Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-11


Feet UPON THE sTATEs-AssIsTANr SECRETARY
NEWS REMINISCENCES-THE SAME SCHEME RE-
vIvED IN 1888 To RELIEVE UNCLE SAM OF HIS
SAVINGS.
The claim recently brought against the govern
Pment on behalf OF the state Of Virginia for the pay
ment OF the fourth installment OF that states
share OF the surplus revenue Of the government
dered to be distributed among the states by the
act of Congress OF June 23i 1886. recalls very in
tfresting period in the history OF the government
For the first time in its existence the government
was then free from debt The revenues were large,
and in spite OF liberal appropriations, there was
surplus of over $42, 1000 The Secretary of the
the sth OF December, 1885, that the amount OF the
Indebtedness of the United States outstanding was
| 1928. .5S210, and this remained unpaid for the
reason that payment had not been demanded. Be-
sides informing Congress of the liquidation OF the
public debt. the secretary further stated that
there would be surplus In the revenues. What
| disposition should be made OF this surplus was
question that gave rise to an animated debate
in the Twenty fourth Congress
The reasons which lead Congress to make this
disposition OF the surplus revenue will be of inter-
est especially at this time, when the project has
quarters. Mr.. Wharton Barker, OF Philadelphia,
in newspaper Interview advocates such
| measure, and Senator John A. Logan, in an arti-
Gle in the North American Rerie,c for April favors
the distribution among the states OF a sum not
less than forty million and not greater than sixty
was besides bill introduced in the last Congress
appropriating a large sum to be allotted among
the states for the purpose OF giving additional
school facilities.
THE SITUATION OF AFFA1Rs
The situation 1t presented itself to the Twen-
| ty-fourth Congress was simply this: There was
no public debt, and there was large amount OF
public money unexpended. The treasures OF the
states were depleted in the effort to make the
enues drawn from a scanty population meet the
expenditures which the necessities OF a new un-
settled country demanded. Besides, as the gov
ernment then was not the sole custodian OF its
| of deposit throughout the country. Mr.. John C.
Calhoun, who introduced the measure in the
Senate, said that 1t was not only
the states should have The use Of the money
in preference to the banks The opposition to this
proposition he characterized as wicked scheme
| to have the public funds in the banks OF deposit
to be loaned out by those institutions to specula-
tors and partisans without authority control OF
law. This mighty combination, he sail, would
oppose IT, and he greatly feared that the time was
approaching when the Will OF powerful combina-
tions would be more powerful than that OF the
government 1t was further claimed that this
was the peoples money and should. therefore. be
returned to them. The state governments were
on internal Improvements for the benefit OF com
merce and to open up 4 new country for the 0ccu-
pations OF civilized life 1t Therefore proposed
to loan the state governments the money In the
q. s. Treasury on the 1st or January, 1897 with
the exception of five mioa Of dolars), in proper
tion to their respective representation in
both houses OF Congress, the states to be re-
quired to give certificates pledglng their faith for
the safe keeping OF the money, and its repayment
when the Secretary OF the Treasury should call
for It.
WHO GOT THE MONEY.
The bill was passed after short debate in the
Senate, and the House concurred without opposi-
tiOn. The money was distributed as follows: