Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1844-01-06


reciinn, which accompanies this report, co.
exhibiting the value of foreign merchandise
imported and re-exporied from 1921 to
1912, and showing the value of articles con.
sImpd or left on hand during each year.
BY comparison of this table with another.
Q) also hereto annexed. showing the value
Of merchandise imported and the duties ac-
cruing thereon for each year during the
same period, il will lie perceived, as gen.
eral result, that the duties were the greatest
during the years when the largest amounts
Of imported goods were either consumed
or left on hand. A comparison Of these
for the several years will afford very good
idea of the average consumption of foreign
goods and the balances that must have been
left on hand, and will Justify the conclusion
that the largest amounts of duties were
founded upon The excess of importation
over consumption; in other words, that the
regular and steady consumption of the
country did not furnish the means from
which those excessive revenues were deri-
we'd. The inference to be drawn from
these results is, that we are not to expect
such amounts of duties as characterized
the years 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, and 1899
without the existence Of the same cause
importations beyond our wants And in
deed a more general inference may be
drawn. that. without the intervention of
some extraordinary causes, which there is
now no reason to anticipate, we cannot re-
ly upon more than very moderate in
crease of duties from customs, bearing a
proportion to the increase of population
for years 10 come.
With view to furnish the information
collected in this Department, respecting the
course and fluctuations of our foreign com.
merce, in a convenient form for examina-
ton and reference, several very valuable
tables have been prepared, which are an.
nexcd to this report. Among them, he
sides those already mentioned, is a state
ment of our exports of domestic produce
and of foreign goods. distinguishing those
subject to duty from those that were free;
also, tables of the most important articles
imported from those countries with which
we have the most intercourse, designating
them respectively; and, also, of our ex.
ports to the same countries. There is also
table showing the gross revenue of each
year. the expenses chargeable upon it, and
the net proceeds. All these embrace the
period from 1921, when the statistical re.
ports were first made, to the year lS4s
The proceeds of the sales of public
lands have been estimated from the best ell
ements within reach. The demand for
these lands is steady, while il is moderate.
and there is no reason to anticipate the wild
and excessive rage for purchases which al
one time prevailed. If the tide of emigra-
ton should take its course toward the shores
of the Pacific, it might materially effect the
Government sales of lands. The tracts sci
apart to the new States and located by
them. being or likely to be in the marker,
will also have an influence upon the ques-
ton. These and other considerations moi
of equal magnitude, but having bearing
upon the result, have induced the under.
signed to doubt whether the receipts from
the sales Of lands will be equal to The esii-
mates submitted. which have been obtained
from the General Land Office, and are
founded upon large purchases being made
of tracts that will be brought into the mar
ket.
The expenditures for the next eighteen
months will be diminished tn a considerable
extent. in consequence of the distribution
Of the proceeds of the sales Of public lands
having ceased, of no appropriations being
necessary for new purchases of Indian
lands, of varinus public buildings, hereto
fore authorized, being completed. and, it is
hoped, of the claims of militia and yulun.
teers being nearly satisfied.
Iet from present appearances il seems
certain that the DEFICIENCIES above stated
will exist during the present and the next
fiscal year. They are but continuances of
similar deficiencies which commenced imme-
diately after the depOsites were made with
The States, and have continued for the ias
seven years. The accompanying table (C.)
exhibits the receipts from the various sour.
ces ACQUIRING between the lst of January.
1887, and the 3Oth September, 1914,
the expenditures, exclusive of payments
for principal or interest of the publ C
debt, those made on that account, and the
actual balance in the Treasury.
Ii will be seen that the deficiency has
been diminishing during the last three
years, having been at the rate of seven
hundred thousand dollars less per year
during that lime than the prcce-
ding four years. The average rate
of revenueper annum accruing between
the first of January, 1887, and the 3Ist De-
cember, 1910 was tweniy.one millions of
dollars, while that between the first of Jan.
uary, 1871, and the 3Olh September, 1913,
was eighteen millions Two hundred thou
sand dollars per year,
The accruIng revenue stated in the table
embraces all the receipts into the Treasury
durinD The DeriOdS referred to eYcpniinU