Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-08-07
NO PUBLIC SUPPORT.
TARIFF REVISION PLAN NOT IN
GENERAL FAVOR.
Advocated Only by the Professional
Free-Trade Reform Element aud by
a Limited Number of Weak, Kueed
Semi PA otectionists.


a Limited Number of Weak, kueed
Semi PA otectionists.
One point in connection with the Cos
sip about alleged necessity for revision
OF the tariff cannot fail To be observed
by these who are considering the ques-
ton il all its phases, and that is tina,
except among the professional tariff
reformers the demand is not vocifer-
ously emphasized in any quarter ex-
cept where there has always been
manifest weakness on the doctrine ana
policy Of protection You look into any
section Of the country where there has
always been a lame aud halting sup
port given the cause of protection. and
you viii lind all the Republicans that
are to be found anywhe re who are fear
ful that the trust "golible'uns will get
the people and the r publican party if
the markets of the jnitcd States are
not speedily turned ger to the foreign
producers.
With these exceptions. and few rep
resentafiyes in Congress- who /. ready
to get into the current of any passing
breeze OF popular clamor, rather than
take their part in shaping public senti-
ment rightly, there is absolutely no
support for the talk about the necessity
for revising the tariff. When the people
reflect upon the results of the past year,
w In IL. Ia NAttf In Jtfs
marvellous development of our interna-
tioual trade, facts concerning which
viii soon be ready for inspection. there
will be a speedy fading Of the Babcock
idea If reforming trusts with the aid
of foreigner
1t is VIII TO reflect upon the fact, In
this connection, that not single mem
Der Of either house of Congress, who
has any really close participation In the
preparation Of laws bearing upon the
tariff or finance. has uttered one word
in favor Of tie 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
in the experience Of the nation with
international trade. One thing is demon
strated by the results of the last years
business, and that is that those who are
of opinion that there should be a reyi-
sion 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 relations with
foreign countries. So far as that trade
is concerned, the advantages, to what
ever cause due. have been largely with
the producers of this country. Our laws
of trade have certainly been promotive
of the best interests of the country, SO
far as international trade is concerned.
to greater degree during the past year
than during any recent year in the ma
TONS life. The most significant fact Is
the remarkable gain in our exports of
domestic products. The returns TO the
treasury have not yet been completed
TO an extent which makes 1t possible
to show the relative gains of manufac-
lures and farm produce in this in
creased expo business. but Ii is inter.
esting to know that during the year
modities 10 the amount of SS9,000.0O0
worth more than We're sold abroad last
year, and almost double what we sold
abroad during 1885. 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 S2S.O00.0 900
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
ped lie for the disposition of their prod
ucts. The net foreign business done
by our people in thetwelve 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 aggregate of
our sales abroad exceeded our pur.
chases abroad by the sum of SuG4, 600.
coo. The tremendous importance OF
these figures is made clear when IL is
considered that this excess of exports
over imports amounts to almost the
total aggregate import or export bust
ness of the country in any year pre-
vious to seven years ago. If there is
any comfort in these figures for tariff
rcvisionaries they are welcome TO II.
The fact Of the matter is the trade sta
tistics of the fiscal year just closed
leaves them without leg to stand on.
In this connection It is wen to note
the fact that the treasury finances were
never In better shape than at present.
The total available cash balance is up-
ward of S171, 100000, and the net
amount of free gold in the treasury,
the property of the Government, is
about $50. 100000. This is a handsome
showing, considering the reductions
made In internal taxation. aud the bond
purchases made by the department dur
ing the past three months American
Economist.
Tariff and Reciprocity.
The declaration of the Ohio Republi-