The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-12-12

averaged at the rate OF twentyour millions four hundred
and fcryeght thousand dollars per The reduc
ton in expenditures for the last mentioned period
much greater than the dminuton Of revenue.
The account of the principal and interest
the old public debt and the interest loans and Trea
notes during the last mentioned period exceeded two
sew en- hundred thousand dollars
From the preceding estimates and state
ments it appears that there will be
qured for the service of the present fiscal
Year beyond the means in the Treasury $4,000 90
And for the service Of the fiscal year com
mencng LIST July, 1874, beyond the pro-
bable revenue, at least 4,5OOO00 90
Ss,sooooo 90
The loan of ls4l becoming due LIST Janu.
airy, lS45, amounts to 5,6129S6 SO
The balance of the Treasury notes which
outstanding on the Sd March, lS43,
and were not redeemed by the last loan,
With respect to the last ITEM the balance of unredeem
ed Treasury notes. is supposed that adequate provision
for the present made by existing laws which authorize
the funding such notes in ten years stock or the reis
Of them before the lst Of July 1874 Some OBSERVE
tons will be found in subsequent part OF this report
panatory OF the views and course of this Department in
proper only express the opinion that legislation will
be necessary to provide for this amount OF more than
S4,500,0 900, other than the continuance by Congress
of the provisions of the act Of March 8, 1913.
The loan made under the act Of 2lst july ls4l is in
terms redeemabe at the option Of the Government after
the LIST of January 1883 yet is not doubted that the
derstandng of the lenders at the time always is
in respect loans similar terms, that would be
deemed the specified time In the opinion OF the under
signed the practice of rendering loans indefinite
tain as to the times payment ought be INDUCED
when it can possibly be avoided \ postponement sup
posed to be temporary from to embarrasses the
operations of the Treasury by the uncertainty of the de-
mands which may be made upon it. la present album
dance of money it is believed that loan might be
obtained, ten fifteen years. stock, terms
favorable to the Government than those on which that
commended also by the consideration that the probable de-
fcency in the of the next fiscal year to meet
the ordinary expenditures will be sufficient to call forth
all our resources without encountering this additional
amount
The remaining eight millions five hundred thousand
dollars the estimated expenditures the receipts of
present and fiscal year must be avoided in whole
or in part by reduction of the public expenditures
provision must be made to meet them by am increase in
the revenue Both these TOPICS therefore, demand cons
deration.
First, reduction in the expenses of the Government
the province of the legislative branch Of the Govern
ment, particularly those Of general character There
the departments having charge of them 1t is believed
that the expenses Of collecting the from customs
may be materially diminished by the abolition Of some
collection districts and Of offices in other districts
which have ceased to be useful and by exact
gulation of the compensation Of those officers who may
he retained The subject has heretofore been brought
the attention Congress- and it is again respect fully SUBJ
med to its consideration Any additional information
in DETAIL will cheerfuly be communicated the appropr
large and unnecessary expense is frequently incur.
red in the proceedings to obtain judicial condemnation OF
goods of small value which have been seized as having
been illegally imported In collection district and
balances Of costs paid by the United States in
thirty mine of them averaging tyfour dollars in each
suit This is probably extreme but the evil is
known be very general If claimant ventures to APP
pear the conclusion irresistible that defence
economical mode of proceeding may not be adopted
sisten with the rights Of ALL Congress has made liberal
provision for the remission of foreures where they have
been incurred without fraudulent intent by short and
simple process which to the applicant the costs of
trial. 1t would seem but just that a similar principle
should apply of the government In where
the appraised value Of the goods seized shall be less than
hundred dollars ample public notice might be CIV
en- requiring claimants to appear and give security Sr
might be sold at public auction and the proceeds deposited
in the Treasury for convenient period prior to final dis
tributon, to be refunded in the proper cases.
The act regulating the amount of compensation be
retained out OF their fees by Clerks Of District and Circuit
ties has received construction by Of the Circuit
Courts which defeats the purpose that Congress to
have had in view and requires amendment; be intend
ed that the surplus of fees beyond the given amount shall
Considerable expense might be saved by modifca
ton of the act of June H. lS40 which would allow the
consolidation Of two surveying districts when
the remaining surveys therein could in the opinion
Of the Department, be completed under the Surveyor
General of of them; and by authorizing the discon
nuance Of land Offices whenever their expenses exceed
twenty per cent Of the annual amount Of sales and
nexing the lands unsold to some other Office.
The acts making permanent and indefinite appropria
tons might, with great propriety, be revised with view
economy does not require the repeal of of them
at least limitation OF the time for which they shall re-
main or Of that in which applications shall be made and
the proofs completed The expenses charged upon the
Judiciary fund call for examination and regulation and
secondly It becomes the duty of the undersigned to
examine the remaining question presented whether any
and what provisions can be made to meet the conem
plated deficiencies such portion Of them as may exist
after the reduction which Congress may direct The al
tematives which suggest themselves direct taxation
augmentation of the proceeds Of the sales Of public
lands the increase Of existing duties imports and the
imposition Of duties upon articles now free.
is presumed that direct taxation Of real personal
no fed nj
have fsiled The undersigned has therefore nothing to
suggest this subject.
be made by which any permanent increase Of reve-
from the public domain can be secured Some tenn
price Of land offered for SALE but it would be with the
hazard if not certainty, Of destroying rich fountain,
whose regular and steady stream kept by maintain
ing amoderate price adapted to the circumstances of
fellow citizens, and yet not inviting speculative in
vesments Our ultimate resources, then must be the du-
ties on imports And when it is considered how large
portion othe expenditures of the caused by
our lighthouses by foreign intercourse, by navy
and other means to protect and extend our with
foreign nations and with how much equality and
equity upon the importation of foreign merchandise
operates upon all classes than any other mode of raising
revenue; with how much II is collected, and how
it entirely avoids all collision with the State sovereignes
respecting the subject Of taxation this mode OF supplying
the of the government will commend itself to favo
rabc consideration.
Sufficient information has not yet been obtained
pccting the practical operation of the act of 26th August
1912, establishing the existing rate of duties foreign
mportatons, to authorize accurate opinion Of the
probable results Of its different provisions The CON-
mercia statistical statement required by law embrac.
ing the returns from the 30,h Of September 1912 to the
30th June, lsi3 is In Of preparation by all the
force that can he applied to it, and is hoped will be laid
before the two Houses Of Congress in the Of the
ensuing monthSAs 1t will embrace the first months dur
ing which the present tariff has been in operation it will
probably contain the desired information But the under
signed feels bound to say that from the examination of
reports he has causc to be made from the principal ports
consideration which he could give to the subject he has
been able to discover any Of the existing duties which
mentng the revenue The danger from this source is
that articles upon which high duties are levied will either
he clandcstiney introduced or not imported at ALL II is
believed that to the great vigilance which has prevailed
Turing the past along the coast and extended
inland frontier, II Is mainly owing that the fraudulent i'm
portatons which had been anticipated by have been
prevented The temptation however, should not be
ried far that in enterprise will remunerate
for the losses in several failures.
On the other hand looking the subject exclusively in