The Washington herald., 1915-03-11
A Question of Revenue.


THE hoary headed tariff issue will have to take
la back scat in the next national campaign, is the
declaration OF the Anti-Saloon League OF America
in formal statement issued since the adjourn
ment OF the Sixty-third Congress. This is not a
new original command. We have had it many
times before, given by many men of many minds,
but the hoary-headed tariff has not obcyed. 1t
has persstently occupied front seat since the
tederal government was organized a tariff bill
was the first act passed by Congress and signed
by George Washington. The paramount question
In the beginning was revenue TO pay the expenses.
The borrowing power of the Federation had been
somewhat impaired during the Revolutionary war;
and the State legislatures had not readily re-
spondcd to the appeals from the Continental Con-
grcss to pay their quotas OF expenses.
Ways and means was the first paramount qucs-
ton which confronted the government, and
the statesmen of that day proceeded to enact a
tariff law which signed by President Wash
ington on July 1, 1880. 1t was the first Fourth Of
July celebration OF the government under the Con-
stituton, and it levied customs duties on importa-
tions of spirits, molasscs Madeira wine, beer
cider, malt, sugar coffee, cocoa candles, cheese,
soap, boots shoes, slippers goloshcs, cables twine
Iackthread, Steel nails. salt, tobacco, snuff wool,
coal fish, tea, gunpowder, paint, buttons, saddles,
gloves, hats, millinery, clothing playing cards,
carriages and coaches and practically everything
imported from foreign countries. 1t was pro-
tcctive tariff, designed to encourage the producing
of all these articles al homo and also to produce
revenue.
With that beginning 20 years ago, the tariff
is now hoary-hcadcd, but it has kept the front
scat pretty much all the time since perhaps be
have brrD
froncd with the same problem, ways and means
to run the government and encourage tho develop
Incnt OF natural resources. The total re-
Ccipts OF the Federal government less than
SGl 100000 in 1900, and they than
500, 100000, with deficit OF $I.,5ooooo 4 month";
to indicate that thi, old question OF revenues
Is still a paramount issue.
When VIC had a tariff law producing d surplus
every year there good many people who
said leave the tariff alone and don't agitatc but
they called stand patters" and reaction
aries" The Dinglcy law was not hoary-hcaded
when the agitation began to reduce tho tariff and
reduce the cost OF living. The Payne law was not
out OF its swaddling clothes before it was kicked
and cutfcd about and denounced hoary-h eadcd
and rcactionary, but il followed the precedent OF
is predecessors and produced surplus. VIC have
A young tariff now. but it does not show much |
,igor hope i'll combating the deficit, notwith- |
standing the encouragement OF head nurse Red |
held and tho help OF the war tax. Even Demo
ratio sponsors for the Underwood tariff are con- |
,idering ways and means to meet the expenses OF |
he government.
And here comes this cheerful Micawber cx-
Dectng something to turn up, ordering the hoary-
headed tariff to take back and put national
prohibition in the scat OF honor in 1916, the |
paramount issue. The delightful side OF this new
Command is that the Anti-Saloon League OF
America also proposes to wipe out the internal
evenue we'll as the tariff and have Uncle Sam
whistle for about SIooo,ooo,ooo revenues year
0 meet the expenses OF the government. We
night roll Micawbcr. Col. Sellers and the immortal
. " Free into and not produce anything like
he confidence OF the Anti-Saloon League of
AMERICA in the ability OF the government of the
ntcd States to live on hot air