The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-12
WASHINGTON.

For the first time since July, 1872 the
monthly statement of the public debt shows
an Increase, mainly caused ty the disburse-
ments for pensions.
The opinion prevails at Washington that
the subject of a revision Of the tariff will be
referred to commission composed OF re
elected members OF the house, as recon-
mended by Secretary McCullOch.
Secretary Lincoln reports that during the
past year no soldier has fired a musket at
an Indian. He states that constant hand
ling OF the rolls In the Office of the adju-
tant general has made their recOpying nee
essary, task which will require the SER
vices OF one hundred clerks for three
years.
Estimates submitted to the House Gem
mlttee on Appropriations for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1885, include: Pensions,
$60,OOO00O; Military Academy, S393, 344;
notifications, 81, SOB, 900; Consular and Dip
lomatic expenses, $ ,623, 176; navy, $50, 654,-
900; Post-Of1ce Department, $50, 900, 1854;
4S9; Legislative, executive, and judicial ex.
penses, So, 326, 402; District of Columbi2,
81, 740, O73; rivers and harbors, SSH, 400;
total, $3.50, $50, 707. This is an increase over
the estimates OF the present year of S43, 4G2,-
04
OUR FINANCES.
The annual report of United States
Treasurer. Wyman shows that the revenues
w
by $49, 161, 12. The decrease in receipts
from customs was S19, 639, 007 in receipts
from internal revenue S23, 134, 1886, and In
receipts from miscellaneous sources SIS, S49,-
24S. From the aggregate of these items
should be deducted an increase of 81, S54, $40
in receipts from the sales of public lands,
leaving the net reduction rs stated above.
The net expenditures aggregated S244, 49,
44-a decrease from the amount in 1888 of
S2l, Isl, SOB. The surplus applicable to the
$1OI, 1898, 625-a decrease OF SIS, ass, SIS from
that of the previous year. The items of ex-
penditures showing q decrease are as fol-
lows: On account of the War Department,
SO, 4Sl, 719; Interior Department, S11 ,469-
g36; interest ON public debt, $4, 5S1, 752.
expenditures on account of the civil and
miscellaneous list and So, 0O9, 164 in the ex-
penditureS OH account of the Navy Depart
ment. Disbursing officers of the United
States had to their credit on the books of
the Treasury at the close Of the year SSa,-
bilites for Sept. 30, 1884, shows the general
balance was reduced from S163 232, 463 in
1888 to Sl49 525, 0G2 in 1sS4-a reduction of
SIS, T07, 400.
CIvIL-SERvICE TESTS.
The civil-service commission finds il is
grinding ont q, supply of clerical material
that Is somewhat in excess of the demand.
Therefore il will in future examinations re-
ducc the number who pass successfully by
being somewhat less liberal in the marking.
The minimum will not at present be adj
vanced from Is per cent, but the markers
they give. The result will be to raise the
average capact y of the list of eligibles.
The change will make it easier for persons
well qualified for the government service to
get places, and little more difficult for
those of inferior capacity. he scholastic
fnS 70 mot md al t,nt hnx
to be graduate of Harvard, or even n re-
cent graduate from q high school, in order
to pass; but he has to have some capacity
for thinking and expressing himself. One
of the regular tests is the writing of short
letter Oh subject named by the examiner.
The subject is generally an easy one, but
knowledge of 1t Is not required. The i'll
formation and opinions IN the letter do not
count. The sole object is to test the appi-
cants ability to express himself. In re-
cent examination very intelligent-appear
ing young man gaveup in despair. and re-
fused even to attempt the exercise. He
said lie never could write II letter, and it
was of 10 use for him to try. Though
marked zero on that he might answer 9th
er questions well enough to get an appoint
ment but for the future the examiners do
not mean that general average shall save
n candidate who won't even try the difficult
intellectual feat of writing Il letter.
THE WHISKY MEN.
Although there are indications that an
earnest effort will be made this winter to
extend the bonded period for the benefit of
persons who are carrying stocks of spirits,
the occasion for any such relief is rapidly
diminishing. Expectation has afforded
some relief, and is now going OH at the rate
of about 20 per cent. above the expectation
for the previous year. During the first sew
EN- months OF 1885, 24,617, 5B gallons will
have to be withdrawn, but during the last
five months of the year only s,l13,54 gal
Ions will have to be Withdrawn, making 26,-
ISL, 1876 gallons for the year. During the
first seven months of 1856, 1890, 100 gallons
will have to be withdrawn. The total
amount to be withdrawn In 1885 Is less than
40 per cent. of the average amount with
drawn and tax paid, exclusive of the
amount Withdrawn from export during the
five years 1851. So that with a restricted
production for the next six months the diff
fculties the whisky men have been COM
planning of for the last two years will DO
pretty well over The Internal revenue
relief to the distillers, but it Is now believed
in the bureau that the special occasion for
relief has passed. If the tax OH whisky is
left undisturbed by the next congress, the
bonded period Is likely TO be made indefi-
mite. Tobacco does not have to pay tax till
IL goes on the market. The same was true
OF all the other articles on which internal
revenue taxes were levied. The theory OF
the internal revenue system Is TO collect the
tax when the goods are sold, and to this
spirits have been the only exception. If
spirits could be bonded indefinitely distil-
lers could take full advantage of low prices
in grain. This is one of the first mOdifica-
tions of the internal revenue system that Is
wanted III the spirit-produciny region.
THE NATIONAL BANKS.
Tie animal report of the comptroller of
the currency shows that during the year
Nov. l., 1884, l9l banks have been organized,
with an aggregate capital of $1,000, $50.
Circulating notes have been issued to these
new associations amounting to So, 230.
These banks are located by geographical
divisions as follows: Eastern states, 10
banks, with capital of $4,000; middle
states, 25, capital S1.S12,250; southern
states, so, capital SO, 99l, 900; western states,
102, capital SIS, 005, $50; Pacific states, 3, cap
ital $3.50, 600; territories, 10, capital 81, 49,
900. Since the establishment of the nation
al banking system, Feb. %, 1868, there have
been organized 5, 261 national banks. The
total number In existence Nov. 1, 1884, Is
2,671, the largest number in operation at
any one time. Eleven national banks, with
an aggregate capital of .S1,2S5, 600, have
failed and been placed In the hands of re-
oxtxt H..