Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-01-23
PROSPERITY Is REAL
UNPARALLELED FISCAL AND eco.
NOMic CONDITIONS.
Treasury Receipts from Tariff Duties
Over $500, 100000; Imports More
Than s1,25o,ooo. 900; Exports
Exceed si,75o. GOO, 900.

The fiscal year 1906. as shown in
the annual report of the secretary Of
the treasury. brought into the treas
ury of ;he United States the largest
customs receipts in the history of the
government. From the payment made
by foreign producets for the privilege
of entering the American market with
their competitive wares there wGs rea-
lied the unprecedented sum of $780,
psi ST..
During the same period American
industrial producers marketed fully
$4,000. 100000 worth OF the products
OF American labor
Imports OF more than a billion and a
quarter dollars were easily absorbed
by nation grown fat with protection
prosperity.
Twelve years ago. when the coun-
try was staggering under the calamity
OF tariff revision downward. foreign
producers could find in the United
States market for not more than
two-thirds of the goods that they sent
to us in 1906.
Eleven years ago the free trade gov.
eminent was issuing bonds to defray
government expenses. SO great was the
diminution of revenues
To-day tariff revised upward in
the interest alike of revenue and OF
adequate protection is yielding Gus
toms receipts OF more than $300.O00,-
600 year, and instead OF bond issues
TO meet deficits. the treasury has a
comfortable working surplus of $7S.-
900 900.
Is not this a condition To be glad of?
Is It not condition to be let alone?
Is 1t condition calling for tariff
reduction?
II we reduce the tariff we shall re-
duce the revenues; that is, provided
the imports remain at the present vol.
ume OF $l.276 ,00O. 900.
But If, through the reduction of tar
in duties the revenues remain unim-
paired, or shall even be increased. we
shall have to import much more than
S1.276 100000. much more than some
$3.50, 100000 of dutiable and competi-
tive articles
To keep the revenues at their pres
ent stage, with tariff rates reduced.
would necessitate a much larger in
crease of dUtiable and competitive i'm
ports.
For every ten per cent. of tariff re-
duction we should have to import 20
per cent. more OF competitive articles
in order to keep the revenues at high
water mark.
III the reduction OF tariff rates were
to be 20 per cent. the increased impor.
tation of duty paying commodities
would have to be 40 per cent. and we
should then be importing $3.50 900. 900
more OF competing articles: $3.50. O0O.-
600 taken away from American pro
duction and labor and given to foreign
production and labor.
But, some will say, there is TO in
tention of making an all-round reduc-
ton of 20 per cent, or even 10 per
cent, in the Dingley tariff rates.
We are not so sure of that.
Granted such a DEVELOPMENT of the
tariff ripping craze as to bring to-
gether the progressive" revisionists
OF the Republican party and the nj.
ready progressed" revisionists OF the
Democratic party in a combined as.
sault upon what are called the abuses
and the extortions of the Dingley tariff
amounting in a single year, as Gov
Cummins has told us, to ten times the
graft and extortion of the life insur-
ance companies since life insurance
began-and add to the reduction in
rates certain to result from such a
coalition the placing OF vast quantities
OF raw materials" on the free list:
then add, further. the results of the
realization of the numerous schemes
OF tariff reduction through "reciproci-
ty' concessions and through customs
administration relaxed to- facilitate
differentiation and tariff evasion
granted an amalgamation Of all the
forces bent upon tariff reduction IN
one form or another and on one pre-
text or another. and who can say that
the final result would not be equiya-
lent TO a 20 per cent reduction OF the
present rates? II is as likely TO 90
above 20 per cent. as to fall below that
figure.
TarfH