US Presidency
1898

I therefore suggest for your consideration that the Executive be authorized to correspond with the governments of the principal maritime powers with a view of incorporating into the permanent law of civilized nations the principle of the exemption of all private property at sea, not contraband of war, from capture or destruction by belligerent powers. The Secretary of the Treasury reports that the receipts of the Government from all sources during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1898, including $ 64,751,223 received from sale of Pacific railroads, amounted to $ 405,321,335, and its expenditures to $ 443,168,582. There was collected from customs $ 149,575,062 and from internal revenue $ 170,900,641. Our dutiable imports amounted to $ 324,635,479, a decrease of $ 58,156,690 over the preceding year, and importations free of duty amounted to $ 291,414,175, a decrease from the preceding year of $ 90,524,068. Internal-revenue receipts exceeded those of the preceding year by $ 24,212,067. The total tax collected on distilled spirits was $ 92,546,999; on manufactured tobacco, $ 36,230,522, and on fermented liquors, $ 39,515,421.