New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-20

.T, will be observed that the customs revenue
under the act Of 1890 for the first full fiscal year of
It's operation was N75.0oOc. and for the second
fiscal year 1899 was $3.50 900 900. with raw sugar on
the free list In October. 1892 before 1t was known
that radical reductions Of duties 10 be made,
the then Secretary Of the Treasury estimated tnat
the customs revenue for the fiscal year 1894 would
be $40 Oco 900 on the basis OF the gradually ncreas-
ing receipts up 10 that time. But in January. 1893
he informed the Committee on Ways and Means
that the authorization Of a new tariff with lower
duties would inevitably postpone mportatons
diminish the customs revenue by anticipation, as
well as njuriousy affect business. Thus. notwith-
standing the tariff OF 1890 remained on the statute
book during the fiscal year 1893, yet the fact that
during that year lower tariff was expected several
months before II was finally enacted, united with
the arrest OF industries and consequent reduction OF
the consuming power Of our people, caused post
ponement or abandonment Of importaiions 10
large extent, and thus practically partially nuIheo
tho tariff Of 1890 long before its actual repeal
The customs revenue for the fiscal year 1885. ten
merths Of which were under the act of 1884. was
raised 70 s2 900 90 by deferred import tions and the
restoration Of the duty sugar. and In the fiscal
year 1896 10 gs0000OO0 OF which nearly S0OoOO
was from sugar that had been placed on the free
list by the tariff Of 1890
The customs revenue under the present tariff
for the fiscal year that will close June 80 next was
estimated by Secretary Carlisle In his last annual
report at S4OO0OOO and would have fallen short or
mat amount II II had not been FOR importatons
and Withdrawals from bond 10 avoid the anticipated
revision OF the tariff And In this report Secretary
Carisie estimated the revenue from customs Tor
the fiscal year that will begin on July next al
only sJO0oOcO
THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE REQUIRED.
IL Will be seen that, while the revenue from IN
'efnai taxes has been well maintained. the annual
revenue from duties imports has declined over
*""o'o" since 1888. and neatly 100000" as com
pared with what Secretary Foster estimated IN &c
toDer' i& would be the revenue in 1894 under the
1iN OF 1880 on the basis OF the increasing receipts
VI 'he year previous and the then existing concl-
"ons-conoitons which were rcvolutionized by the
'esu'' Oh the National election a short time AFTER
VIZ estimate was made already explained.
III the customs revenue had continued gradually
Use aiter the opening Of 1893 1t mad before or
wen II IL had maintained the figures OF the fiscal
'ea' 1885 the revenue would have been ample 10
.ieee all expenditures, and the Government would
Aso oeeh spared the necessity. not to say the hu-
"auoh OF practically issuing bonds 10 meet de-
ehcies OF current expenditures I'm time of peace.
Inc plain duty, therefore. OF Ccngress--a duty
emphasized by the Presidents Message laid before
' mouse on the opening day OF this extraordinary
's'on-is so TO revise the tariff secure an in
VI revenue from duties on imports substAn-