The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1901-08-23
NO PUBLIC SUPPORT.
TARIFF REVISION PLAN NOT IN
GENERAL FAVOR.
Advocated by Professional Free-Trade
Reformers and u Limited Number of
Doubting-Thomas Protectionists- with
out u Leg to Stand On.


One point in connection with the
gossip about alleged necessity for re-
vision of the tariff cannot fail to be
observed by those who are considering
the question in all its phases. and that
is that except among the professional
tariff reformers the demand Is not vo-
ciferously emphasized in any quarter
except where there has always been a
manifest weakness on the doctrine and
policy of protection. You look into
any section of the country where there
has always been a lame and hating
support given the cause of protection,
and you will find all the Republicans
that are to be found anywhere who
are fearful that the trust gobble'uns'
will get the people and the Republican
party If the markets of the United
States are not speedily turned over to
the foreign producers.
With these exceptions, and few
representatives in congress who are
ready to get into the current of any
passing breeze of popular clamor,
rather than take their part in shaping
public sentiment rightly, there is abb
solutely no support for the talk about
the necessity for revising the tariff.
When the people reflect upon the re-
suits of the past year, not only in do
nestle trade, but in the marvellous de-
velopment of our international trade,
facts concerning which will soon be
ready for inspection, there will be
speedy fading of the Babcock idea of
reforming trusts with the aid of for
eigners.
1t is we'll to reflect upon the fact.
in this connection, that not a single
member of either house of congress.
who has any really close participation
in the preparation of laws bearing up
on the tariff or finance, has uttered
one word in favor of the Babcock idea.
This is significant, to say the least.
The preliminary figures furnished by
the treasury department covering the
trade of the United States with foreign
countries have been completed, and,
subject to a few changes, will stand as
representing the most remarkable year
l., the experience of the nation with
international trade. One thing is dem
onstrated by the results of the last
years business, and that is that those
who are of opinion that there should
be a revision of the tariff must find
the reasons for such action by the next
congress elsewhere than in the results
obtained in the field of our trade rela
lions with foreign countries. So far
as that trade is concerned the advan-
tages, to whatever cause due, have
been largely with the producers of this
country Our laws of trade have GER
tainly been promotive of the b:st in
terests of the country so far as inter-
national trade is concerned, to great
err degree during the past year than
during any recent year in the nations
life. The most significant fact is the
remarkable gain in our exports of do
nestle products. The returns to the
treasury have not yet been completed
to show the relative gains of manufac-
lures and farm produce in this in
creased export business, but it is in
teresting to know that during the year
ending June 80 we sent abroad COM
modities to the amount of $4,000, 900
worth more than were sold abroad last
year and almost double what we sold
abroad during 1895. The influence Of
wisely framed laws is also shown in
the fact that while our export trade
was growing so handsomely, we
bought in foreign countries about $685.
900, 900 worth less of commodities than
we bought in the previous year, which
means that the producers of this coun-
try had wider field among our own
people for the disposition of their
products. The net foreign business
done by our people in the twelve
months just ended aggregated nearly
two and a half billion dollars, and the
striking fact which stands out in bold
relief in this connection is that the ag-
gregate of our sales abroad exceeded
our purchase abroad by the sum of
1864 100000. The tremendous import
ance of these figures is made clear
when it is considered that this excess
of exports over imports amounts to al
most the total aggregate import or ex-
port business of the country in any
year previous to seven years ago. If
there is any comfort in these figures
for tariff revisionaries they are well
come to it. The fact of the matter is
the trade statistics of the fiscal year
just closed leaves them without a leg
to stand on.
| In this connection 1t is we'll to note
the fact that the treasury finances
were never in better shape than at
present. The total available cash bal
ance is upward of s171 900 900, and the
net amount Of free gold in the treas
ury, the property of the government
ia about s6O,0O0.00O This is a hand
some showing, considering the reduc-
tons made in internal taxation, and
the bond purchases made by the de-
| nartment during the mast three