The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-01-04
EDITORIAL NOTES.

The annual report of the public
printer shows that during the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1882, the total
expenses of the Office was $685., 1895
The aggregate amount expended is
S419,219.S1 larger than the expense in
any previous year.
Since the government established
the savings deposit system in the
army, ten years ago, S3,S13.0S1.7S have
been received from soldiers on deposit.
Last year about half million dollars
were deposited. The system is to be
extended to the commissioned officers
to see if they can't be induced to save
some of their money.
The tax on tobacco collected by the
federal government since 1852 amounts
to the enormous sum of $3.50, $50, 447.
The average tax for the last ten years
has been about $4,000 per year. For
the current year it is 81, 39l,9 1888. Is
it not about time to give the tobacco
industry a rest from this excessive
contribution to the public revenue?
The Boston Herald quotes a leading
wool manufacturer as declaring that
he can, with absolute free trade, lay
down his goods in Scotland and under
sell the Scotch at their very doors. "An
L ask" he says, lin the revision of the
tariff, il we must continue to bear
this burden, is fair adjustment"
What think the Texas wool-growers
of this sort of talk from a Massachu-
sets wool manufacturer.
Apparently authentic rumors in
volve managers of the late Garfield
| fair in most discreditable scandals.
Generals Swain and Mussey and Col.
Corbin are involved. a court mar
tial is talked about. There are most
damaging reports relating to the dis
appearance of goods and articles
given to swell the receipts of the fair.
30 numerous and apparently well
grounded are those rumors that the
inquiry is likely to be made into their
truth. The lair grew out of the
action of the Society of the Army OF
the Cumberland, to which Garfield be-
longed at Chattanooga. A committee
was selected to solicit contributions
for monument to Garfield, and con-
siderable sums were contributed, in
ali S2U,O QUO, it Is said. Members of the
Society OF the Army OF the Cumber-
land express concern lest the fund
previously contributed has been en-
crodched on, ii not swamped, by the
talr managers.
The attention of capitalists is di-
rected, as never before, 10 the produc-
| tlveneSS OF cotton-Seeu Oil mi.ej. The
taxing machinery federal power has
not graSped this newly-Dorn INDUSTRY,
and IL grows apace. Seventy miles UI
more are III operation, and the product
Is seen everywhere, it having sup
| planted olive oil. 1t is used i'll luDrI-
eating machinery, and made of every
degree OF tineneoS and purity. 1t Is
| estimated that the product this year
Is worth h1ty mllllOnS, soon to be
| doubled. THESE OIL factories, in the
midst OF the cOttOn-grOWIng districts,
Will soon have cotton spinning ana
weaving establishments beside them,
and the world Will De oiled and cloth
Ell more cheaply than ever before.
Inc extent To which land grant rail-
| ways are subject to local and state
| taxation Will De determined at an ear
ly day by the supreme court. The
case involving this inquiry is entitled
san Mateo, California VS.. The South
ern Pacific railway company"
Commander Glass, of our navy, is
very enthusiastic about the timber
and mineral and fishing resources OF
Alaska, and he says there certainly
should he some kind OF government
there. AT present the treasury de-
partment and the Alaska CONNER
cial company monopoly control the
vast region, or, rather, the south
shore OF the territory. Under any
other government but ours, Alaska
would long ago have been
placed under civil law and its re-
sources would be Systematically devel-
oped. There is neither law nor court
there to adjudicate mining disputes
and claims, and that is the chief reason
why abundant capital has not gone
there to work the gold and other mines,
AS it is, gold dust to the amount OF
$200,00O has been taken out of one dis
trict, and there is really no limit to the
gold, silver and copper, while vast for
ests of fir, yellow cedar, spruce and
alder have barely been touched by the