The age-herald., 1901-06-17
Republican Leaders of the West Favor Restricted Legislation
FOSTERED BY THE TARIFF
The Surplus at the End of the Fiscal Year, June 30, Will Approximate $75;o0o, 900 = Enormous
 Pension Expenditures.
BY ALBERT HALsTEAD.

recent interview Representative Towney of Minnesota, member of the ways and means committee in the late Congress, stated the Western view of the trust question very clearly. He said that while the West Is opposed to the trusts it does not believe that this is the time to be- gin an onslaught on the tariff, but 1t does demand some Legislation to prevent the trusts from selling their products more cheaply abroad than they do at home. It is very apparent from talks with visitors to Washington that the Western and Central Western people demand that tho power of the trusts be broken, and if they are persuaded that the tariff gives the trusts an undue advantage, they will in- sist upon reduced tariff But, at present they are not quite persuaded that the remedy lies in reducing or abolishing tar Tiff duties. They insist, however that Congress shall take some action touching the trusts, at it's next session, and are prepared to hold the Republican party to the strictest accountability for its atti- tude on this question. It promises to be | Congress. The solution will be difficult. It will be easy enough to get an antitrust bill through the House, but the Senate will worry over 1t and hesitate and talk for an almost intending time. Then 1t will be hard to get majority in favor of any proposition. The Senate has among It's members, men affiliated with trusts, and they belong to each party. These will take as much advantage as they can of the absence of a rule limiting debate. But finally some antitrust legislation, of stringent kind must be passed if the Re- publicans are to hold the West. A fail ure to appreciate this may do incalcula- ble harm. If the Republicans are over turned because they fail to do something practical to curb the trusts, the Demo- crats will come in pledged to eradicate the trust evil The natural result of such triumph will be legislation of such character that 1t may do more harm than the trusts themselves. But that will be the natural result of popular uprising. These are always so vigorous and often so unreasoning that the country goes from one extreme to the other.
 Even India Is receiving enlightenment and old methods of lighting are being superseded rapidly by modern methods. This offers an opportunity for American manufacturers of cheap lamps to turn their attention to the Indian field. Cor respondence with the importers in Bonn pay and Calcutta may open up a large trade in the cheap but satisfactory Amer fcan lamp. And with the introduction of that lamp there should be greater mar ket for American petroleum.
 The boys of the Eastern High school of Washington have recently had a contest with their principal on the shirt waist question and come off second best In the intense heat the other day a number of them agreed to go coatless, but wearing belts. They looked neat and entirely re- spectacle. The principal thought other wise and sent them home for their coats As the school adjourned for the summer before the board of education could meet the shirt waist question will go over for another year.. when 1t Is possible good sense will prevail and the boys be permit ted to work in comfort.
 The present fiscal year ends with the last daytof this month, and it is possible now to make very exact estimate of the 1 probable total of receipts and expendi-
 lures for year. For eleven months and two weeks of the present fiscal year the governments receipts have amounted to $559, ,2S2, ,237.67. Of this immense sum s22s,- 73s, ,210.S1 came from customs, s292, ,O29, ,Oe6 S5 from internal revenue and $37, ,96O 51 from miscellaneous sources.
 The governments expenditures in the same period aggregated s493, ,6O2, ,26S.S1. In the period mentioned the government has expended $137, ,555, ,91225 for the war de- partment and $5S,573, 70560 for the navy,
 while for pensions s1Se. .O71, 26 has been paid out. The excess of receipts over ex- penditures for the period is $65, ,679, ,s7O 86
 At the present rate of increase tho sur plus for the fiscal year will exceed S73, 900 and it should reach $75 900 0OO With the repeal of some of the war reve- nue taxes and the reduction of others, other things being equal the govern ment's revenue should be reduced about forty million next year. If expenditures remained the same as this year the sur plus next year should be about $3O, 900. 900. but appropriations made by the late Congress were somewhat larger than the year before. However, the determination not to enlist the regular army to It's full authorized strength and the econo- mics to be instituted in the war depart ment will effect this increase considera- bly,, so if the country continues pros- porous. the surplus for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1902. should be between twenty and twenty-five millions quite a comfortable sum for emergencies and to redeem such government bonds as may be offered to the Secretary of the Treas ury at reasonable rates. AS the public debt is reduced by the redemption of bonds the expeditures for interest &C., count are decreased. The total for the present fiscal year will be about BPS, ,500- 0oo-more likely less than more than this sum-or about 55.4S per cent of the total revenue for the year, which, it will be seen, is just shade more than one-half of per cent of the total revenues.
 QS 1n-MohiIe and Refurn-gE fn