The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-10-06
mo eovernment Finances.

Mr.. Delmar, the laundering arith-
metician of the Treasury Department,
who a few days ago figured out an en-
ormous deficiency for the current fiscal
year, receives sharp punishment from
all quarters. Hon. E. B. Washburne,
Chairman of the House Committee on
Appropriations has authorized a state
ment of receipts and expenditures
which shows very different result
from Mr.. DeImar's. The entire docu-
ment is too long for our columns, but
we find 1t thus epitomized by the New
York Times! "ze
aEstimating the returns of the whole
year by those of its first quarter, the
customs revenue viii be Sl7O, OOO, 600,
with moral certainty that any falling
off cannot exceed Eve millions. Making
the amplest allowance for possible con-
tingencies, the years receipts from this
source may be stated at $l66, 000, OOO.-
The internal revenue, again, may be
relied upon to yield more than $16O;OOO,-
600, while there is probability that 1t
will rise TO near $500, 900, 600. The smaller
of these amounts is predicated on q
continuance of the receipts of the past
quarter, which felt the effects of the
abolition of industrial taxes without
realizing the Raint to accrue from the new
law relative to the collection OF the
tax on distilled spirits and tobacco.
When the latter shall come into full
operation next month, large additions
| to the internal revenue may be expect
ed. For the present, however, and TO
4 avoid the charge of e1aggerauon, the
estimate Is limited to an average which
is below. rather than over the truth.
The same desire to be on the safe side Is
apparent in the estimated amount OF
receipts from miscellaneous sources.
They are put down at S45, 000, 900, al
| though the only known deViation.from
those of last year, when they exceeded
fifty millions, is less than two millions.
| After exercising the utmost Caution
1 then, 1t is fair to assume that the total
i revenue will not be less than S3TO, OOO,-
600. This conclusion is based upon the
| fixures of the first quarter OF the year,
| verified by the experience OF other
years, The amount is more likely TO
| be four hundred millions, but, for pru-
dental reasons, Mr.. Washburne has
preferred to exclude from his estimate
all doubtful quantities.
VIII $3.50, 00O. 900 cover the expendi-
lures orthe Government This i5 the
next point to be ascertained. Last year
| the outgo was slightly in excess of this
sum, and the additions of the current
year, under some heads, are more than
covered by reductions under other
heads. The only known additions are
the Alaska purchase, an increase OF
more than two millions in the pension
expenditure, and a Post Office deficien-
cy which the Department estimates at
five millions; making total of $l4 500, :
600. Surprising no change of an oppo-
site character 10 occur, deficiency to
that amount might arise. But the saw
ing on the payments for interest will
alone balance these additional items;
the interest having last year been
SAC, 423, 1856, while for the present
year IL will not vary greatly from
Sl26, 000,0 900. Moreover, there were
last year payments TO the States
on. account of war debts exceed
ing ten millions, which will not recur,
or, II at all, for insignificant amounts.
The Freedman's Bureau, which last
year cost considerably more than three
| millions, is this year being wound up
| with an appropriation of half a million.
Theriver and harbor expenditures have
been reduced from six millions TO mil
lion and half; and the measures OF re.
trenchmeDt applied to the army and
navy will produce a saving of twenty
five millions in each. The total reduc.
tions as compared with last years. ex-
penditures from an aggegate of SSl ,677
S0S, and bring down the estimated ex.
| Notwithstanding the extras We
have named-to 1903, 162, 365.
Instead of anticipating deficiency,
the country may, with reasonable con-
fidence, look forward to surplus
amounting to between sixty and sev-
enty millions as result OF Republican
management Tor the current financial
year. .E-.