The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-16
TELEGRAPHIC,
CONGRESSIONAL.
The Virginius and her pas
sengers to be given up.
Alarming Financial Condi-
ton of the Government.
at w ashington.
The Public Debt Increasing
Rapidly.
More Taxes to be Levied on
the People.
New Estimates of EXPENSES
Demanded.
Another batch of Thieving
Omce-ho1ders.

WASHINGTON. Dec l5.-The Cananda- |
qua, Juniata and Kansas, at last accounts, |
were at Santiago de Cuba, and it is under
stood that these vessels viii receive the |
passengers and crew of the Virginius while |
the vessel will be delivered, perhaps, at
Bahai Honda, although nothing trustworthy
on this point can now be obtained from
official sources Tomorrow is the time
fixed for the consummation of the agree
ment
The House Committee on Appropria-
tions, this morning voted to offer resolu-
tions in the House requesting the President
to request the various executive depart
ment to revise their estimates for the new
fiscal year, if possible before January 9Th.
The object is to cut down the estimates
which were made before the financial dis
turbances, and before it was known that
the Government revenues were likely to
fall behind the expenditures.
Secretary Richardson, in letter to
| Dawes, reiterates the view that it would
be better to obtain the necessary money by
taxations than by loans, which increase the
national debt The Secretary ascertained
this morning that the public debt has In
creased since the first inst. five millions.
The Secretary of the Treasury has writ
ten letter to Mr.. Dawes, in answer to the
resolutions of the Committee on Ways and
Means, requesting the reasons for the In
creased taxation; in which, after quoting
portions of his last report he says that the
receipts from customs and internal taxes
have not materially increased, and it is ap-
parant that no considerable augmentation
of these receipts is soon to be expec ted un-
der the law now existing. The public
debt was increasrd by demands, which
could not be avoided during the month Of
November to the extent of over nine mil,
lion dollars, and it is apparant that 1t vii
be still further increased during the cur
rent month by many millions, while tht
coin receipts are but little more than sufh
cient to pay the interest on the public deb
and other coin expenditures. 1t will no
be prudent to sell the gold to increase th
supply of currency. The current expen
ses of the Government have already con
Q sumed about eighteen millions OF wha
has been called reserve" and there re
Imains only about twenty-six millions whlc
can be used before the extreme limit
the issue of United States notes, author
lied bv law, will be reached. Public credl
can only be maintained by keeping the re
ceipts of the treasury fully up to the ez
| penditures for ordinary expenses, for II
terest on the public debt, and for tn
purchase of bonds for sinking fund to tn
extent provided by law. 1t was manltes
" the true policy, in view OF malntalnln
that credit, so to levy taxes as to make !
, certain that the required amount will /
" raised with probability of some surpll
revenue, rather than to incur any risk OF
deficiency, which would make it necessal
. TO borrow money and thereby increase Il
debt. In selecting tea and coffee tor tax
ton, I am influenced by the conslderatl
that taxes on those articles are easily c.
y lected and are not oppressive to oconsumel
,. In selecting spirits, tobacco, gas, railw
and steamboat, express, insurance and Z
- egraph companies. as subjects of taxatio
u | am governed principally by the reaso
expressed by the Commissioner OF Inter-
Revenue, in his letter already forwarded
the committee, in the following wore
2, In selecting the sources for possible ia,
tion. I have taken those that would q
ole the revenue probably needed without a
and material increase to the present force
ana ana anv amendment to the persent syste
considering that it is wise to get pul
revenue with as little interference as POI
Bile with the general business or the co
: fry. and that tax gatherers should gr
? the public eye as rarely as practicable.
: Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, to-day,
g formally submitted to the Committee
WAYS and Means, a resolution, which
! ? intends to offer, which declares it the Sc
! 3 of the House that the burdens Of the 7
) pIe should not be increased, but that
( > extraordinary means required for the 5
! mort of the Government during the ten
? rary paralysis of the country's industl
= should be met by temporary loan
,. bond. bearing a low rate of interest in
IS rencv. and redeemable in Unitdd st
\. notes.
. MIR. Dawes, from the Committee
g Wavs and Means reported resolution
auesting the heads of the several deI
ments to revise their estimates, with
view of reduction Of expenses, be
putting new burdens on the people.
JU, Mr.. Garfield, from the Committee
Appropriations. submitted similar
amble and resolution, asking the Presi
to cause new estimates to be made by
5th of January.
In the course of brief debate, Mr.
n field said that the estimate for the mex
cal year exceeded the present by fiji
millions, and suggested that much cou
saved by not commencing the new p
buildings for which appropriations
been made. :,
3. Mr. Dawes. thought it hardly possil
cut down the estimates to the limits o
forty or forty two millions required
Iefer- In reply to question, MIR. Dawes
ferred to the Secretary Of the Treas
letter. and said it was all the inform
he felt atliberty to extend. 1t was thu
best to know the whole ssituation b
rise, legislating: -.
kies, tobaccos, teas and coffees was
LoeS, increased, it should be done lmmedi
if any benefit to the government was
the result. and favored the issue OF n
Cracks terest bearing notes for the people $
MIR. Dawes said that if he had hi
about it the knife would go into the
Of estimates until the difference De
oil Ne" the current receipts and the expend
II Tho hook tn hin