The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-06-16
[QIJI'ji'i2'96 f5jjq9a(2kl
National Topics Interpreted "a TYTTTFF@
by William Bruckart @SnETf1F
by William Bruckar,

And another source of revenue
should be examined to prove that
there is an improved condition in
business. That source is receipts
from tariff duties laid on imports
from foreign lands. 1t was only last
summer that monthly totals of tariff
duties were little more than half of
the amounts paid in comparable
months of the preceding years for the
privilege of bringing merchandise into
the United States for sale. That
condition has now been changed. In
April and May of this year, customs
receipts were larger in each period
than in the same month of 1882. Last
month. the tariff duties yielded $780,
$4,000, while in May, 1892, they yield
ed only $1S,OO3,OO0.
A complete analysis of this item of
government revenue also would call
attention to the
Affected by fact that the prices
Price Drop OF merenanolse are
lower now Uy
substantial percentage than in April
and May of last year. That fact is
important because more than 20 per
cent of the tariff duties are assessed
on what is called the ad valorem
basis. That is, the amount of duty
paid is a percentage of the value of
the article imported. 1t becomes read
lily apparent, therefore, that reduc-
ton in prices has the effect of re-
ducing the amount of tariff duty, and
this may go so far as to offset even
an increase in the amount of the i'm
portations. The experts tell me that
the May imports, measured in units
as distinguished from dollar value,
must have shown sharp growth The
character of these imports, however,
will not be capable of segregation for
some weeks because the bureau of
customs has to have the statistics
from all ports together with details
of the merchandise brought in before
it can tell what the totals have been.
From these brief sketches of how
the government has been getting its
funds and the prospects pointed out
by the trends, it seems to me there
is no better reason needed for op-
timistic feeling.
Aside from the link between gov
eminent and business, 1 want to re-
peat an observation which Secretary
Woodin made to me at the treasury
the other day respecting the signs of
the times. He called attention to the
fact that, without exception, announce
ments have been coming day after
day in the newspapers that this plant
or factory or that industry or trade
had expanded operations. had taken
on more workers or restored to their
jobs many who had been laid off.
Some of them even have increased
wages.
THAT sort of thing tells story"
the secretary said. Factories do not
put people to work unless they are
selling the articles they make; they
could not do it, for their money
would soon run out, but they are
doing it, and it is absolute proof to
me that most of the supplies are
exhausted and people are buying
things again. And the most pleasant
thought of all is that every time a
man or woman is pnt back to work,
they are able to buy things they
have not had while they were unem-
ployed."
And while we are on the subject
of government expenses, President
Roosevelt called at.
President tention the other
Er,Io;ns day to wide
spread misconcep-
ton of how economies are TO be ac-
complished. He said there had been
many words written about the delay
in effecting reorganization of govern
ment agencies and that in most in
stances, the newspaper account of the
situation had left the impression that
this would cause the program for
economy to fall short of complete ac-
complishment. The President explained
with some care how savings of only
small amounts are obtained through
reorganization while real economies
must come through elimination of
functions such as duplicated work.
AS an example of what the Presi.
dent meant, attention may be called
to the abolition of some 200 out of $50
positions known as trade commits
sioners. Trade commissioners have
been wandering over most of the
civilized world. seeking to establish
contacts through which American ex-
porting houses may sell their prod
ucts. Abolition Of those jobs resulted
in several million dollars in savings.
But at the same time, the President
ordered the remaining trade commits
sioners transferred from the Depart
ment of Commerce under whose juris.
diction they were, to the Jurisdiction
of the Department of State. 1t will
be readily seen that the only saving
made by that move was elimination
of one OF the two sets of controlling
or supervising officers, for the State
department maintains its staff of COM
mercial attaches, consuls and the like
throughout the world. The transfer
was reorganization, while the aboli-
ton of jobs was part of the economy
program.
1t is still an open question whether
Mr. Roosevelt will be able to save 25
per cent in the next year from the
total of government expenditures as
they are being recorded In the fiscal
year just ending. The 25 per cent
which he pledged during his cam
paign to cut from the federal budget
is slightly more than one billion dol
lars. 1t takes no soothsayer to fore
see that If that amount is Topped off