Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-04
THE EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
Washington News and Gossip.

GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS To-DAy.-Internalr rev.
enue, 15,954.s5; customs. s4o7 .67s.s5.
DURING THE WEEK ENDED to-day bank notes
were received at the Treasury for redemption
amounting to S197 ,0O0.i kTheSe receipts for the
corresponding week OF last year were $4,000.
INTERNAL REVENUE APPoINTNENTs.-Robert
A. Hancock and j. A. West have zen appointed
internal revenue gaugers for the 5th districts of
Kentucky and Illinois, respectively; C. o. Par.
mele, storekeeper and gauger, I'd district OF
Illinois: and D. N. Zimmerman, storekeeper, 7th
district of Kentucky.
Two MORE NoTAR1Es.-The President today
appointed Octavius Knight and j. J. Ltnney
notaries public for the District OF Columbia
Hon. JOHN F. HOUSE, of Tennessee, is in the
CITY, Mr.. House is chairman OF the democratic
caucus committee. He said to-day he would
issue no Call for a caucus of the democrats until
the middle of next week. Then a call will be
issued to elect House postmaster in place OF
Col. Stewart, deceased
WHAT Mr.. Cox SAYs.-Hon S. S. Cox is at
the Riggs House. In a nutshell he explains
the democratic defeat. He says sit was the
there is about it.n Mr.. Cox is preparing
speech on the tariff question. lie is free
trader in sentiment. He says he made q speech
campaign, making free trade the burden Of his his
argument, and the democratic majority was
Increased All votes. Mr.. Cox is too modest to
ascribe the increased majority 20 his mastery
speech.
COURT MARTIAL SENTENCEs.-The President
has approved the sentence OF dismissal from the
army passed by court-martial upon Capt. An.
drew Geddes, 25th infantry In the case of 1st
Lieut.. Wallace Tear 25tn infantry, sentenced
to dismissal the President has mitigated the
sentence to forfeiture of rank and one.haf pay
1Or one year.
ARMY ORDERs.-Maior A. E. Bates, paymas-
ter, is relieved from duty in the department OF
the Miss ourt, and will report for duty In the
department OF Dakota. The superintendent
general recruiting service will forward 12O re-
cruits for assignment as follows: To Fort Smell
ing, Minnesota, 80 to the 18th infantry; TO Fort
Brown, Texas, 80 to the Goth infantry; to San
Dodge Kansas, 80 to the 23d infantry. The
superintendent general recruiting service will
forward so recruits to Fort Sne ling Minnesota,
for assignment to the 'th infantry.
THE TREASURY now holds SD III 900 in L. S.
bonds to secure national bank circulation. L.
S. bonds deposited OF this account week ending
to-day, s., ,sS3 so; bonds previously deposited on
this account Withdrawn, s,5S2,Soo.
THE NEXT HoUsE.-Speaker Randall comedies
that the republicans have clear majority of
one over all opposition In the next House. He
denies that the democrats contemplate or ever
had contemplated an alliance with the green
hackers to secure control. Clerk Adams says
On making up his roll he shall be guided wholly
by the law. regardless whether the republican
majority is one or fifty.
GOOD WORK OF THE LTFE.SAvING SERVICE
The annual report of the superintendent OF the
life-saving service shows an excellent record
for the service during the year. The numbr
OF marine disasters coming within its field of
tnV0lVipO I
only nine of whom were lost. The value of
vessels and cargoes involved was So, 81 l, ,I0s OF
,,lh which s26ie, sOa was saved. Since the estao-
and sl2, 130. 2l5 worth OF property have been
saved.
Bogus CONSCIENCE DRAFTs.-It used to be
the custom of the Treasury whenever draft
check, as wel as ready cash, was received to
be credited TO the conscience fund to make
newspaper announcement OF the amount In
order that the anonymous sender might know
that his contribution had been duly received
Now only cash contributions are promptly ac-
kEoWledged. There is a reason for this OF
course. the fact is, some people, supposed to
be wicked young men, have been apparently
giving the conscience fund boom by sending
In drafts ranging from 81 to 500. These drafts
were sent anonymously, and generally were for
money due the government On account of
customs out1es.' A number OF this kind had ac-
cumulated In the Treasury within a few days.
secretary Sherman directed that they be col
lected. IN order to do so both his aud the
tleasurerS endorsements were necessary.
These were placed On the drafts But they were
not collected. They were worthless, despite the
Dg endorsements. Since then there have been
number OF drafts for conscience money re-
ceiVed at the department. They have not been
acknowledged through the newspapers, and
Will not be until they are collected-if they are
worth anything. The hoax is very little one,
and. doubtless will not be attempted when no
announcement or the worthless draft or check
received is made by the department.
COMMISSIONER RAUM's ANNUAL REPORT says
tie Efforts Of the past four years against Illicit
distilling and manufacture OF tobacco have
been very successful. The frauds upon the
existing are confined to a few localities. He
knows no reason why the increase In receipts
shall not continue. The total collections for
amount to s1s5, 900, ,OOO 1t IS suggested that the
tax be taken off bank checks, friction matches.
patent medicines or preparations, perfumery,
Gosme,ics 81 &C, oank deposits, savings bank de-
during the fiscal year amounted to $40 900 SOC 13.
It Will be wise TO confine internal revenue taxa
ton to spirits, malt liquors. Tobacco snuff,
cigars and special taxes upon the manufacturers
and dealers In these articles. He Is OF opinion
that reliance can be placed upon receiving the
sum or Si20, ,0O0, 900 annually from these sources
The total cost OF collecting the revenue for the
year was s4,505, ,S42. IS. being 800 per cent OF
The total amount collected The estimated ex-
penses for next year are 81, ,S95 $50. The total
amount Of collections from tobacco for the
fiscal year ended June go 1850, was sSS SO 0S,
which is less than the receipts from the same
source for the fiscal year Immediately preceding
by 81, 264, S625l. II there had been no reduction
OF the rate OF tax on tobacco the total colec-
tionS from all tobacco sources would have
reached the round sum OF $4,000, 900. The
quantity OF spirits 90 355, ,2i0 gallons, produced
and deposited In dlStillery warehouses during
the fiscal year ended June 30, 1879, exceeded
the production OF the previous year by Is 462 649
gallons the product for 1879, having
been greater than for any previous year.
The Commissioner saws that he has not cues.
tened and does not question the right of the
Secretary to obtain Information from Sucn
sources as he may deem proper upon which to
make appointments and removals In the Inter-
nal Revenue bureau, but it occurs to him that
the officer who by law has charge of the gen.
eral superintendent OF the collection of the
revenues and who has so much to do with the
ohicers in question, should be consulted as to
tae necess sty OF making appointments and the
propIlety OF making removals, adding "In nv
luogment IL would be wise for the 6onOrabje
secretary OF the Treasury to reconsider This
SuoIec. Win view to a modification OF his
present order" ~ "iS
acknowledgements Burrows. Davis
OF illinois, Mckinley and Pound, ana Col Arson
Mills, [. S. A.. are at the Ebbitt. Logan
the brilliant correspondent and magaztntst ia
In hiladelph1a.-Gen. Van Vnet has gone fo
New York to attend the anniversary meeting Of