The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-08

usually favorable year, at less than 90 per
cent Of premiums received. IN unpleasant
contrast with this showing the Bulletin
thinks, from what is already known Of the
fire experience of 1879, that the amount OF In
surance money called for during the 1fst
half OF the year has been at least equal 20 ~
per cent Of the entire loss burden Of last
wear. taking all the companies into account.
England. says the Saturday Review, Is not
the only country which Is receiving quantf-
tias ri American corr and meat large enough
70 damp the spirits OF home producers. The
importations from America into France are
nothing like 50 large as those into England,
but still they are very considerable. 1t is as
serted that last year France imported q mil
lion quarters OF wheat from the United States.
The French corn grower cannot contend
against this competition, as his advocates al
lege, and 1t Is said that In at least four dis
tricts Of France wheat Is ceasing to be Guilt
waited. The competition Of American beef,
pork and cheese Is also said to be telling on
French production, and an effort Of a very
serious and determined character Is being
made to induce the government to put on
protective duties so as to save the French
grower.
We learn from a Washington dispatch that
the Postoffice Department has concluded to
incorporate In Its new regulations an order
that Is likely to m aterially reduce the postal
revenue. Some years ago there was q law
passed authorizing the sender OF a newspaper
to place upon it some device or inscription to
Indicate the sender Of 1t. Under this law a
ruling has been made which will allow a very
large amount OF matter hitherto considered
matter Of the first class to go at rates charge
able for third class matter, or for eight cents
instead Of ninety-six cents per pound. This
includes q large amount OF insurance and bank
ing business and generally would permit a
large number Of business blanks In which there
Is little or no writing to go at the cheap rates.
One postmaster of an Eastern city has al
ready protested against this proposition,
claiming that 1t will result In the loss OF
$780, 900 to the postal revenue from his office
alone. ##= @@@@&5 5
San Francisco Is involved In a financial
snarl which threatens to make q great deal OF
trouble before it Is finally Strengthened out.
Mayor Bryant has insisted all along upon
the enforcement Of retrenchment and the cut
ting down OF appropriations. The Board Of
Supervisors unfortunately were not of the
same mind, and when they came to fix the
tax levy for the coming year last week, they
refused to make the reductions which the
mayor had recommended. The mayor, there
fore, refused to sign the levy, insisting that
he wanted time to think the matter over. But
the law Is very explicit that the supervisors
shall fix the tax rate on the fourth Monday in
June, and the Supreme Court decided in a
similar case, some years ago,t that the may
or's failure to af1ix his signature on that day
invalidated the tax levy. II this decision is
reaffirmed In the present instance, the city
will be left without any money for the COM
ing years expenses, and it is considered
doubtful whether 1t will be easy to raise tenn
porary oans. In any event, the question
will have to go to the courts, and there Is GER
tain to be a heap of trouble about 1t.