The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-02-19

delivered o. Thursday Iast, in Con-
gress ~ Mr.. Dawes:
Mr.. Dawes discussed the pending
bill and that for q repeal of check
stamps, together with the tax on
matches, which last year amounted to
$2.5O0,0O0, and that on bank checks,
81 100000. The Commissioners of In
ternal Revenue estimated that the re-
peal would require the funding of
$500,000 20 those now holding stamps
for bank checks, aud like amount for
stamps on matches, so the question Of
repeal involved S., 100000. The Com
mittee on Ways and Means are unani-
nous against the repeal, The Secre-
tary of the Treasury has on hand, at
the commencement of the fiscal year,
eyer $l30,000, 900, of which some $40,
000,000 were held in trust, leaving but
500, 100000 belonging TO the Govern
ment- Its total available funds are
S48. 100000 in gold, and nearly $12,-
900, IN currency. The receipts
from July /, 1873. to February l, 1874,
were $I65, 81, ,973, and the estimate for
the remaining i've mouths of the year
was $l16, 100000, making total avail
able income Of $28l,777,972. The ex-
penditures to February we're On ac-
count of the Sinking Fund, S12,936, :
$50, and appropriations, $I77, 7,754, ,008.
The liabilities were unexpended ball
ances Of appropriations, Sl38, ,38l ,557 !;
interest on the public debt. S4l .286,-
Sol accrued interest, $685., AT, be-
sides estimated expenditures on ac-
count Of sdndry indsfnite and perlna-
nent appropriations of $6,825, 600,
which with some additional figures
not clearly understood by the reporter
show total expenditures of $393, ,846,-
$50, against available resources
of $3A, ,7I0,718; so. IL the Govern
ernment should be called upon during
the year for all appropriations made
BY Congress, there would be At the
end Of the year near $50, ,066, 449. This
Represented the condition of the
Treasuarys on paper, but there was no
probability that the Treasurer would
be called upon to respond for all ap@
| propriations. Many items are omit
ted under the head OF permanent,
which, although made over two years
ago, had not been covered in the
Treasury. al careful revision of all
those outstanding appropriations ag-
gregate S72, 1863, ,O34. Assuming that
1.-The Treasury would not be called on
for it, there would be on hand ut the
close Of the current year. $50, ,302, ,1S5.
This Eum excluded the Sinking fund.
That Is the Government would meet
all liabilities, and also provide for q
/ sin king fund, and still have $4,000 >
600 at the end OF the year, as against
/ 000Q000 st the beginning. But
against $20,000,O00 were to be drawn
all deficiencies that arose during the
war. He understood there would be
| 81, 100000 deficiency In the Indian Bu~
reau, and he. estimated the misceIla-
neous deficiency at 100000. He had
never known the deficiency bills, at
any session. TO amonnt toiees than So
00Q000 and had known them to reach
$130OO.O00. He had left out of the es-
timafes of deficiencies the claims made
BY the District Of Columbia for ex-
/ penditures made in the district, vary
/ ing from IS 600 to 81. .OO0, 900 in the
face of its prohibition by the act of
Jannary,8, 1873, of the contraction of
] further liabiiities by the Board OF
Public Works for Improving streets,
ETC., except in pursuance of appropri-
ations. Congress was con nfrohted with
these claims, he would not discnss
their legality, but would say that after
that enactment the Treasury Depart
menE could not have contemplated any
expenditures by the board for which
1 the Treasury would be liable. If,
| however, this sum should be paid out
Il it would increase the deficiencies to
i s. 600, 900. The claims from the mix
ed com mission would swell them 81
600, 900 more, leaving but $l0,0O0,O00
of cash on hand at the end of the
year. 1t was evidently unsafe for the
i Treasury to be reduced as low as $l0,-
0O0, 600 to meet an emergency in the
absence of Congress. No man would
take upon himself the duties of the
i Treasury Department in the face oi
the lisbilffy of such balance to meet
the monthly expenses of the Govern
ment, much in excess thereof unless
provided by Congress with some
means on which he could fall back.
In reply TO Mr.. Garfield, Mr.. Dawes
said the $44, ,000, 600 reserve, and the
use made OF It by the Secretary of the
Treasury, had not entered into his
Il calculations. The receipts of the first
/ seyen months of the fiscal year OF '7S
and rs, compared with the cores
ponding months of 1873 and 1874 were
as follows: For 1872 and 1873, Gus
toms, Sill, ,0000 add internal reve'
fnue, SCI, ,000, COO; add total, $I7S,842,-
1856. For 1878 and 1874, customs, $685..
000, 600 add internal revenue, $57,.
000, 600 add total, $50, ,527, ,O84 show.
ing falling of in the receipts of the
present year from those of last year oi
SOS, ,315,7 702. The comparison of re.
ceipts for the last five months of The
last fiscal year with estimated receipts
for the coming five months of this fis,
cal year, were as follows: For 1877
and 1873. receipts for the last five
Enontfls, $127, 100000; add 1873 and
I874, estimated receipts for the mex
five months, $Il6, ,O00, 900, making 8
falling of In that period OF $ll, l,5l6,'
l275. 81 az
Mr.. Dawes then as due to the ad,
ministraSiou of the Treasury Depart,
nient, stated in detail the reduction il
Iduties by Congress in tea, coffee and
other articles, aggregating 81, 1867,
E3l3, as the reason why, having com
menced the year with $4,000, 600 in
hahd, it ends the year with only $l0,.
100000, and an increase of the public
debt, and continued as follows IF the
Il House agree in that the Treasury il
lliable at any moment to 90 to protest
Unless it can have a margin more tC
be relied upon than this, less than
II0, ,000000, then every gentleman viii
see that we don't discharge our duty
unless we, as law making power
pass some measuBe by which to in.
crease that margin. OF course there
are but thres ways to do that thing
1t may be done by increased taxa.
Etfon, by q loan, or by the cutting
i down OF expenditures. Unless one OF
the other Of these measures be resort
ed to, and resorted to in earnest, We
who have the credit of the Treasury
lof the United States in our keeping,
holding only the Secretary of the
Treasury and administration to a
faithful discharge of laws which we
make, we shall have failed in the dis
charge of our duty. Mr.. Dawes con-
Etinued by ppposiug any Increase OF
taxation, giving credit to Secretary
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