New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-05
prpOPT or SECRETARY FOLGER.

Secretary OlRtI His HUI uoH' JunN''S
in his report The document is very long, YER
bose and windy, and would not be printed by
anybody if 1t were not an official paper. All
there is in it of public interest could have been
nut into three or four columns of our type by
gentleman of Mr.. Folgers ability. 1t is often
siye TO make an important public document so
wordy and tiresome that people who have any
thing to do IL this world will never read the
whole of it, unless under compulSion.
What the Secretary has to say of the reve-
nue. and expenditures for the last fiscal year is
old. of course, and 1t is not wholly his fault that
il is wearisomc. He might have said in few
words that the revenue exceeded the eXpcndi-
lures by S134,17S,7 1857, and that he estimated
the surplus for the current year at about
SsO,OOO,OOO. 1t will probably be- found that
he is in error in this estimate-that tho rcduc-
ton of debt less cash In the Treasury If there is
no change of the laws, will be greater than he
has supposcd. A more important difficulty,
however, is that the Secretary does not seem
prepared to recommend any mode OF reducing
or applying the surplus revenue.
1t does not appear to the Secretary that
il would be wise to cut oil the internal
taxes. In that position las to whiskey
at least) he should have the support OF
Republican members of Congress. But he
thinks that the late revision of tariff was not ms
effective as it was intended to be, and that the
remedy for redundant revenue must ultimate
" be found in further reduction OF the tariff.
Nevertheless. because the late revision has been
in force but short time. and its effects cannot
vet be fully measured Mr.. Folger does not adj
wise n change of tariff at this session. The tax
on bank circulation he thinks unwise, and
therein he will be supported by conservative
men, but the repeal Of this tax would still leave
n surplus of $50, 100000, even upon MIR. Fol
GERS estimate. and he does not seem 10 know
what to do in order to get rid of it, The weak
est part of the report is the Secretarys treat
mept of the proposal to distribute the surplus
among the States. He thinks il is "not tho
function of government 10 raise money to be do
mated TO the States" and no one supposed that
it WAS But wiser men and ADLER Jursts than
Mr. Folger-withOut any discourtcsy to him II
may be- said-dccmcd it proper many years ago
Ia make a distribution to the States OF funds III
the Treasury and not only that, but To advocate
as permanent policy the raising of n revenue
TO be thus distributed. There may De serious
or even fatal objections To the plan under CON
sidcration, but it must be said that Secretary
Folger fails to point out amy OF them. II the
United States can properly eIpcnd money for
public education, Mr.. Foleer fails to show why
it may not properly expend that money through
the State Governments.
As to the National banks. the recommends
tiOns of the Secretary are more cOmmcndabe.
He seems to favor provision that circulation
may be issued amounting to 90 per cent OF the
market value Of the long term bOnds-a propo-
sition which Controller Knox advocates with
ability. That these banks have had hard treat
mcnt from the Government, all things consd-
cred Mr Folgcr evidently thinks. Credit Is
due to him for urging that the continued coin
age of useless silver dollars should be discOn-
tinucd, but he offers no adequate reason for
striving to thrust silver certificates into circu-
laton in place of other kinds of money.
I'm point Of style and method, little can be
said In praise Of this report. It's Use of phrases
adapted to the stump speech does not render II
interesting; the lack of clear and positive plan
helps to make it wcarisOme. 1t is 10 be hoped
that the Republicans in Congress will have
clearer and wiser ideas than they can find In the
report of Secretary Folger rs to the revenue,
the banks and the issue of certificates by the
Government. Particularly as To the tariff, they
will need better reasons than Mr.. Folger gives
when they come to discuss such report as may
be made by n committee selected by Speaker
Carlisle.