The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-23
WORKINGS OF THE DINGLEY
LAW.
Receipts From Customs Have
Averaged Slightly More
49, Than Was Prom
iSed.

The recent discussion as to the
revenue-producing qualities of the
present tariff law gives especial in,
terest to a series Of tables just is.
sued by the Treasury Bureau Of
Statistics showing the receipts from
various sources by months during a
long term of years.
An examination of these figures
shows that the custom receipts of the
Treasury Department now amount
| to one-half of the ordinary expendi-
lures of the Government. which is
about the usual proportion allotted
to that branch of the revenue-pro-
ducing service. The ordinary ex-
penditures of the Government, aside
from these of the post Office De-
partment, which is practically self
sustaining, are usually calculated at
about 81, 900, 900 per day, and av-
eraged during the years 1894 to
1897, 5000, 500, 900 per anum, and
at about the same rate in 1898, ON
lifting the Pacific Railroad and ex-
traordinary war expenditures. The
general plans of those charged with
the duty of providing the revenue
for the Government have contem-
plated the production of one-half
OF the necessary expenditures from
customs and the remaining half from
internal revenue and miscellaneous
sources, or, other words, $500, 600 a
day from customs and $500, 600 a
day from internal revenue and mis-
cellaneous.
1t is interesting, therefore, to ex-
anime the detailed figures of the re-
ceipts of the Government during the
time in which the present customs
law his operated under normal con-
ditions, and to determine whea Their
it is supplying its assigned porport-
ion. one-half of the normal expen-
ditures. The daily statement of re-
ceipts and expenditures shows that
on November II, the 10th day of
the present fiscal year, the customs
receipts had, during those 40 days,
amounted to S72,34o,42o. Of this
sum little over 81, 900, 900 was
from the duty placed upon tea by
the war revenue act, SO that fully
$72, 900, 900 of the S73,34o,428 re-
ceived in these 40 days are the leg
itimate normal revenues from the
rates levied by the customs law en-
acted in July, 1897, or little more
than the promised rate Of $500, 900
day from customs.
The receipts from customs during
the past ten years have averaged
SIS, 100, 900 per month. This ten
year tenn includes the operation of
four tariff laws, and it is, therefore,
to compare the operat-
ions of the new law at its various
stages with this general average
during ten-year term, which in
cludes the operation of four tariff
acts.
AS it was not expected that the
new law would in its first few months
operate normally in its production
of customs revenue, owing to the
excessive importations just prior to
ITS enactment, it is not improper to
show, first the average receipts dur
ing the first four months of its oper-
alton included in the calendar year
1897, and also to consider separate
ly the last four months of its oper-
alton, dating from the beginning of
he present fiscal year.
Monthly average receipts from
,ustomsi
as years; lfsS 1901 i ss4 w.
January to November 1, 1898 5,07l 900
July to November 1888 $4,000
The receipts from tea from july
% November I, 1898, were So58, 100
eaving the monthly average during
hat time produced by the customs
Ict of 1897 SIS. 693, ooo,-Econ-
,mjst,