Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1904-12-08

ms Revenue Producer-Why the
wiIsan-Gorman Bill Was Failure.
Our Growing Expenses.
Discussing the matter of tariff revi-
sion, the St Louis Globe Democrat
says:
Representative eBabcock of Wiscon-
sin is reported to have said that Pres-
dent Roosevelt was likely to call con-
gress in extra session early in the com
ing spring to take up the question of
tariff revision 1t is possible that this
story is true. but the probabilities are
in the other direction. BY next spring
the Dingley bill will have lived more
years than amy recent tariff. Republic
an or Democratic. 1t was enacted ear
~ in 1897. soon after Mckinley en-
tered office the first time. He called
congress in session for the purpose of
making Il general overhauling of the
tariff. The act which was i'll operation
wien Mckinley entered office was the
WilSon-Gorman law, which had been
passed three years earlier. The WILSON,
German law of 1894 displaced the Nc
ceedcd the act signed by President Ar
thur in 1883.
BY the early days of Eoosevcit's new
term the present tariff will be eight
years Old us compared with duration
of three, four and seven years respec-
lively for it's immediate predecessors,
enumerating them bacli ward in time.
10, u-1Il IN i,nt
the act which the first Mckinley con-
gress repealed was the party perfidy
and party dshonor' act, to use the
phrase employed by Cleveland. whose
party passed it. That was the act
which Cleveland refused to sign, al
lowing il 10 go on the statute book by
the expiration of the time limit. 1t
was said at the time that Cleveland
preferred the Mckinley act of 1890,
which the Wilson-G German law was to
repeal. but his friends persuaded him
in the interest of his party not to veto
the latter. He compromised with them
by contemptuously ignoring it, and as
lie took no action against it the meas
ure sneaked on to the statute book.
That law did much, through the fight
which it precipitatcd between the
Cleveland and the German factions. to
disrupt the Democratic party. 1t helped
to roll up the immense Republican ma
jority in the congress elected in 1891. Il
few months after the mongrel tariff
law went on the statute book 1t helped
likewise TO weaken the Democracy for
the campaign of 1896.
But there was II reason for abolish
ing the Wilson-Gorman law. which
does not operate against the Dingley
act. The former gave neither revenue
nor protection. In days when the
army and navy were much smaller
than they are now and the expenses
of the government much less the tar
thing like its quota of revenue to meet
the expenses of the government while
it was equally defective in providing
protection for the industries which
needed protection. The present law Is
fairly adequate rs Il revenue producer
except that, owing to the recent re-
ductionS in the taxes. the govern
ments income for the moment falls
short of the heavy outgo. 1t is pos
sible that some of the governments
expenditures may be cut down but
the chances are that not much can be
done in that direction. The country Is
growing rapidly Army and navy call
for very much greater expenditures
now than they did just before the
Spanish war. The question of max
ing both ends meet in the government
accounts is large. Speaker Cannon is
understood to be determined to reduce
expenditures in the coming session If
this can be done with safety to the
public interest This question will re-
| ceive very careful and intelligent at
tention from the veteran Republican
leaders in the next three mouths Be
fore March 4. 1905, the country will
know whether or not new sources of
revenue will have to be provided. I'm
til congress takes a thorough survey of
the field the question of an extra ses-
sion of congress for tariff revision
which will furnish additional revenue
may safely be left in allegiance.
Southern Mans Surprise.