Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-12-19
TAXES N TARIFF.
The Policy Announced by President
Mckinley Abandoned by
Republicans.

"
A Washington dispatch to the New
York World say that it is
that the net treasury surplus for the
present fiscal year may reach S13o,00o,-
600, and hat as a consequence, repuD-
lican leaders in congress with the pres
ident's sanction have adopted a plan
to cut off all the war taxes, reduc-
ing the internal e to figures as
low, if not lower, than those which
prevailed before the Spanish-Ameri-
can war.
According to the Worlds dispatch,
the abolition of these special
will reduce the revenue to about $685.
900, 900. The tax on beer Will be re-
duced from SLIGO to one dollar a barrel,
thus taking off about $25, 00o. 900. The
tax on tobacco will be reduced from
nine to six cents per pound, and the
cigar schedule will be rearranged so
as to effect, together with the general
tax reduction, an additional reduction
of $25, 900 900. In this way it is est1-
mated that the entire war tax will be
wiped put and the surplus reduced by
about sos, 1000, 900.
The Worlds correspondent says that
it is also suggested that the tax on
whisky NAV be reduced to so cents a
gallon, the present tax being $1.2O per
gallon. The Worlds correspondent
says:
'The president and the republican MEM
bers of the ways and means committee,
with two possible exceptions, are unalter-
ably opposed to any revision of the tarin.
All agree that reduction on one article
could not be effected without going through
the entire list, and such a revision is not
contemplated. All agree also that business
would be unsettled and the present pros
perity materially checked. The president
and these members think it wise to leave
well enough alone"
1t is also stated that it is not now be-
lieved that anyone of the pending reci-
procity treaties can obtain ratification
in the senate, and that there seems
no prospect along the line of reciproc-
ity."
The Worlds correspondent is au-
thority for the statement that when
certain members of the ways and
means committee suggested to the
president that possibly the treasury
surplus could be lowered by revision
of the tariff schedule in which the
greatest degree of protection is al
lowed, "the president declared his
close adherence to the doctrine of high
protection and expressed his opinion
that the present prosperity should be
allowed to continue, and that there
should be no tinkering with the tariff
to unsettle business and cause appre-
hension in commercial circles"
Chairman Payne, of the ways and
nnanc onnrnittoo sold. SSTha oOl1n-
try is doing better thar ever before,
and there is an old adage to let well
enough alone"
Representative Russell, of Connec-
ticut, said: "Revision of the tariff
along special lines is a practical i'm
possibility at present. Conditions
are good, and they should be permit
ted to remain So"
More and more every day it ap-
pears that Representative Babcock's
fight for tariff revision will be a
hopeless one in the republican party,
Republican leaders, who, like Bah
cock, have changed their opinion as
to the influence of a high protective
tariff on the general welfare, would
have a YER strong following in the
republican party, anu pei maps 1hS
recognition of this fact has some.
thing to do, aside from the desire to
reduce the surplus, with the conces'
sions which the administration lead
ers seem disposed to make in the
matter of the war taxes: Doubtless
these leaders believe that by a ma.
terial reduction of the war taxes
thus affording relief in some quar-
tiers, they can postpone the demand
for tariff revision.
Certainly the republicans have the
power to defeat tariff revision, anc
probably they have the ability tc
close for a time the public eye to one
great evil, while affording a degree
of relief from war taxes.
1t is interesting also to note that
the same authority that us
there will be no tariff revision also
conveys the information "there
seems no prospect along the line Of
reciprocity" Republican newspapers
had much to say by way of com
m%endation of President Mckinley:
last speech, and yet, if the New Yori
Worlds Washington correspondent
is to be relied upon, already there
are indications that the policy an
nounced by the lamented president
in his last speech, has already beer
abandoned by the republican party