The San Francisco call., 1897-07-05
THE QUESTION OF REVENUE.
Dinoley and Othes Congressnsen Pleased
Hfth The Outlook,


Nth The Outlook.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July 4-Now
that the Senate changes in the tariff bill
are completed it is practicable to form
pretty close estimate of the prospective
earnings of that measure when it goes on
the statute books.
OF course the conference will make some
further changes, but it is not expected
that they will be of such character as to
materially affect the income OF the Gov
ernment from the bill when 1t becomes a
law.
II think we may assume" said Chair
man Dingley of the Ways and Means
Committee, talking upon the subject to
The CALL correspondent tonight, that
the new law will, after the enormous stock
of foreign goods now on hand has been
absorbed, produce sufficient revenue to
comfortably meet the expenses OF the
Government"
"You do not suppose, then, that it will
meet the running expenses in the first
few months of its operation?"
ut would be scarcely reasonable to ex-
pect that it will. AS everybody knows.
there is more than years supply of for
elgn wool in the country. BY some it is
estimated that there is two years sup
ply. There is probably nearly or quite
years supply of sugar on hand; there is
large supply of WOODEN goods and many
months supply of tobacco, TO say moth
ing of the hundreds of other articles
| which have been brought in in excess of
the usual demands and of the immediate
requirements. So shall not be surprised
if the law fails to produce enough TO meet
running expenses during the first few
months of its work Indeed, it would be
surprising if it should do so."
''This probable shortage of revenue in
q fret foU his nndpr tho 10
will be due, however, to the excessive i'm
portatons OF the past few months Mr..
Dingley 2"
Entirely so. I have no doubt that the
| bill is ample in its provisions for revenue
under ordinary circumstances, and that as
soon as the large stock of foreign goods
now In the country Is absorbed and the
usual demand begins again the revenue
will be ample. OF course, / do not yet
know what the bill Will be exactly, for
there are many points in which the House
| and Senate are still in disagree ment and
there will probably be oncessions on both
sides, though | still hope and believe that
on important matters the House rates
will stand. Whatever changes may be
made, however, as between the House and
Senate bills will not be sufficient to affect
the question of total revenues, and / be-
lieve that the law, when it is at work II Or
mally and the conditions are normal will
supply ample revenue ana in way very
satisfactory to the people"
Other mem bers of the House and Senate
agree with MI. Dingley upon this general
proposition. Senator Aldrich, who has
just returned to the city and is able to re-
sumo the consideration of the new tariff
measure, has expressed him self to his
friends as confident that the bill, even in
its present form, would be productive of
sufficient revenue to meet the necessary
n &c Gov oGf
supply of foreign goods now on hand,
upon which duties have already been
paid, is exhausted.
Congressman Dolliver, member of the
Ways and Means Com mittee, also ex-
presses the same opinion. II believe"
said he, "that the new law will produce
sufficient revenue as soon as importations
resume their usual course. The fact that
there is years supply OF such important
revenue producing articles as wool, sugar,
tobacco, wooden goods and other articles
of this kind in the country, OF course, will
reduce very much the lmportations dur
ing the next few months and conse-
4uently make the receipts under the new
law light for several months. But the
people, think, understand this fully and
will not expect anything else in view
of the fact that the importers have been
permitted to fill up the warehouses and
country generally with foreign goods
before the new law could go into effect.
When business improves under the new
law and people are able to buy, and when
the stock now on hand is worked off,
have no doubt the new measure will pro-
duce ample revenue, and until that time
the people VIII understand that any de-
hciency in its earnings is due 20 the
enormous STOCK of goods which have
| already been brought in and upon which
the duties have all been collected and
int ba. ~