Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-12-14
AS OTHERS SEE IT.

The keen interest manifested by the
industrial and commercial world in the
subject of q faithful enforcement Of
the Tariff law like from the standpoint
of revenue collection, fairness as be-
tween importers and Protection to
competing domestic producers is
shown in two articles, news and edi.
torial, in the Providence Or. L. News
of May 12. This ably conducted news
paper, published in one of the busiest
industrial centers Of the United States,
sees in this question of systematic I'M
LIBERALIZATION a matter of vital concern
far beyond the business circles imme-
diately interested at the chief port Of
entry, far beyond local party politics
organizations OF cliques. 1t sees that
upon upon the outcome of this fierce
struggle depends much more than
the direct issue between importers who
seek to evade and officials earnestly en-
gagged in trying to thwart the evasion
of the Tariff law.
In the days of Daniel Manning, Sec
retary OF the Treasury in the first ad-
ministration Of Grover Cleveland, the
gross sum Of money lost by the Gov
ernment each year rs the result of un-
LIBERALIZATION at the port of New York
was estimated by that able executive
officer at the enormous sum of S4O,-
100000. Whether this huge scale of
robbery was maintained during PreSi-
dent Cleveland's second term there is
no means of positive information now
at hand: but there is small reason to in
fer that it had greatly diminished,
much less wholly disappeared. in the
period of 1S93-'91
Certain it is that unj.ervaluation has
for many years been the source of
much scandal and the cause of vast
losses to the Government revenues.
When to these elements in the case are
added the serious disadvantages re-
sulting to importers making honest val
uations and to home manufacturers
who through the undervaluation of
competing foreign commodities We're
deprived of the measure of Protection
guaranteed to them in the Tariff sched-
ules, the sum total of the undervalua-
ton evil reaches tremendous proper
tionS 1t is. therefore. not difficult to
understand why many reputable news
papers in various parts of the country
should treat the subject as of the first
importance from Il national point of
view.
For the sake of honesty in business
relations, fidelity TO official obligations,
Justice TO the lawful demands of the
Federal Treasury. and fairness to the
immense and far reaching interests In
whose behalf the Dingley Tariff was
enacted, the whole country will concur
in the sentiment of the Providence
News when ii says:
In spite OF the organized aggres-
siNeness of rich and influential import
ers who have been accustomed to hav-
ing their own way in the appraiser S
office so long that the idea of being
thwarted now enrages them, the puri.
flying methods that have recently held
sway in that branch of the customs
service have already put several plugs
in the way of that leak Of $44 ,000,000
OF course. outraged selfish interests.
guided by shrewd lawyers. are trying
to knock these plugs out by clouding
the issues. thereby fooling public SEN
timent and hoodwinking the admins
tration. But 1t would be pity If they
should succeed