve
basis The working of the w ooi and wooden
schedule of the tariff of 1890 on pro-
tective basis, and of the same schedule in
the tariff of 1894 on an anti-protective
basis, is exceedingly instructive on this
point.
The importations of clothing wool in
1898, under the tariff of 1890, was about
10000, 900 pounds, and of manufactures
of wool about $50 coo, 900, mainly goods
worn by the weil-to-do, who think il the
thing to wear foreign-made cloth, and who
are willing topay the duties imposed upon
it. From these importations of wool and
woolens in 1893, the government derived
a revenue of about $44 800, 600.
The importations Of clothing wool in the
fiscal year 1896 exceeded 1877 100000
poundS-three times as much as in 1898
and of manufactures of wool more than
twice as many pounds in 1896 as in 1893;
and yet the revenue derived by the Gov
ernment from this enormous increase in
the imports OF woods and woolens in the
fiscal year 1896 was only sea, 1000, 900
a loss OF S21 100000 from thaurealizedin in
1898.
In other words, by placing wool on the
free list and reducing the duties on manu-
factures Of wool the Treasury lost S21,-
100000 of revenue; our farmers lost a
market for the 100000 pounds of wool
which they raised in 1s92in excess of what
they raised in S96'97, a well as nearly10
cents per pound in price, involving a loss
to them of nearly $50 1000, 900 per aDnuIn
already Oh this farmproduct, and our man
ufacturers and their workingmen lost q
market not only for the goods which fn-
creased foreign imports had supplanted,
but also a market for goods which the farm
ers and masses of the people were able to
purchase in 500, but which they could not
buy in 1896 because of a loss of employ
ment and purchasing power.
Beyond this it has been demonstrated
that by placing wool on the free list to
the njury of the farmer and manufacturer,
we have not been thereby enabled to in
crease our exports of manufactures OF |
wool (asit was claimed would be the case), |
and we have greatly increased the use |
Of shoddy by diminishing the purchasing |
power of the masses, and thus compelling |
them to seek the cheapest cloths.
Restoration of the Duty on Wool. |
Enlightened by this experience in re- |
vising the tariff with view of securing |
both revenue and protection to our farm
ers, we have restored wool to the dutiable |
list at the same duty as ii bore in the tariff
Of 1890 Gil cents per pound for the great
mass of clothing w COL in the unwashed con-
dition, and a revenue duty of 80 per cent
on carpet woods below 13 cents and 80 |
per cent above), and have made the COM
duties the equivalent of these
duties, SO as to place the wool manufacturer
ON the same basis as to materials as his
foreign competitor-whichis is necessary in
order that the farmer may have market
or his woodland have them given the
compound duty largely |
converted into specifics equivalent to the
10 and 90 per cent ad valorem duties Of
both the tariff Of 1890 and 1894.
The wool and woolen schedule is sub
taptially that of the tariff Of 1890, ex-
,ept that few kinds of wool classed under
hat and previous acts, as carpet woods,