Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-05-26
THE REVENUE OUTLOOK,
Financial Security Established by
Republican Policy the M
tional Hulwark.

1t is encouraging that the reveE ue
holds up so well, in spite of the natural
restriction of imports on account of the
| uncertainties of war. Although i'm
ports should be much smaller than a
year ago, when they were greatly
| swelled by anticipation of new duties,
the decrease of 80 per cent. in four
weeks of April at this city is evidently
due in part to some preparation for
avoidance of war risks earlier, and to
| some hindrance of imports since hostil'-
/ ties became inevitable. If only a small
part of the SIG. 6.440, 900 decrease in i'm
ports at New York alone during these
| four weeks of April was due to this
cause, a corresponding decrease of rev.
| enue would account for much more
| than the decrease in customs revenue,
comparing with 80 days of March. The
| aggregate receipts, over S33,000,0O0 in
30 days of April, were not all from taxa
| ton, for $2,651, 800 must be deducted
| for receipts from railway sales on the
| 9th and 18th, so that the actual revenue
has been $50. .361 ,442, a gain slightly
more than the $l,000,000 per day which
would cover all the ordinary expenses
| of government. The customs receipts
| were S655.3 .357 smaller than in 30 days of
March, but internal receipts were much
larger.
| The checking, of imports just at the
| time war breaks out, in order to avoid
risk at sea, does not necessarily imply
any decrease whatever after conditions
have become known. Under the rules
promulgated by the Spanish govern
| ment, all imports in neutral vessels will
be safe unless contraband of war, and
imports owned by neutrals in American
ships. The ordinary imports into the
United States include no article of con-
sequence which is contraband. Ameri-
can owners of goods in distant ports
can avoid risk by shipping in neutral
vessels, and American vessels in distant
ports will be able to take cargoes eX-
| clusively of neutral goods without ex-
posing such goods to seizure. While
| the carrying trade by American vessels
| will doubtless be diminished, there is no
reason to suppose that the movement
| of goods to this country will be in any
| degree reduced in consequence of hos
| tilities. unless the general prosperity
and consumption of the people of this
country are unfavorably affected. Even
of Spanish products, any needed guam
tity could he procured through English
buyers and shippers, though in all the
imports from that country were in
value only 1861 900 last year.
Evidence thai the condition of the
people has not been unfavorably af-
fected thus far is seen III the heavy con-
sumption of articles bearing internal
| taxes. for in April the Internal revenue
has been $14, ,76G, ass, whereas it was $12,-
4s0, ,423 in 30 days of March, and only
ST ,447,273 in the full month last year.
The war revenue act when it goes into
effect may cause some decrease in con-
sumption of tobacco, and of beer also
where dealers attempt to raise prices.
But the entire increase of taxation pro-
posed, if as much as 00,000000, will
not be a very burdensome matter to a
people whose annual earnings certainly
exceed $10.000,0 100000, and whose an
nual increase of wealth is probably not
far from $4,000, 100000. National de-
preston certainly cannot be expected
to result from taxation relatively so
light. Nor has there yet appeared any
evidence that the general activity of in
dustries or the rate of wages will be un
favorably affected by war, after the first
appre hension of its uncertainties has
passed.
The customs receipts, presumably
owing to the cause already considered,
have fallen slightly below those of
March, but if the general prosperity is
not checked large imports and revenue
may be reasonably expected as soon as
the embarrassment of providing against
war risk in shipment has been over
come. If the country wants and is
ready to buy as largely of foreign goods
as it has done in past months there will
be no difficulty whatever in arranging
shipments so as to avoid the risk of war.
With Europe heavily indebted to this
| country on every months merchandise
transactions. and an enormous balance
still due, Notwithstanding gold imports
of unusual magnitude, it is not TO be en-
pected that there will be any difficulty
in finding foreign houses to supply this
country with AN that its people want,
and by such carriers as to avoid risks
in consequence of warn. y. Tribune.
OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.