The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1869-12-30

clerks, and clerks IN charge of divisions
are inadequately compensated for tn
service they perform. The routine bust
ness OF the Department can be performe,
in satisfactory manner by clerks receiv
i ing the compensation now provided b
the law; but men on whose discretion
and judgment the Government relies 70
the proper transaction of The business o
the country, and whose labors are no
limited to the ordinary hours Of duty
should be made to feel that they are prop
erly compensated
| There arc two changes in the organize
ten of the Treasury Department which
consider Important. The first change t.
which refer is be the creation Of Chic
Controller of the Treasury, who shall b,
authorized to control the system Of &C
counting by the several auditors and con
trollcrs, and TO whom ell appeals shall b.
made upon questions arising in the &C
counting Offices Of the Treasury. The
creation of this Office, clothed with the
powers indicated, will give uniformity &c
the accounting systcm, and trust il will
be in the power of the officer appointed
to simplify the system, and materially re-
ducs the expenses Of the Department. in
this particular, The second change to
which, call attention is, in my opinion,
even more important At present there
are eight divisions in the Sseretary's Of,
flee, Whose duties are connected exclusive
ly with the customs revenue system There
is no person, except the Secretary Of the
Treasury, who is by law authorized to pass
finally or in way authoritatiyely upon
questions arising in the administration Of
the customs revenue laws At the pres-
emit time the revenue from customs ie 90
large as the revenue from the excise sys
tem The nurabsr Of men employed, and
the feld Of its operations are nearly 90
great. It is impossible for the Secretary
of the Treasury to give the various ques-
tions that arise in the administration OF
she system, that attention which 10 essen
tial TO the service The duties Of super
intending the collection Of the customs
revenue are 30 varied, delicate, and iEaper-
tant, es to justify and require the sxclu-
sivs attention Of the most competent per
SON whose services can be obtained. The
experience of the present year in the ad-
miAistratioA Of the internal revenue sys-I
TEN, and the collection OF the excise tax,
justides the opinion that the sstS blish-I
ment Of the Office Of Comnisloner Of Gus
toms Revenue, corresponding in power
and position to that OF Commissioner Of
Internal Revenue, sad the appointments
of a competent commissioner would rem
der the execution of the customs revenue
laws much more efficient and harmonious
while the revenue would probably be in
creased to the amount Of many millions
dollars annually; nor is it probable that
the expenses would be materially great
er. a
Including the interests earned and not
paid, and deducting the cash on hand, the
debt of the United States, on the fst of
March last, was $2,525, 463, s6O.O1, and,
subject to the same condition, it was Ga
453, 559, 1883 on the LIST of the present
month, showinga decrease of Ell ,903, 1884,
76. This apparent decrease of the pub
lie debt is less than the actual decrease.
Considerable sums have been paid on &C.
count of war and other old claims not
previously ascertained, and therefore not
included IN any debt statement. The &C
count of March LIST from the necessity OF
the case, included only the interest ac-
crued and not then payable, but as a mat
ter Of fact, there were outstanding and
overdue interest coupons, and the several
millions have since been paid out Of the
ordinary revenues. Previous to March 1st
no interest account had ever been kept
with the several loans; such measures ae
were found practicable have since been
taken to ascertain the exact condition OF
these amounts. The bonds issued by the
United States in aid of railways, amount
ing to $62 1926, 800, being in the nature OF
q loan are not included in the foregoing
statement. Dnring the fiscal year, ending
June so, 1859, there was an excess of re.
ceipts over expenditures, including the
interest on the public debt, of $49, 453,-
1915 of this excess $12,992, 370.03, az
nearly as can now be ascertained, arose
prior to March LIST, and the remainder
$36, 460, 779.43, between that time and the
1st day of July This excess was applied
from time to time to the purchase of sac
bonds, and the excess of receipts since
July LIST has been used in the same man
ner. The purchases amounted in the ag
gregate,on the 30th of November, to $75,
476,800. As large part of the excess o.
receipts was realized in coin, sales of gold
have been made from time to time, anC
the proceeds applied to the purchase O.
bonds. With the exception Of the sale O
moderate amounts of coin in Chicago
New Orleans, st. Louis and Baltimore,fo l
the payment of duties, the sale of golC
and the purchase of bonds have bee,
made uniformly through the agency 0
the United States Treasurer in New York
and without any expense to the Govern
ment, except the comparatively small
amount paid for advertising the propc
sails. The average premium on gold solt
since March 1, has been 80 $40 per cent
and the average premium paid for bond